When SODO-based dance studio Adage Ballet Academy recently relocated to Pennsylvania, teacher Emily Helman Berry saw an opportunity to continue continuity for her students and build something of her own. This week Sound Ballet Conservatory officially opens, providing ballet education for students four years old through adult. I got to take class with Berry (who offered some drop-ins and workshops prior to their official launch) and chatted with her after about her visions for the studio.
The well-appointed space is located on 1st Ave, just south of the Krispy Kreme. It features two mid-sized studios, along with a lounge and a smaller pilates and conditioning room. With high ceilings, abundant light, and light marley floors, the studios feel bigger than their square footage might suggest, and with class sizes capped at 10-15, Berry is able to cultivate the individual attention she values for her program. Another unusual feature of the space is the distinct lack of mirrors, which reflects Berry’s approach to helping students sense the technique in their bodies.
“Technique is mechanics and how your body should feel and work in different steps,” says Berry, “I’m taking a lot of my inspiration from just learning how my body should feel in all of these positions and how my muscles should be working.”
She grew up training in the American Ballet Theater curriculum before attending the School of American Ballet, famous for Balanchine methods. But rather than stick to one school, Berry hopes to train versatile dancers through taking an anatomical approach to the base technique and then layering in different methodologies through sessions that focus on learning the specifics of a particular style.
In my experience of Berry’s class, her combinations feel straight forward, yet musical, with an emphasis on academics. Even though I basically haven’t danced all summer, I felt well prepared as we advanced through the class sequence, appreciating an abundance of tendu exercises to get us going and a multitude of chances to nail a pirouette during several combinations in center. Her demeanor is reserved but very encouraging and positive, especially toward the young adults taking class alongside me.
While there’s several classes for lower-grades children, featuring pre-ballet and creative movement, the heart of the program seems to be the Conservatory Program, which provides pre-professional training to dancers ages 9-18 in three leveled cohorts. It requires a 4-5 days-a-week commitment for the school year, offers performance opportunities multiple times a year, and even opportunities to choreograph. Berry says of her program that many students desire the dedication of pre-professional training, whether or not they plan to continue professionally after high school. She’s not here to force a particular agenda on her students, but rather to create an environment where they can “work hard, have fun, mess up, and that’s okay.” Encouraging each student’s individual goals is foundational to Berry’s ethos, along with a commitment to dancer wellness.
For teens and adults who just want a drop-in class, there are plentiful options, with classes running five days a week, including beginning and intermediate/advanced options. Additionally studios are available for rental in the off-hours through the website. If you’d like to try a class, parking can be a little tricky during games at the stadiums, but Berry says to try the 2-hour back-in parking by the Starbucks down the street, or behind the nearby industrial buildings, where there’s not a time limit.
More information and registration can be found on Sound Ballet Conservatory’s Website.
