DAN 40 — Introduction to Ballet
Quarter: Spring
Instructor(s): Anton Pankevitch
Date(s): Apr 8—May 27
Class Recording Available: No
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $440
Refund Deadline: Apr 10
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 40
Status: Registration opens Feb 23, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Spring
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Apr 8—May 27
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $440
Refund Deadline: Apr 10
Instructor(s): Anton Pankevitch
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 40
Recording Available: No
Status: Registration opens Feb 23, 8:30 am (PT)
At its heart, ballet is movement, music, and joy in motion. This course offers an accessible introduction to one of the most elegant and time-honored forms of dance. Designed for beginners and taught by a lecturer from Stanford’s Theater & Performance Studies program, this course focuses on the foundational elements of ballet technique, including posture, placement, and basic steps, while encouraging a deeper connection to movement, rhythm, and music.
Each class begins with gentle warm-up barre exercises to build strength, balance, and flexibility, then moves to center work and finishes with small jumps. Along the way, students will develop an understanding of musical phrasing and practice new steps introduced each week. Instruction in ballet vocabulary and combinations will help develop coordination, spatial awareness, and a sense of line, all within a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Whether you want to build grace and confidence, improve your fitness, or simply try something new, this course invites you to experience the beauty and tradition of ballet.
Each class begins with gentle warm-up barre exercises to build strength, balance, and flexibility, then moves to center work and finishes with small jumps. Along the way, students will develop an understanding of musical phrasing and practice new steps introduced each week. Instruction in ballet vocabulary and combinations will help develop coordination, spatial awareness, and a sense of line, all within a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Whether you want to build grace and confidence, improve your fitness, or simply try something new, this course invites you to experience the beauty and tradition of ballet.
No previous ballet experience or special shoes are required.
ANTON PANKEVITCH
Lecturer, Department of Theater & Performance Studies, Stanford
Anton Pankevitch received his ballet training at Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia and later studied at the School of American Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet School. He has danced with the New York City Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Royal Ballet of London, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Ballet San Jose. He has worked as a ballet master and a guest teacher with the English National Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Wiesbaden Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, and Leipzig Ballet. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.