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How ballet is taught: the major methods
Two studios can both teach "ballet" and train very differently. One follows the Russian Vaganova method, with its expressive port de bras and soaring jumps; another runs the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus with graded exams; a third teaches the fast, musical Balanchine style, or the meticulous Italian Cecchetti work. The method — really a syllabus or training lineage — shapes how technique is built, how classes are structured, and, in some, whether there are formal exams and levels. For most beginners and parents it isn't the first thing to worry about: a caring teacher and a welcoming studio matter far more. But it's worth understanding, and if you already know you want a particular syllabus, these pages let you browse studios that show real evidence of teaching each. Start with the ballet methods explained guide for the full Vaganova-vs-RAD-vs-Cecchetti-vs-Balanchine picture.
Vaganova Method
The Russian method behind the Vaganova Academy and the Bolshoi — expressive, full-body movement, supple arms, and powerful jumps.
Progressing Ballet Technique
Progressing Ballet Technique — a supplementary program using exercise balls and bands to build the strength and muscle memory ballet demands.
Cecchetti Method
The precise Italian method codified by Enrico Cecchetti — a set daily structure of exercises building clean, anatomically sound technique.
Balanchine Method
The American neoclassical style of George Balanchine and New York City Ballet — fast, musical, expansive, with its own distinct accents.
Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)
The Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, taught worldwide with graded exams — a clear, level-by-level path popular for children and recreational dancers.
ABT® National Training Curriculum
American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum — a graded American syllabus drawing on several traditions, with teacher certification.
French School
The French school of the Paris Opera — elegance, clarity, fluid épaulement, and refined footwork; the oldest classical tradition.
Bournonville Method
The Danish style of August Bournonville — light, buoyant footwork, effortless-looking jumps, and understated, natural charm.
How we know who teaches what
A studio lands on a method page when its own website or its students' reviews say so — "RAD graded exams," "Vaganova-trained faculty," "we follow the Cecchetti method" are exactly the lines that place a studio on a page, and each page shows those quotes next to the studio. One honest caveat: many wonderful studios teach excellent ballet without ever naming a method, or quietly blend several — so a studio's absence from these pages is not a mark against it. And faculties change. Treat this as a research tool for finding a specific syllabus, not a ranking of quality — and confirm the details with the studio before you enrol.
Keep going: browse studios by ballet program, see ballet chains like Tutu School, or find a free trial class to try a studio first.