ANNA FINAN BALLET ATELIER

Boutique ballet training in Charlottesville, Virginia for young dancers, aspiring artists, and athletes.

Individualized coaching with Anna Finan, former professional dancer with the Hamburg Ballet in Germany and experienced ballet teacher.

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MORNING ATELIER • PRIVATE COACHING
YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM • BALLET FOR ATHLETES

INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION • TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE • ARTISTIC GROWTH

MEET ANNA

Trained in Poland and Germany, Anna is a former professional dancer with the Hamburg Ballet under the direction of John Neumeier. She was a semifinalist at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne and received a full scholarship to the Hamburg Ballet School.

For over nine years, Anna has taught dancers of all ages and levels, helping students refine technique, develop artistry, and build confidence through individualized instruction.

Today, Anna combines her Vaganova training & professional experience with advanced certifications through ABT® National Training Curriculum, NASM, and Progressing Ballet Technique to provide detail-oriented instruction.

FORMER HAMBURG BALLET • VAGANOVA TRAINED
ABT® NTC CERTIFIED • NASM CPT • PBT CERTIFIED
9+ YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Learn More About Anna

TRAIN SMART • MASTER THE DETAILS

MORNING ATELIER

PROGRAMS

A year-round small-group training program rooted in the Vaganova method, combining individualized coaching, pointe work, artistry, and ballet-specific conditioning for dedicated pre-professional dancers.

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PRIVATE COACHING

Individualized coaching designed to help dancers refine technique, prepare for auditions and competitions, and reach their full potential.

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HOMESCHOOL BALLET: YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM

Small-group selective classical ballet training for homeschool dancers ages 6–11 who love ballet and are ready for more individual attention. Limited to 8 dancers for focused, personalized instruction.

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BALLET FOR ATHLETES

Ballet-based training that helps athletes improve balance, strength, flexibility, and body awareness.

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I’m so excited to start the Young Artist Program next Wednesday, September 9!

Small group, lots of individual attention, and plenty of room to learn, grow, and enjoy ballet.

I still have a few spaces available. Request a free placement class if your dancer would like to join!

Wednesdays | 10:45–11:45am | Ages 6–11
BalletSchool of Ivy

#CharlottesvilleVA #CrozetVA #CharlottesvilleHomeschool #balletdancers #ballettraining

Épaulement can’t just be taught as a position.

It has to be felt.

Épaulement literally means “shouldering,” but it is so much more than the placement of the shoulders. It’s the relationship between the head, shoulders, arms and torso that gives classical ballet its direction, dimension and expression.

Sometimes, the dancer needs an exercise that allows her to physically feel that connection.

And once she feels it, you can see it.

The smallest details can make the biggest difference in a dancer’s technique.

This dancer beautifully demonstrates the strength and control this exercise demands: maintaining placement and stability throughout the movement.

I incorporate targeted PBT work alongside rigorous classical training to develop the strength and body awareness behind refined technique.

Train smart. Master the details.

#BalletTraining #BalletCoaching #ProgressiveBalletTechnique #VaganovaTraining #AnnaFinanBalletAtelier

Individual attention. Meaningful progress.

Private & small-group coaching for advanced and pre-professional dancers, grounded in my Vaganova training and professional experience with the Hamburg Ballet.

Limited daytime availability in Ivy, Virginia.

#BalletTraining #VaganovaTraining #BalletCoaching #PreProfessionalBallet #BalletLife

Just doing what I love. Kinda chic, apparently.

📸 @karolinamcleanphotography
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#KindaChic #BalletTraining #BalletForAthletes #CharlottesvilleVA #annafinanballetatelier

Even at 5 years old, dancers can learn to slow down, think about what they’re doing, and pay attention to the details.

Those small habits build strong, confident dancers!

Train smart. Master the details.

#AnnaFinanBalletAtelier
#MindfulPractice
#BalletTechnique
#StrongFoundations
#YoungDancer

I'm so excited to finally introduce Anna Finan Ballet Atelier.

This atelier was created with one purpose: to provide thoughtful, individualized ballet coaching that helps every student reach their fullest potential.

Whether working with passionate dancers or athletes, I believe growth begins with individual attention, technical excellence, and mastering the details.

This is just the beginning, and I'm so grateful to have you here for the journey.

✨ Train smart. Master the details.

