A strong education in the fundamental techniques of ballet is beneficial to anyone who wishes to participate in the performing arts or athletics. A professional dancer generally begins formal dance training between the ages of 7 and 11. After years of hardwork and sacrifice, they may have a chance to audition for a professional school or company.
Good training is necessary for dancers. Even the smallest error in form may cause catastrophic, career-ending injuries later in life if allowed to become a habit. There are many styles of teaching methods in ballet, of which I will attempt to give an overview.
| Method | What Makes it Unique? | Characteristics | Notable Usage | |
| French | The French method was begun by a king: Louis XIV of France created a dancing school in the 18th century. Because of its French origins, all ballet terms are in French (although it was originally invented in Italy). |
| Of course, the Paris Opéra Ballet. | |
| Vaganova | Agrippina Vaganova was trained at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg, eventually attaining prima ballerina status. Later, she taught at the school (to be named the Vaganova Ballet Academy in honor of her), developing her own method of teaching. |
| The Kirov Ballet, Boston Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and the Universal Ballet in Seoul, Korea (of which the Kirov Academy is the official school) | |
| English | There are 2 main teaching methods within the English style. The Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) began as a combination of the Danish, French, Russian, English, and Italian schools. The other method is that of the Royal Ballet School, originally based on the Cecchetti method, but is now increasingly Vaganova (Russian)-influenced. |
| Exemplified in the choreographic works of the late English choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton, in the dancing of the Royal Ballet, and dancers trained with the RAD syllabus. | |
| Cecchetti | Enrico Cecchetti was an Italian dancer who performed with the Imperial Ballet at the Maryinsky in the 19th century. He was among the original cast for Petipa's "The Sleeping Beauty." Later, he taught at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg. |
| The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and the New York Theatre Ballet | |
| Bournonville | August Bournonville, a Frenchman, was trained at the Paris Opéra, where he also performed. Later, he moved to Denmark to establish the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. Besides being a dancer, Bournonville was also an accomplished choreographer. |
| To my knowledge, the Royal Danish Ballet is the only company that uses the Bournonville method. | |
| Balanchine | Created by George Balanchine, co-founder of the School of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet. His "American" style has been both praised and criticized for pushing dancers' bodies to their limits and beyond. |
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New York City Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Miami City Ballet, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet. |
