Summer Series – Barre & Variations from Paquita

We will be working on variations from the Ballet "Paquita" that we will adapt for the combined level.

Unable to make all dates? 5-week Series and single class drop-in options available.

This summer, we will be working on variations and selected sections from Act III, the version of Paquita that is performed independently around the world as a classical suite.

About the Ballet Paquita

Paquita was first performed in Paris in 1846 and quickly became a popular ballet of its time. In 1847, Marius Petipa—then a young French dancer newly arrived in St. Petersburg—performed in and helped stage the work with the Imperial Ballet (today’s Mariinsky Ballet). This marked an early step in his career before he went on to define the classical ballet repertoire with masterpieces such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. In 1881, Petipa revived Paquita and expanded it, adding new choreography and music, including the famous Grand Pas Classique in the third act. Over time, the first two acts of the ballet fell out of the active repertoire, and what is most often performed today is this virtuosic third act—a pure showcase of classical technique, structure, and brilliance.

Maria learned and performed this ballet with the Berlin Ballet during her 8 year engagmentwiththecompany. She is particularly drawn to Paquita for its Spanish character and stylistic references, which resonate personally with her own heritage and artistic identity. Below a photo of the National Ballet of Canada performing Paquita. Photo credit: Karolina Kuras

Level	Class Details	New Students	Returning Students
Absolute Beginner (Ballet Basics)	Mondays, 6–7pmMarel	No previous ballet experience required	Students wishing to review fundamentals
Beginner 1	Mondays, 7:15–8:45pmMarel	Approximately 4–6 months of ballet training	Students who started ballet in 2026 or are continuing beginner fundamentals
Beginner 2	Tuesdays, 7:30–9pmMaria	Approximately 10–24+ months of ballet training	Students who attended Beginner 2 on Sundays with Marel and Beginner 1 on Tuesdays with Maria
Progressive / Open Level + Variations	Tuesdays, 6–7:30pmMaria	5+ years of ballet training	Progressive Level students (2025–2026) and Open Level

Read more on levels on our website

☀️ Barre & Variations - Open Level (Tuesdays)