Have you ever dreamed of studying ballet?

 

Why dream? Get started right away with our Beginning Ballet course. Enjoy learning from the comfort of your own home. You don't want to miss this exclusive offer!

Click HERE to get started with our Beginning Ballet Course

Why ballet? Why now? 

We believe the answer, quite simply, is:

YOU.

  • Live your dreams.
  • Increase your energy and strength.
  • Find flexibility and balance.
  • Reduce stress.
  • Move with ease and grace.
  • Challenge yourself to grow.
  • Build confidence.
  • Focus in the age of distraction.
  • Be part of the movement to Dance4Joy!

Now is the time to take the first steps toward your dreams... 

What's holding you back from starting?

We believe the answer, quite simply, could be:

YOU.

  • Are you are afraid to step out and try something new?
  • Do you doubt yourself?
  • Do you have an inner critic that says you can't?
  • Do you believe you are not flexible or graceful enough?
  • Do you think you didn't start dance young enough or continue long enough?
  • Do you feel that you don't have the right body type for ballet?
  • Do you listen to the voice of others (friends, family members, ballet teachers, etc.) that have said ballet is not right for you?
  • Do you worry about not doing it right?
  • Do you feel nervous and vulnerable in a classroom situation?
  • Maybe you don't even know where to start....

 

***Start HERE***

  • Are you ready to give yourself the gift of dance?
  • Are you ready to inspire others by overcoming your fears?
  • Are you ready to move with confidence and grace that spills out into everything you do on a daily basis?
  • Are you ready to join the dance?

This is your personal invitation...

It's never too late to learn ballet or begin again where you left off. It is our mission to provide world class instruction to dancers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds with joy, humility and love.

With combined experience over several decades, we are both lifelong learners, excited to share our experience steeped in tradition, and highlighted by the most modern findings in dance medicine and sports psychology. 

Shannon: 
From the age of three, my shoes were always in first position and ballet has been my life ever since. 

Shannon went on to attend the Royal Academy of Ballet in London, the San Francisco Ballet and the Juilliard School. She always dreamed of running a dance studio and a ballet company for her community. Today, she is grateful to live that dream every day as Director of International Academy of Dance and the Santa Cruz City Ballet (since 2004). She is honored to have begun her teaching journey as Vicki's assistant as a young ballet student. 

Vicki:
My joy in teaching ballet is instilling in dancers a love and respect for the art form.

In 30 plus years of teaching, Vicki's students have gone on to dance with professional Ballet companies, including the San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet & Pacific Northwest Ballet, among others. Mrs. Bergland currently teaches and coaches dancers at the International Academy of Dance, where she is an instrumental part of the training curriculum. She is also Co-Director of the Santa Cruz City Ballet and teaches at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She has choreographed both repertory and full-length ballets.

We are here to support and encourage you in a nurturing and safe environment, while providing the best training possible and look forward to sharing our love of Ballet with you!

 

Stand Taller ~ Begin Your Training Today!

Build a solid foundation in ballet technique that will influence how you carry yourself through life.

We want to give you the exact tools we use with aspiring and accomplished dancers to begin (or continue) your ballet journey.

Learn the "why" and "how to" behind each exercise.

From the first lesson, learn the fundamentals explained in a language that is easy to understand.

We have  compressed our years of knowledge into this beginning course so everything you need to know to get started is at your fingertips.

In our many years of teaching we often encounter new students that are missing the most basic skills - many after dancing for several years. We don't want this to be you! The best start is the right start.

We're telling you this because there is a lot of bad ballet training. We do not want you to waste your time with bad ballet training. We want to help you get started on the right foot.... right away.

Do you know it takes longer to correct bad habits than to learn it correctly from the beginning?

We believe a solid foundation is required for you to become a strong dancer.

There is nothing like this course out there. We are dedicated and driven to provide you with all that you need for a powerful start.

You really have nothing to lose!! 

We believe so much in the power of ballet to transform your life and are confident that our course will be the perfect fit for you that if you do not fall in love with the course in the first seven days, we offer a full money back guarantee.

Maryse M.

"You've inspired me to do something I never thought I could - dance! I've tried classes in the past, but always dropped out because I just felt so hopeless about my body - it's inflexibility, etc. I've seen my body change dramatically - in what it can do, how it feels, the way it looks. I cried the first time someone said, "you must he a dancer - you're so elegant and graceful!"....You can't know how much you impact our lives as students - we are profoundly changed by what you do, and we carry your lessons in our bodies and minds and hearts."

Elaine C.

"I've gained invaluable knowledge and experience of both ballet as an art form and ballet as a life form....My fellow dancer friends and I reached this shared metaphor that Miss Vicki's teaching is like warm spring water: her guidance is powerful but not intimidating; her care is warm but not overwhelming; her mentorship can be shaped flexibly around each and every single individual, given their specific backgrounds, needs and facilities.  I highly recommend this class to anyone who is seeking strength, beauty and equilibrium."

David G.

"With Vicki's infinite patience and genuine encouragement, I found myself noticeably improving. She is able to draw out the sheer joy of classical ballet from my soul. I leave classes with a deep sense of gratitude for my health, for the ability to dance, and for a safe place to experience the sweaty exultation of classical ballet!

Shannon is a leader, a wealth of dance knowledge, and generous with her rich supply of gifts. Shannon instills in her students the love of dance and the joy it brings her!"

So jump in...It is your time to dance with life. Let's get to work and Dance4JOY!

Let's see how we can change the world together one beautiful plié at a time :)

-- xo Shannon & Vicki

Start Your Training Today!