School of Ballet Central New Jersey (BalletCNJ) in Hamilton Twp., New Jersey, has a fun environment and challenging classes. However, they always motivate their students to try new things and not be afraid to make mistakes. They have a very positive approach to teaching and believe having fun should be part of the process of creating great artists. Alexader Dutko is the Founding Artistic Director and Thiago C. Silva is the Founding School Director.
BalletCNJ provides New Jersey and other surrounding areas with ballet training in an atmosphere that declares artistry as top priority. Whether a dancer is on the path to a professional career or just studies the art form for sheer enjoyment, BalletCNJ gives students an inside perspective on ballet and performance, ranging from the young dancer to the pre-professional. BalletCNJ was founded by a current professional ballet dancer, with the idea that students who work alongside professional or former professional dancers to solidify an artistic identity, find personal strength, build confidence and achieve a finely tuned technique.
Presented with fun and challenging classes, students are introduced to a variety of styles. They will be aware of how to work in different ways, decipher musicality and become a versatile instrument forchoreographers and their repertoire.
The focus is for dancers to learn about themselves and grow through performance opportunities, while encouraging strong connections with other dancers in a friendly environment. BalletCNJ offers an arrangement of programs that prepares individuals for their personal best and that is the future will designate Central New Jersey as a region which produces top tier dancers and unforgettable artists.
According to Thiago, they believe that building connections and relationships is very important to helping a student become a dance artist. They understand every student has a different goal and approach to dance. So they encourage their students and parents to approach the staff with any concerns they might have. An open line of communication is very crucial in order to provide students with the individualized attention and best training they can get.
BalletCNJ’s proudest moments are always seeing their students rise to the occasion. They have witnessed their hard work come to fruition on stage. And even though no one is safe from an accidental slip, rushing the music or being a little late, they have seen their students push forward through any mistake and make artistic decisions in a split second.
An aspect of dance that really concerns BalletCNJ has nothing to do with training, or getting a step wrong. The biggest mistake they feel a student can make is chasing after “big name” or “branded” schools. Often in time, students aim to audition for schools that have a long history and are known for their reputation. However, that should never be the focus in one’s training. BalletCNJ feel it is more important to build relationships and connections with teachers who believe in you and will push you to do your best. They hear over and over again about students attending those big name schools and simply feeling lost in the crowd, with no sense of direction and instruction, almost impersonal. Sometimes, the best training a student can get may be right in front of them with a teacher who has passion and believes in them, not in a classroom that relies on reputation.
BalletCNJ is currently training some students to participate in Youth America Grand Prix this year. This is part of their goals to showcase their students’ best abilities. They are always looking for opportunities to provide their students with every chance possible to perform and enjoy dance.
BalletCNJ was founded because they believe there is a lack of emphasis on the students themselves. Many places will mainly focus on their upcoming recital or the business aspect of a dance school, often neglecting the students’ individual needs and aspirations. They want to bring the focus back onto the students. They are the ones who will become the future dance stars and it is through them that dance will live on being such a strong art form.
They always try their best to help any student that walks in their school. They strongly believe that if someone approaches them looking to improve and work on their art, they should not be denied the chance to get to the next level in their dance career. They not only work with their own students, but they have also helped outside students. One of the ways they do this is by having guest teachers who are current professional dancers in major ballet companies come in and share their knowledge of dance. This way every dance student gets the opportunity to experience a fresh perspective of dance.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with School of Ballet Central New Jersey or Thiago C. Silva.
If you would like more information about BalletCNJ, check them out on their website at http://www.balletcnj.org, email them at info@BalletCNJ.org or call them at (609)249-4066. Also, you can follow them on Facebook or view them on Instagram.
Thiago and I trained together and are such good friends! He knows what he is doing and will most definitely
Pass on his passion for dance and artistry to his students!
I go to this school and love how the teachers push you to succeed. They can be very tough at times but I believe they only really get like that when they see you about to break through another barrier in your dancing and need that extra push. But in all BalletCNJ is a very fun environment and a great place to learn many styles if dance from jazz, character, modern, and ballet! They also have a killer conditioning class which is one of my favorites.
Thiago and Alex are both amazing teachers and they both drive there students to be better but still keep a fun atmosphere which I believe us one of the hardest aspects in having a dance school.
I’ve been attending open classes as an adult at BalletCNJ for over a year and I love it! Both Alex and Thiago give as much of themselves teaching their adult students as their pre-professionals and we get all the benefits of their knowledge, experience and attention to what we need and how far we want to advance.
Thiago and Alx are awesome!!!They teach classes very patiently and carefully.I am very glad to know them.I will never go so far in ballet if I don’t meet Thiago.