Denise Lewis, born in Shelton, Connecticut, began her ballet training at age 12 at the School of American Ballet in New York City, where she studied for seven years under George Balanchine and Peter Martins. After graduating in 1988, she joined American Ballet Theatre (ABT) under Mikhail Baryshnikov, performing for 12 years in major full- length ballets such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker. Lewis worked with renowned choreographers like Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch, and Agnes de Mille, performing worldwide in venues from Tokyo to Paris.

After retiring, she began teaching at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and continued with a full teaching schedule across Connecticut. In 2010, she became the Associate Director of Dance at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, later serving in the same role at Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill from 2020-2022. Lewis is certified in the JKO Training Curriculum, National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer (NASM, CPT), and Group Fitness Instructor, and holds additional certifications in TRX Suspension Training and Corrective Exercise.

Classical Technique Class will focus on the skills and development needed for classical ballet technique. We will focus on proper body alignment and placement, turnout and correct movement patterns.

As in all classical ballet classes, we will start at the barre with the execution of a series of combinations to strengthen, build muscle memory through repetitions. We will strive to refine and perfect our technique for an intentional progression to center practice.

Center practice will consist of choreographic combinations and ballet steps that train balance, flexibility, speed, turning, and jumping. We stress using mental focus and attention to learn combinations, remember corrections and implement the material.

We will build on the training elements from our barre work while continuing to develop strength through progressions, musicality through understanding rhythm and dynamics, and body awareness through muscular engagement and correct placement.

Pointe begins at the barre within a series of exercises to prepare the feet and ankles to train in pointe shoes. Proper foot placement, foot articulation, ankle strength, and stability are some of the elements we will be focusing on at the barre. Proper body alignment and placement and correct movement patterns will be emphasized.

Center practice en pointe will consist of moving combinations consisting of echappes, releves, bourrees, turns and jumps. We will work to maintain proper foot placement, foot articulation, ankle strength, stability and correct body placement.