Photos: Rosalie O'Connor

Click here to read about Boys' Class at the JKO School!

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
at American Ballet Theatre

Children's Division

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Children’s Division is an open-enrollment ballet program for children ages 5-12 that promotes discipline and creativity while encouraging each child to reach their highest potential. Classes focus on building a solid foundation in ballet technique with an emphasis on proper placement and safe progressions of movement while remaining sensitive to the developmental needs of younger dancers.

Faculty:
Led by Franco De Vita, Principal, the faculty of the Children’s Division includes members of ABT’s Artistic Staff, ABT alumni, and graduates of the ABT/NYU Masters Program in Ballet Pedagogy. Every faculty member of the JKO School Children’s Division is certified in all levels of ABT’s National Training Curriculum . Learn more about our faculty by clicking on the links below.

Accompanists:
Each class at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is accompanied by one of our accomplished pianists:

Levels and Schedules:
The School follows a specific graded curriculum, divided by age, which is outlined in ABT’s National Training Curriculum. Each level is designed to be sensitive to the developmental needs of the age group. Class size is very limited. The curriculum combines scientific principles with elements from the classic French, Italian, and Russian schools of training. Students must attend all classes listed for their level. The class schedules and levels are as follows:

*Students in Levels 3A and 3B attend a Character dance class on Monday evenings in addition to their technique class.

**Saturday technique class for Level 3B students includes one half-hour of beginning pointe work.