📷 @alisafoytik

#AnnaFinanBalletAtelier #IndividualizedBalletCoaching #CharlottesvilleVA

Ballet for Athletes. As a former professional ballet dancer and now a mom of two competitive swimmers, I started asking myself a simple question:

How can I use everything I learned in ballet to help my boys become the best athletes they can be?

Over the years, their swim coach has repeatedly told me that one of the reasons they learn so quickly and move so well in the water is their ballet background.

Ballet develops:

✔ Coordination

✔ Body awareness

✔ Core strength

✔ Mobility

✔ Balance

✔ Timing & rhythm

✔ Focus & discipline

Ballet won’t make you a swimmer.

But it can help you become a better athlete.

Great athletes aren’t just strong, they know how to move.

#BalletForAthletes #Swimming #AthleteDevelopment #SportsPerformance #CrossTraining CompetitiveSwimming MovementTraining

So proud of Madeleine for placing 3rd with her contemporary solo at the Dance Open America Grand Prix Finals 2026 ✨

I loved creating this piece for her and watching her grow into the choreography. So grateful to be part of @albemarleballet where we strive to cultivate not only strong technique, but also individuality and artistry in every dancer ❤️

Dancer: Madeleine
Choreography: Ania Finan
Music: Édith Piaf
🎥 @luisnegronphoto2

#DanceOpenAmerica #ContemporarySolo #ABT #AlbemarleBalletTheatre DOA2026 DanceCompetition Choreography

POV: you’re 5 years old learning spotting with a laser beam ✨

Quick eyes. Find the target. Turn.

#ballet #ballettraining #youngdancer #ballerina balletkids spotting balletturns preballet dance dancekids tinydancer balletlife dancetraining futureballerina balletclass

Understanding how to lift the leg à la seconde starts in the hip.

When the femur is correctly placed in the socket, the leg moves more freely and the knee lifts naturally as a result.

Train smart. Master the details.

#ballettraining #privatecoaching #ballettechnique #balletcoach #balletdancer

Well…three years later and her jumps are definitely better than mine 😅

#littleballerina #partnerlook #momanddaughter #minime #balletlife

Work in progress and already coming together fast! Only two rehearsals in, and these @albemarleballet dancers are showing focus, trust, and serious commitment!

Contemporary solo created for @danceopenamerica Excited to keep working on it! This is why I love coaching ❤️

Ballet Competition | Dance Open America | Work in Progress | Contemporary Dance | Young Artists

#dancereels #contemporarydance #dancecaoch #choreographer #dancers

✨ Nikiya’s Death – La Bayadère ✨

In the studio with the beautiful Madeleine, @albemarleballet student, shaping one of classical ballet’s most haunting and demanding variations 🤍

This role requires vulnerability, control, and emotional truth, and Madeleine brings a rare depth and artistry to every moment.

She is an extraordinary young artist, and it’s a privilege to guide her through this role ✨

#LaBayadere #BalletCoaching #ClassicalBallet

A quiet studio, a few stolen minutes, and Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings drifting through the space 🎻🌫️

A simple improv that became a hint of what’s ahead: this music will shape my contemporary solo for Dance Open America. Feeling inspired as nine (9) @albemarleballet dancers prepare for their Golden Pass auditions in Fort Lauderdale.

Art grows in the in-between moments. ✨🤍

#DanceOpenAmerica #ContemporaryBallet #ABTdancers

🌸 Sugar Plum Magic Tonight ✨

Working with Maddie on her Sugar Plum variation has been pure joy. She took every correction with such grace and poured her whole heart into becoming a true fairy onstage. Watching her transform this role has been one of my highlights this season.

Shine tonight, Maddie — your magic is real. ✨

#sugarplumfairy #nutcrackerseason #balletlife

Attitude effacé isn’t just a pose — it’s a full-body coordination test 😅

Hips spiraling out, shoulders square, chest lifted, core engaged, and both legs turning out in opposite directions. Addie handled it like a pro. ✨🩰

Train smart. Master the details.
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#ballettechnique #ballettraining #balletteacher

Grateful beyond words for Ms. Hart and Albemarle Ballet Theatre. 💕✨ @albemarleballet

