Amherst Ballet

09/17/2026

Amherst Ballet offers violin, viola, and cello lessons! For our younger students ages 5-10, we offer lessons in groups of 3-5 students. We also offer private lessons for ages 10+. See more information and sign up at www.amherstballet.org/music.

Ballet is, at its heart, an interdisciplinary art, combining movement, music, and theater. Performance collaborations with area musicians have inspired us to bring these arts together consistently at the studio, providing more opportunities for cross-fertilization and mutual learning.

Our strings faculty are violinists Thea Weinbeck and Ava LaChance, cellist Aidan Klingsberg, and violist Geoffrey Archambeau, who is also our music director. They believe in sharing the joy that learning to play violin, viola, and cello has brought to their lives, as they care passionately about their students’ development as musicians and as people. Learn more about them on our website at www.amherstballet.org/staff.

Our teachers are familiar with time-honored methods of group and private instruction, including but not limited to those developed by Zoltan Kodaly, Paul Rolland, and Shinichi Suzuki, synthesizing the work of these great pedagogues with their own individual approach which is tailored to each student’s needs.

09/16/2026

Our Creative Movement classes are a lot of fun! We dance, run, jump, skip, play games, and more. Another great and unique feature of our program is how it integrates music – kids will have the chance to play drums and learn music concepts, and the classes will often feature live violin or piano music. Come join in! Registration is open at amherstballet.org, with sliding scale tuition and scholarships available. Recommended for ages 2-5.

09/14/2026

Options for adults at Amherst Ballet: We have programming for all ages, and adults can join in ballet classes, contemporary classes, and workshops for all levels.

Adult classes throughout the year are held on a drop-in basis that does not require pre-registration. All classes are $20/class or you can buy a ten-class card for $180.

This season, we are offering an Absolute Beginner Adult class, meeting Monday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm. This class will provide an essential foundation for new dancers and the grounding to participate in ongoing classes and workshops. This is a drop-in class, but it does build progressively, so we suggest regular attendance.

Our Contemporary classes blend technique with somatic practices, improvisation, composition, and spatial phrase work. Students will learn to move with intention, presence and artistry. Recommended for ages 13 and up, including adult students.

We offer afternoon workshops focused on ballet technique, classical variations, and jazz, including our quarterly series for adult dancers, Barre & Bar, which offers an opportunity to dive deeply into ballet technique, followed by snacks, cocktails & mocktails, and socializing. Come for the workshop and stay to hang out!

Dancers at all levels and of all ages who have regular attendance are encouraged to participate in our winter and spring all-school shows. Dancers in our semi-professional company may have additional performance opportunities throughout the year.

Season drop-in classes Beginning 9/14/26:
Absolute beginner, Monday 6:30-8:00pm
Beginner/Advanced beginner, Wednesday 8:00-9:30am
Contemporary (ages 12-adult), Wednesday 4:30-6:00pm
Contemporary Repertoire, Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm
Intermediate, Thursday 7:30-9:00pm
Mixed level, Saturday 10:00-11:30am
Conditioning (Level II-adult), Saturday 1:00-2:00pm

www.amherstballet.org/adults
www.amherstballet.org/workshops
Questions? Email [email protected]

09/13/2026

Youngest movers: come join us for Creative Movement! A joyful introduction to dance and music for our youngest movers, these playful and encouraging classes are designed to nurture imagination, coordination, and collaboration. Through imaginative games and improvisation, dancers explore the building blocks of movement and sound—direction, level, tempo, rhythm, texture, melody, and shape—while developing strength, flexibility, coordination, and body awareness. We invite children to move through creative play, yoga, games, and modern techniques. Thoughtful attention is given to cultivating respect for self, others, and the studio. This class lays a strong foundation for a lifelong love of movement and the arts.

No previous training required. Recommended for ages 2-5.

09/13/2026

Join us for Bach and Ballet! At 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 19th, come see director Mikayla Archambeau dance her own original choreography, set to live music, at the HOPE Center for the Arts in Springfield!

Repertoire:
J. S. Bach’s Suite No. 3 for solo cello (BWV 1009)
Manuel De Falla’s 6 Canciones Populares
Alain Hovhaness’ Chahagir (Torchbearer)

Music will be performed by Amherst Ballet music director & violist Geoffrey Archambeau and the extraordinary pianist Corbin Beisner.

For more information and to purchase tickets,
see the HOPE Center’s website (https://hopecenterforthearts.org/events/bach-and-ballet/).

09/08/2026

09/01/2026

The only place in Amherst to get exceptional ballet training! We focus deeply on ballet to bring you strong technique and artistry, with thoughtful teachers, personalized training, and a commitment to shaping ballet for the future.

Ballet for All!

08/26/2026

Bach & Ballet

Saturday, September 19, 7:00pm
HOPE Center for the Arts
150 Bridge Street, Springfield

We are so excited to take Bach & Ballet out of the studio and onto the stage!

See director Mikayla Archambeau dancing her original choreography, with music director & violist Geoffrey Archambeau and the extraordinary pianist Corbin Beisner, at the Hope Center in Springfield.

For more information and tickets, see the Hope Center’s website.

08/25/2026

It's time to register for the 2026-27 season! Join us for a season of artistry, excellence, and community. Whether you are just starting to explore ballet, refining your technique, or building your artistry we are ready to support you in reaching your goals! For class schedules and to register, visit our website: amherstballet.org

08/21/2026

September Celebrations & Performances

Open House
Sunday, September 12, 2:00-5:00pm
65 Sunderland Road, Amherst
Join us to kick off the new season with excellent company, yummy refreshments, a performance, and a sample class led by our director, Mikayla Archambeau. See updates to the studio, connect with old friends and new, and check out what we’ve got planned for the coming year.
All are welcome!

Block Party
Thursday, September 17, 5:00-9:00pm
We’re excited for this year’s Block Party! Hang out with us - and lots of other cool people - down town at the annual Amherst Block Party on North Pleasant Street.

Bach & Ballet
Saturday, September 19, 7:00pm
HOPE Center for the Arts
150 Bridge Street, Springfield
We are so excited to take Bach & Ballet out of the studio and onto the stage!
See director Mikayla Archambeau dancing her original choreography, with music director & violist Geoffrey Archambeau and the extraordinary pianist Corbin Beisner, at the Hope Center in Springfield.

For more information and tickets, see the Hope Center’s website.