A class where the exercises are created by the teacher and dancers learn the combinations immediately! What’s great about a real open class given by a great teacher, is that the exercises are created immediately for the momentary needs of the class and students being taught. The whole purpose of the class being to develop their techniques and comprehension of diverse ballet steps and combinations!
At Counterpointe live music greatly enhances this experience, adapting to the needs of the class.
The RAD specifies that it is itself a performance syllabus, to be learned for examination, not a training by syllabus to build technique and concepts. They recommend student take appropriately structured open classes along side learning their exam work. That is why our grade school students take one ‘RAD’ class to learn the exam work and one open class to focus on technique. Senior student take two RAD classes and one or multiple open classes
Open Classes are what dancers take in other parts of the world where a syllabus such as RAD is not used. Dancers at Counterpointe benefit from taking open ballet classes with live piano accompaniment from a young age ensuring true learning.
When students enter national and international competitions they are evaluated on their technique during an open ballet class. Likewise a component of vocational RAD exams is students having to perform an exercise set by the examiner in the exam. Professional ballet companies take a daily open classical class to prepare for their day and upcoming events: Just as we structure our to prepare the students for their upcoming performances and examinations.