Watching my son work on his arabesque with such care and precision reminds me how lucky we are to be part of this wonderful community. The supportive, loving atmosphere that Ms. Hart fosters is unmatched. It’s not just about ballet—it’s about growth, confidence, and finding joy in every step. My boys are in the best hands, and I trust their ballet journey completely. 👏🩰
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#AlbemarleBalletTheatre #BalletLife #BalletCommunity #BalletSchool #DanceFamily #BalletLove #DancersOfInstagram #BalletStudents #DanceJourney #BalletTraining #DanceEducation #SupportLocalArts #InspiringDancers #BalletTeacher #DanceClass #BalletPractice #ParentLife #DancingThroughLife #MsHart #BestHands #BalletJourney #Arabesque #Thankful

✨ World Ballet Day ✨ Celebrating the art form that has shaped my life in so many ways 💙

Throwback to The Little Mermaid by John Neumeier — one of my favorite productions to be part of. I danced one of the Mermaid Sisters (you’ll spot me in the blue wig running out from the back wing 🧜‍♀️).

#WorldBalletDay #Ballet #TheLittleMermaid #JohnNeumeier #BalletDancer #Dance #BalletLife #PoetryInMotion #OnStage #BalletDreams #ArtInMotion #EtherealGrace #StoryThroughMovement #OceanOfEmotion #BalletInspiration #HamburgBallet #HamburgDance #DancersOfInstagram

First Raymonda rehearsal and already shining. ✨

Private coaching is where we refine not just technique, but style: every arm, head, and expression telling the story. Coaching for competitions and auditions is all about the details — and about finding what truly distinguishes you from other dancers. Details make the dancer.

Train smart. Master the details. 🩰

#BalletCoaching #AuditionPrep #CompetitionPrep #ClassicalBallet #BalletTraining #PrivateCoaching #BalletCoach #TrainSmartMasterTheDetails #CrozetVA #CharlottesvilleVA #AlbemarleCounty #VirginiaDance #CvilleArts #CrozetCommunity #VirginiaBallet #DancersOfInstagram #BalletReel #BalletInspiration #DanceGoals #BalletWorld #SupportLocalArts

Refining Relevé Lent Devant: focusing on pelvic alignment for clean lines and control.

✨ Key focus points:

• Keep hip bones level
• Maintain neutral pelvis
• Engage deep abdominals
• Root the supporting leg as the working leg lifts
• Grow tall through the spine and crown

It’s all about finding that long, effortless line — strength through stability.

Train smart. Master the details.
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#BalletCoaching #ReleveLent #PelvicAlignment #BalletTechnique #BalletTips #BalletTraining #DancePosture #LongSpine #BalletTeacher #BalletStudio #CrozetVA #CharlottesvilleDance #AlbemarleBalletTheatre #ABTStudents #TrainSmartMasterTheDetails

Addy, constantly striving for her best, worked yesterday on her standing-leg stability and control through three deceptively simple drills — balancing on a tennis ball, lifting over blocks, and moving front-to-back into plié.

Along the way, we discovered one side was considerably weaker, a valuable reminder of how asymmetry can hide even in the strongest dancers. 💡These moments of awareness are where real progress begins. ✨

Inspired by @theballetblogofficial @lisa__howell 💪

Train smart. Master the details. ✨

@albemarleballettheatre @anek_fin @doctorsfordancers

🎯 This is the moment every teacher lives for 👇

When it finally clicks! 😍 After breaking that 5th-position turn apart - placement, timing, control - suddenly 💥 it all connects.

I just love that moment when the body understands, the mind lets go, and the dancer feels it for the first time. Pure magic 🤍

#BalletLife #DanceReels #ProudTeacherMoment #TrainSmartMasterTheDetails #DanceTeacher #BalletProgress #BalletTraining #BalletJourney #TurningPoint #DanceInspiration #BalletMotivation #DancerGoals #BalletTechnique #DanceCoach #StudioLife #BalletLovers #DancersOfInstagram #DanceVideo #BalletWorld #BalletMom #ProgressNotPerfection #BalletPassion #ABT

Grand Rond de Jambe 💪✨

Front ➡️ lift from deep hip flexor, keep the pelvis neutral and lengthen, don’t grip ⭐️

Side ➡️ the glutes + turnout muscles take over while the core keeps the pelvis level 🔥

Back ➡️ push diagonally, lead with turnout and resist the pelvis tilt, keep shoulders square 💫

Every direction demands new balance and awareness — train how you move between them, not just the poses. 🩰💫

✨ Train Smart. Master the Details. ✨
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#TrainSmart #MasterTheDetails #GrandRondDeJambe #BalletTechnique #BalletTraining #DanceScience #BalletCoach #CoreControl #Turnout #BalletForAthletes #BalletTips #BalletEducation #CharlottesvilleDance #CrozetBallet #ABTDance #DanceTeacher #BalletLife #BalletStrength #LegExtension

Breaking down the Saut de Chat 🩰💥

Dynamic quads create the elevation off the floor. A clean développé devant lifts the hips and keeps the jump floating. An expansive grand battement derrière finishes the split with clarity and line.

