How to Create Structured Ballet Lesson Plans That Build Technique

a page from the Geeky Ballerina Intermediate Division lesson plan bundle

Most ballet teachers put tremendous effort into individual lesson plans but still feel like their students aren't progressing. The problem isn't the planning itself - it's the lack of connection between today's class and the overall plot of the year.

The biggest mistake I see teachers make is planning each lesson in isolation. Today is planned, tomorrow will be planned, but the systematic progression that builds real technique never gets considered. This leaves teachers working incredibly hard but feeling like their students aren't progressing as quickly as they expected.

The Curriculum-First Approach to Structured Ballet Lesson Plans

Creating truly structured ballet lesson plans starts before you plan a single class. You need a systematic framework - what I call the "overall plot of the year" - that connects every lesson to meaningful progression. Here's my systematic approach:

Start With Your Foundation

Before planning any individual class, I reference my curriculum's key principle for the year and essential vocabulary. This list is key - it's the foundation I return to over and over to make sure all the lesson plans are cohesive and progressing intentionally.

Plan Backwards From the Goal

I plan the grand allegro first. I know I am not the first person to suggest this to you, but the reason it gets repeated so often is because this is the best approach. The goal is creating a class where the final combination feels inevitable - like everything built toward that moment naturally.

Once I've designed the grand allegro, I work backwards to identify the necessary preparation. What technique elements need reinforcement? Which skills require specific warm-up? This backwards planning ensures every exercise serves the lesson's systematic purpose.

Introduce New Vocabulary Strategically

Next, I plan how to introduce any new vocabulary for that lesson. If I'm following my curriculum, I'm confident that dancers are ready for this progression. If you are new to structured ballet lesson planning, you may need to double-check this.

Fill Gaps Systematically

Only after the grand allegro and new vocabulary are supported throughout the plan do I fill in remaining class segments. This systematic approach means every exercise connects to the lesson's larger purpose rather than just "we're doing fondu because we always to fondu in Level 4."

Create Consistent Anchors

I use the same plié, rond de jambe, and grand battement exercises for the entire year at each level. These consistent touch-points help class flow more quickly while students develop key skills or strength. (I plan those exercises extremely carefully because I know they will do a lot of heavy lifting during the year.)

Why Individual Lessons Fail Without Systematic Structure

When teachers plan lesson by lesson without overall curriculum guidance, they're essentially creating beautiful individual pages without considering the complete story. Students experience each class as separate rather than cumulative, which slows progress.

The Vision Problem

The missing piece isn't more time lesson planning - it's the comprehensive vision for yearly progression. Teachers need frameworks that show how today's plié connects to next month's allegro development which connects to the minimum expectations to advance at the end of the year. Once teachers have the framework they need, their lesson plans become much more effective.

---

Get teaching insights that build ballet excellence → join the newsletter

Explore curriculum frameworks for confident teaching → view teaching resources