The National Ballet School is committed to cultivating excellence in dance and preparing young talent for pre-professional training and careers in dance.
Program Overview
Our Pathways Program, designed for ballet students aged 12 and over, offers increased training and development for students with strong potential who may need further preparation before undertaking full-time accredited training.
The Pathways program identifies, nurtures and cultivates young talents through a committed schedule of extra training, extension classes, industry competitions and pre-vocational development of the necessary mental and physical rigours required to pursue a career in dance.
The programs instil future dancers with heightened levels of quality, artistry, musicality, technique and discipline. The program provides additional opportunities to train in a holistic and healthy environment.
Why Choose our Pathways Program?
Tailored Program
The Pathways Program is customised to each student’s academic and training needs, allowing students to remain at their current academic schools while accelerating their ballet training Training hours are adjusted based on the student’s school schedule and availability, creating a seamless balance between academic and artistic pursuits. This immersive experience is an ideal preparation for a future full-time training environment.
Flexible Schedule
With a flexible schedule coordinated directly between the Pathways Coordinator and the student, students can choose training sessions that best suit their academic requirements. Options include two half days or one full day and one half day within our Full-Time Program, depending on their academic commitments.
Private Lessons and Solo Coaching
Opportunities for solo preparation, repertoire, technique, and competition coaching are available to help students refine their skills and build confidence.
Recommended Classes
Pathways students can join classes from our Full-Time Program, including ballet technique, repertoire, pointe, conditioning, choreography, and partnering. They are also encouraged to participate in our Aspire Ballet Program on Saturdays, which provides rigorous Vaganova-based ballet training, pointe, and classical ballet variations. Students also explore Character Dance, taught in alignment with Alida Segal’s International Character Dance Syllabus. The recommended hours that the Pathways students aim to commit to, is at least 10 hours per week. This can be tailored and adjusted based on the demands of the student’s school timetable once we have a finalised schedule.
Troupe Opportunities
Our Troupe Team performs in various events throughout the year, spanning classical, contemporary, and lyrical styles. Troupe classes, usually held on Friday afternoons, offer Pathways students invaluable stage experience, promoting both community and artistry at The National Ballet School.
Artistic Director’s Class
A unique chance for students to take a weekly class with Artistic Director Damian Smith on Thursday afternoons, providing inspiration and guidance from an accomplished artist.
Flexible Fees
Fees are tailored to each student’s schedule and classes after consulting with their academic advisor or school director, ensuring the program is accessible and aligns with their academic commitments.
Meet Our Pathways Coordinator
Ezlimar Dortolina
Born in Venezuela, Ezlimar started her ballet studies with Nina Novak in Caracas. She was a recipient of the UNESCO Ashberg Scholarship to study at the Ecole Superieure de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes, France and also received a scholarship to study at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC.
She has worked as a soloist and principal dancer in companies in the United States and South America such as Ballet Teresa Carreño, Ballet Contemporaneo de Caracas, Ballet Concierto, Tulsa Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, State Street Ballet and the Oklahoma City Ballet.
Her repertoire includes the leading roles of Esmeralda, Le Corsaire, Grand Pas Classique, Cinderella, Don Quixote, Black Swan, Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Allegro Brillante, La Traviata, Cerrudo´s Lickety Split and others.
As a Soloist with the Oklahoma City Ballet, she danced in Tudor´s Lilac Garden, Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Robert Mills´s Pushing Pennies and Paris Rouge, Balanchine’s Rubies, Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Stanton Welch’s Play, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Moyna in Giselle and the leading role of Jacob Sparso’s Carmen.
Ezlimar joined the faculty of the National Theatre Ballet School in April, 2021 and was the supporting teacher for the Summer series of IBW in 2021.
Ezlimar is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT National Training Curriculum. She is also a PBT certified instructor, ACB Pre-Primary through Level 4, Level 1 of the International Character Dance Syllabus and attended the professional Development course on Vaganova technique by Mr. Runquiao Du.