Each element builds toward that effortless, suspended moment you see in Bella’s final jump.

Train smart. Master the details.
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#PowerAndGrace #TrainSmartMasterTheDetails #BalletCoaching #BalletTeacher #BalletReel #DanceReels #BalletLife #BalletLovers #BalletProgress #CharlottesvilleDance #CrozetBallet #ABTDance #AlbemarleBalletTheatre

✨ Mastering Dégagé à la seconde ✨
A simple pathway change — from circling to clean control — builds precision and strength that show.
Notice the difference? 👀

A proper dégagé pathway doesn’t just look better — it builds the coordination and precision dancers need for petite allegro and beyond.

Train smart. Master the details. 🩰

#BalletCoaching #BalletTeacher #BalletTechnique #BalletTraining #PrivateCoaching #AlbemarleBallet #ABT #CharlottesvilleDance #CrozetVA #teachingtuesday #CharlottesvilleVA #DanceEducation #CharlottesvilleArts #BalletClass #DancerDevelopment #TechniqueMatters #BalletLife #TrainSmart #MasterTheDetails #DanceCoach #PBTcertified #BalletInspiration #BalletCoachingTips #BalletStudio

🎯 Technique Focus: Coupé Développé Ecarté Devant

Seen in @albemarleballet Clara’s variation, this step demands control, coordination, and precision from head to toe.
We focused on:
• Tight coupé under the ankle
• Turnout through the développé
• Arm and head following the leg line
• Turned-out leg in écarté devant
• Square hips, lifted torso, controlled descent
Beautiful work from these two ABT dancers refining every detail ✨
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#BalletTechnique #ClaraVariation #NutcrackerSeason #BalletTraining #PrivateCoaching #BalletAlignment #PortDeBras #AlbemarleBalletTheatre #ABTStudents #CharlottesvilleBallet #BalletTeacher #DanceEducation #teachingmoment

In ballet, it’s never just the step — it’s the journey between shapes. ✨ Every pathway tells a story. 🌷
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#teachingmonday #balletartistry #ballettraining #balletteacher #ballettips #balletlife #balleteducation #balletcoach #privatecoaching #privateballetcoaching #pasdecheval #ballettechnique #balletclass #balletcorrections #danceeducation #balletcommunity #charlottesvilleva #crozetva #albemarleballettheatre #cvilleva #virginiadancer

✨ A little ballerina in the making ✨
She’s only 4, but after watching me teach a private lesson, she asked if I would teach her too. 💕 Watching her curiosity and joy for dance at such a young age is one of the sweetest reminders of why I love teaching.
A quiet moment, a big dream beginning. 🌸
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#MiniBallerina #TinyDancer #FutureBallerina #LittleDancer #BalletDreams #DanceJourney #BalletMoments #BalletFamily #BalletLife #BallerinaLife #BalletLove #BalletTraining #BalletClass #BalletWorld #BalletTeacher #DanceInspiration #BalletInspo #BalletOfInstagram

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@annafinanballetatelier

ANNA FINAN BALLET ATELIER

​ MORNING ATELIER • PRIVATE COACHING YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM • BALLET FOR ATHLETES

INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION • TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE • ARTISTIC GROWTH

MEET ANNA

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FORMER HAMBURG BALLET • VAGANOVA TRAINED ABT® NTC CERTIFIED • NASM CPT • PBT CERTIFIED 9+ YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE

TRAIN SMART • MASTER THE DETAILS

MORNING ATELIER

PROGRAMS

PRIVATE COACHING

HOMESCHOOL BALLET: YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM

BALLET FOR ATHLETES

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Follow me on Instagram

MORNING ATELIER • PRIVATE COACHING
YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM • BALLET FOR ATHLETES

FORMER HAMBURG BALLET • VAGANOVA TRAINED
ABT® NTC CERTIFIED • NASM CPT • PBT CERTIFIED
9+ YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE