What is PBT...and why does it matter?

Progressing Ballet Technique, referred to as PBT, is an innovative program designed to train dancers in muscle memory to improve technique, flexibility and longevity in dance, while gaining a greater awareness of their muscles and how to use them properly to achieve their goals in ballet.

It's original creator, Marie Walton-Mahon, is formerly of Les Ballet de Marseilles, and since ending her own career has pursued teaching in her home county of Australia with great success and celebrity.  Seeing the need for an increased understanding of body mechanics and proprioception (awareness of one's body spatially) in students, and feeling inspired by the immediate feedback of an unstable surface as found in a stability ball, Ms. Walton-Mahon began experimenting with various exercises on her students with demonstrable success.  Finally, in 2004 PBT was born!  

LAW Dance is the first and only studio in Western New York to receive this certification and become licensed. We offer two levels of PBT:

  1. Junior PBT
    Designed to stimulate the posture, alignment and muscle memory for the young dancer between the ages of 7 & 10 years. Early training is essential for the student to feel and develop the correct movement patterns by activating the correct muscles. The activation of the intrinsic muscles assists to prepare the feet, calves and hamstrings for the very important transition onto pointe. A multifaceted movement routine with repetition to music will set up the body’s proprioceptive system.

  2. Senior PPBT
    Catering for the continual development in dance training for the students between the ages of 11 & 14 years. The program continues to strengthen the posture, weight-placement & alignment during adolescence. The students will strengthen their core including their upper back as well as set up the correct initiation of batterie. Within the senior level we encourage the correct breathing patterns to enhance the freedom and coordination of movements whilst, a multifaceted movement routine with repetition to music commences the set up of the body’s proprioceptive system.