Ballet & Identity – Me & My Fairytale World
Fall 2026 | Plummer Park, West Hollywood
Inspire Young Children Through Classical Ballet
Ballet & Identity, Inc. is seeking a Ballet Teacher who believes that ballet is more than performance—it can be a powerful educational tool that helps children develop confidence, discipline, concentration, creativity, self-expression, social connection, and a healthy sense of identity.
Ballet Teacher will join our interdisciplinary educational team for the Fall 2026 session of Me & My Fairytale World, our nonprofit children’s arts and theatre program for boys and girls ages 4–7.
This Fall, children will explore Act I of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score. Through ballet, theatre arts, literature, music, storytelling, and creative play, children will explore the characters, movement, themes, and imaginative world of Act I while preparing our team’s staging of a children’s theatrical presentation.
About the Role
Ballet Teacher will lead a 45-minute beginning classical ballet class each Saturday, introducing children to the fundamentals of ballet in a joyful, nurturing, structured, and age-appropriate environment.
Ballet Teacher will work alongside Ballet & Identity’s Program Director and Theatre Arts Educator, as part of an interdisciplinary educational team. The may also work with our Ballet & Arts Education Intern, providing an emerging educator with an opportunity to observe, assist, and learn within the ballet portion of the program.
The goal is not simply to teach ballet technique. Through movement and age-appropriate classical training, we want children to develop posture, coordination, musicality, concentration, discipline, confidence, creativity, self-expression, positive social interaction, and collaboration.
These abilities are especially important during the preschool years and can contribute to school readiness by helping children learn to focus, participate, communicate, collaborate, follow structure, and approach new experiences with confidence.
Our Educational Approach
At Ballet & Identity, classical ballet is the foundation.
We are developing an educational methodology for children’s healthy identity development in which classical ballet serves as the foundation, complemented by theatre arts, literature, music, storytelling, and other forms of creative expression.
We believe ballet can offer children much more than physical technique. Its combination of discipline, artistry, music, movement, imagination, and expression creates unique opportunities for learning and personal development.
Creative Collaboration
Ballet Teacher will work in collaboration with Elena Alexandra, and Lana David, creators of the Ballet & Identity educational concept.
Elena and Lana, oversee the integration of ballet into the larger educational and artistic framework of Me & My Fairytale World. At the same time, we value our Ballet Teacher’s own professional knowledge, teaching experience, artistry, observations, and ideas.
Each Ballet & Identity project begins with a new creative idea and develops in response to the individuality of the participating children and the unique dynamics of the group.
For this reason, we see our Ballet Teacher not simply as an instructor delivering a predetermined class, but as a creative and educational collaborator.
Ballet Teacher Will
- Lead a weekly 45-minute beginning ballet class for children ages 4–7.
- Introduce ballet fundamentals through developmentally appropriate exercises and movement.
- Develop posture, placement, coordination, musicality, spatial awareness, and expressive movement.
- Create a warm, encouraging, structured, and inclusive learning environment.
- Adapt instruction to the individuality and developmental pace of young children.
- Collaborate with the Program Director and Theatre Arts Educator to connect ballet with music, characters, themes, literature, and storytelling.
- Work collaboratively with the Ballet & Arts Education Intern when applicable.
- Participate in rehearsals and preparation for the end-of-session presentation.
- Encourage confidence, concentration, creativity, cooperation, and positive social interaction.
Who We Are Looking For
We are interested in a Ballet Teacher who:
- Has a strong foundation in the fundamentals of classical ballet and substantial classical training.
- Enjoys teaching and connecting with young children.
- Can translate ballet principles into age-appropriate instruction.
- Values artistry, musicality, imagination, and self-expression alongside technique.
- Brings patience and sensitivity to children developing at different rates.
- Is dependable, collaborative, creative, and open to interdisciplinary work.
- Is interested in the relationship between arts education, child development, and healthy identity.
Experience teaching young children is strongly valued.
Opportunity for Continued Collaboration
There may be opportunities to collaborate with Ballet & Identity beyond the Fall Session.
During Fall, children will explore Act I of The Nutcracker. Our Winter Session will continue their journey with Act II — In the Land of Sweets.
If the Fall program is a positive experience and a good fit for everyone, there may be an opportunity for the Ballet Teacher to continue with us during the Winter Session and follow the children’s artistic and educational development across the two connected projects.
More broadly, we are interested in building relationships with Ballet Teachers who share our curiosity about the educational potential of ballet and would like to contribute to the continuing development of the Ballet & Identity concept.
Program Information
Program: Me & My Fairytale World
Location: Plummer Park, West Hollywood
Age Group: Children ages 4–7
Fall Session: September 12–November 21, 2026
Focus: Act I of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
Schedule: Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Number of Classes: 8 Saturdays
No Classes: September 26 and October 17
Ballet Instruction: 45 minutes each Saturday
Potential opportunity for continued collaboration:
Winter Session: December 5, 2026–February 27, 2027
Focus: Act II — In the Land of Sweets
Our Vision
Ballet & Identity is a nonprofit arts education organization dedicated to helping children develop confidence, creativity, empathy, discipline, and healthy identity through ballet and the arts.
Our long-term vision is to help bring classical ballet more deeply into children’s educational experiences by demonstrating its value not only as a performing art, but also as a developmental and educational discipline.
Classical Ballet • Theatre Arts • Literature • Music • Storytelling
We invite our Ballet Teacher to become part of this exploration.
Ballet & Identity, Inc.
Developing Healthy Identity Through Ballet and the Arts
www.balletandidentity.com
lana@balletandidentity.com
(310) 717-6336
