By STEPHANIE BUNKER
Moapa Valley Progress
Annie Leavitt wants high quality ballet training for her students here in Moapa Valley. So she recently took a trip to New York City to learn from the best at American Ballet Theatre.
Leavitt took a rigorous ballet course. For eight days the classes worked from 9am to 5pm just on ballet techniques. Leavitt worked with a group of 50 other ballet teachers all learning how to teach a certain style of ballet called National Training.
National Training is a compilation of the best forms and techniques from Russian, Italian, and French ballet styles.
“We learned how to keep ballet fun and injury free for the students,” Leavitt said of the course.
Although Leavitt originally trained in the style of Royal Academy Ballet she felt that the National
Training was the best fit for her students. The training consisted of lectures, observing classes, as well as doing some dancing themselves. Leavitt added that the lectures included lessons in anatomy and learning about emotional stages for each age group.
Last year Leavitt started her Desert Ballet Academy which she teaches at the Old Overton Gym. She said that she can already see an improvement in her students. Now she is looking forward to applying the skills she learned while in New York in her classes here in Overton.
She is passionate about the life skills that ballet brings to her students. “It is going to be so great for these kids to get the basics and joy of dancing,” she said. “It sets them up for anything: like gym, cheer, holding posture, learns self respect and self discipline.”
Leavitt also incorporates history and art appreciation into her classes. “It enriches my life and I want to expose the kids to ballet,” she said.
Last week Leavitt held a special summer ballet camp on Tuesday through Thursday. The camp gave new students a glimpse of what to expect throughout the year.
As in traditional ballet studio’s Leavitt expects a certain standard within her classes. Uniform leotards are worn with hair in a tight bun and students must be on time.
“A lot is expected of them at a young age,” she said. “But there is a reason for everything.”
Leavitt explained that the uniforms are a great equalizer amongst the students and the hair in a bun helps with balance as well as prevents others from getting hurt.
