ARTIS teaches classical ballet to children from the age of three in five age groups: Pre-Ballet (3–4), Primary Ballet (5–7), Junior Ballet (8–12), Teen Ballet (12–14) and, from October 2026, a Pre-Professional Junior group (10–13) for dancers preparing for a professional school. Groups have at most eight to ten children, so every child is seen and corrected — gently, by name, in a language they understand.
Classes follow the Vaganova method, the same progression used at the great Russian and European academies, adapted to each age: play, music and imagination at three; posture, coordination and the first real positions at five; technique at the barre and in the centre from eight. Parents can arrange a trial class for their child by contacting the studio.
Which class for which age
- Pre-Ballet takes children of three and four for 45 minutes, once or twice a week (Saturday 10:00, or Wednesday and Friday 15:00). Through play and music they discover rhythm, posture and balance, and are addressed as “ladies” from the first class, a classical tradition that sets the tone.
- Primary Ballet, for ages five to seven, is 60 minutes, up to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 16:00). Real ballet begins here: alignment, the five positions, musicality and an ear for music, without pressure.
- Junior Ballet, for ages eight to twelve, is 60 minutes, up to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 17:00): technique at the barre and in the centre, artistry, a healthy back and core, focus and discipline.
- Teen Ballet, for ages twelve to fourteen, is 60 minutes, twice a week (Tuesday 18:00, Saturday 13:00). Beginners are welcome; classical training with focus and discipline in a small group.
- Pre-Professional Junior, ages 10–13 with at least two years of ballet — 75 minutes, four times a week, from 19 October 2026, led personally by Alexandra Somova. A select group for children preparing for admission to a professional ballet school.
When should a child start ballet?
Three is a good age for a first, playful class; five to six for real ballet with structure; eight is not too late — and neither is twelve, which is why Teen Ballet welcomes beginners. What matters more than the starting age is the teacher: children learn the placement of their feet, hips and spine in the first two years, and what is learned wrong at six is hard to unlearn at fourteen. That is why every ARTIS children’s class is taught by a professionally trained dancer, not an assistant.
Who teaches the children
Alexandra Somova, founder and artistic director, graduated from the Vaganova Academy in Saint Petersburg and danced six seasons with the Mariinsky Ballet and several years with the Bayerisches Staatsballett. She leads the children’s programme and teaches the pre-professional group herself. The faculty comes from the same tradition: Mariinsky, Bayerisches Staatsballett, Wiener Staatsoper.
For parents from the 1st district — and the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th…
The studio is at Rockhgasse 1, two minutes on foot from U2 Schottentor and U3 Herrengasse and a few minutes from the Ring trams — easy to reach after school from Leopoldstadt, Landstraße, Josefstadt, Alsergrund or Wieden without a car. The 1st district is a short-term parking zone, so public transport is the comfortable option. Afternoon classes start at 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00.
What children wear
Usually a leotard, tights and soft ballet shoes for girls, a fitted T-shirt, shorts or tights and ballet shoes for boys, hair tied back — we tell you exactly what your child’s group wears and where to buy it in Vienna. For a trial class, leggings, a T-shirt and socks are fine.