MDT’s Adult Open Division
Learn the art of dance or revisit a beloved passion.
MDT’s adult dancer community is an open program, meant for all abilities and ages starting at 16.
Revisit Your Passion:
Drop-in Classes
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Drop-in class: $23
Students/seniors/professionals: $20
Barre only: $16
Pointe class: $12
Ten-class card: $200Student discount: Must show an active student ID.
Senior discount: for dancers 65+
Professionals: Dancers may self-identify or contact us directly with questions regarding eligibility.MDT accepts PayPal or check payment. You can pay in-person, or you can purchase through PayPal beforehand. If you purchase a class card or individual class online via PayPal, please show your confirmation email to the monitor prior to class start.
Starting June 1, we will no longer accept cash. This change will help streamline check-in, improve accuracy, and reduce administrative workload.
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Monday
9:30–11 a.m. (not held during the Summer Program June 15–July 2)
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet
Teacher: Helen Hatch
Accompanist: Tom Linker
6–7:30 (June 8–August 31)
Intermediate Contemporary
Teacher: Darrius Strong
7–8:30 p.m.
Intermediate Ballet
Teacher: Justin Leaf
Wednesday
6:30–8 p.m.
Beginner/Intermediate Ballet
Teacher: Julia Sutton
8–8:30 p.m.
Pointe (minimum 4 participants)
Teacher: Julia Sutton
Friday
9:30–11 a.m. (not held during the Summer Program June 15–July 2)
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet
Teacher: Yuki Tokuda
Accompanist: Joe Strachan
Saturday
9:30–11 a.m.
Intermediate Ballet
Teacher: Justin Leaf
Accompanist: Pat Lyles
Sunday
11–12:30 p.m.
Intermediate Ballet
Teacher: Sally Rousse
Accompanist: Marya Hart
12:30-1 p.m.
Pointe (minimum 4 students)
Teacher: Sally Rousse
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Open Division drop-in classes are hosted year-round.
Monday & Friday morning classes will not be held during the Summer Program (June 15–July 2).Please reference the Google Calendar below for a day-to-day live view; substitutions, cancellations, & updates will be reflected on this calendar.
MDT follows the following office closures in 2026–2027:
June 4–5, 2026 - July 4th
Monday, Sep 7, 2026 - Labor Day
Monday, Oct 12, 2026 - Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day
Friday–Sunday, Nov 27–29, 2026 - Thanksgiving
Friday–Sunday, Dec 25–27, 2026 - Christmas
Friday–Sunday, Jan 1–3, 2027 - New Year's
Monday, May 31, 2027 - Memorial Day
For dancers with a ballet foundation, ages 16 and up.
Learn Ballet:
Ballet Fundamentals I & II
For beginners, ages 16 and up.
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Ballet Fundamentals I
Learn the basics of ballet alongside other adults and teens, ages 16 and up. Fundamentals is a basic introduction to ballet and can be taken repeatedly until ready to progress to Fundamentals II or beginning level drop-in classes.
Ballet Fundamentals II
A continuation for those who participated in Fundamentals I looking to progress and expand beyond the basics of ballet.
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The Ballet Fundamentals program follows a session schedule, with regular sessions spanning 8 weeks, and mini sessions spanning 4 weeks.
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Eight week sessions are $200.
Mini sessions are $100.
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Summer Mini Sessions
Wednesdays
Ballet Fundamentals I - 6–7:30 p.m.
Ballet Fundamentals II - 7:30–9 p.m.June 3– June 24
July 8–29
August 5–26Early Fall
September 1–October 22
Late Fall
October 27–December 17
Holiday Mini Session
December 22–January 7
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MDT follows the following office closures in 2026–2027:
Monday, Sep 7, 2026 - Labor Day
Monday, Oct 12, 2026 - Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day (federal)
Friday–Sunday, Nov 27–29, 2026 - Thanksgiving
Friday–Sunday, Dec 25–27, 2026 - Christmas
Friday–Sunday, Jan 1–3, 2027 - New Year's
Monday, May 31, 2027 - Memorial Day
Open Division Calendar | Day to Day
Adult Open Division Faculty
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Leah Gallas
Former dancer with Colorado Ballet
& James Sewell Ballet -
Helen Hatch
Former dancer with Minnesota Dance Theatre, founder of HATCH Dance
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Ben Johnson
Former dancer with James Sewell Ballet
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Justin Leaf
Former dancer with Minnesota Dance Theatre and James Sewell Ballet
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Deirdre Murnane
Former dancer with Minnesota Dance Theatre and Ballet of the Dolls
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Sally Rousse
Former dancer with James Sewell Ballet
Photo by Brooke Southall
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Darrius Strong
Contemporary, Hip Hop, & Lead Outreach Teacher, founder of STRONGMovement
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Julia Sutton
Former dancer with Minnesota Dance Theatre and Ballet of the Dolls
FAQs
Answers to frequently asked Open Division questions.
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We recommend that you begin with our Ballet Fundamentals series, offering the basics of ballet vocabulary and technique. Ballet Fundamentals II is slightly more advanced than Fundamentals I, and will provide another stepping stone to prepare you for Beginning Ballet drop-in classes.
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Although that is entirely up to you, we recommend starting with Ballet Fundamentals and moving up to Beginner/Intermediate open classes when you feel ready. Some students take a combination of these classes.
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MDT will post a pop-up notification on the website as well as the MDT Facebook and Instagram pages. In case of winter weather, please check in those places before coming in for class. If nothing has been posted, please assume class is running as usual.
We will cancel classes if travel conditions are especially dangerous, or if no one is available to teach the class due to travel conditions.
Please email school@mndance.org if you have any questions.
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Please register through PayPal or in person via check payment for our drop-in classes.
Ballet Fundamentals and other special workshops require pre-registration through ActiveWorks, and the link to register can be found on this page.
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There is no official dress code for open classes, but we recommend that whatever you wear allows for full range of motion and shows the line of your body (e.g. tights and leotard or t-shirt and leggings).
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The students in all our classes range in age from 16 – 80. Attendance varies from night to night, so it is always a different mix.
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Ballet Fundamentals is the first step in our adult program and is meant for students with no prior experience, providing the basics of ballet vocabulary and classroom etiquette.
Students with previous but not extensive ballet classes or who complete our Fundamentals class are best suited for Beginning Ballet.
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Pointe is taught as a half-hour class following Intermediate Ballet on Sundays and Beginning/Intermediate Ballet on Wednesdays. For more advanced dancers, you are welcome to wear pointe shoes for as much of the regular classes as you wish.