Questions about Dance with Mimi, Ballet Nova, Ballet Eterna, The Soloist Program and guest teaching engagements.
Dance with Mimi is a stage-centred ballet education system. The goal is not to teach ballet steps or produce syllabus results. It is to form dancers whose ballet functions in the body and becomes visible in performance. Dance with Mimi has three programmes: Ballet Nova for young dancers aged 8 to 18, Ballet Eterna for dancers aged 15 and over including adults, late starters and dancers from other movement backgrounds and The Soloist Program for private and semi-private coaching across all ages.
Many local studios teach through fixed syllabi. A syllabus can manage technical items but it does not necessarily form stage artists. Dance with Mimi does not work that way. Each dancer's body, habits, technical gaps and performance goals are assessed directly. The standard is not whether something looks correct in the studio. The standard is whether it functions on stage, reaches an audience and works inside choreography.
Mimi was raised through stage-centred ballet education. For her, class was never separate from rehearsal, performance, discipline and aesthetic responsibility. Dance with Mimi carries that lineage into the reality of Adelaide.
This is what students sometimes describe as the Ballet Sorcerer effect. It is not individual correction in isolation. It is what happens when ballet knowledge, stage education and the dancer's actual body meet in the same correction. It is technique, musicality, line, focus, theatrical presence and rehearsal discipline brought together through ballet, in that specific dancer's body.
The discipline built through this kind of training carries beyond the studio. Students develop the ability to receive correction, work under pressure and perform when it counts.
Yes. All programmes are open to students from any studio. A dancer has to want the work. Dance with Mimi is not interested in training a parent's ambition through a child who does not want to be there.
For children up to age 7, Baby Ballet is available through The Soloist Program as private or semi-private sessions. For dancers aged 8 and over, Pre-Nova begins with a trial class. Nova is by assessment for dancers aged 10 to 18. For dancers aged 15 and over, adults and dancers from other movement backgrounds, Ballet Eterna may be suitable.
Contact Mimi directly at contact@mimiyoshii.com to arrange a trial class for Pre-Nova.
Syllabus qualifications such as RAD and Cecchetti can be useful in certain contexts, especially locally. However, international schools, competitions and companies ultimately assess dancers on technical ability, artistic development, performance readiness and how they move in the room, not only on which syllabus they completed.
International standard does not mean pretending Adelaide is Europe or Japan. It means not letting the local comfort zone become the measure of the dancer.
Dance with Mimi is not designed around collecting certificates. It is designed to prepare dancers for the world outside a local pathway: stronger technique, clearer performance quality, serious training habits and exposure to broader standards. A dancer who trains seriously, performs, competes or auditions beyond their local context and develops real technique is often better positioned than one who only progresses through grades without being measured in performance.
Practically: make sure your child is eating well, sleeping enough and getting to class. A dancer who is rested and properly nourished trains better. That is one of the most important contributions a parent can make.
Technical matters are handled in the studio. Offering corrections at home, adjusting choreography or second-guessing what was taught in class creates confusion. It is not helpful, even when well-intentioned.
Dance with Mimi values students developing independence. Part of that means letting them take responsibility for their own progress.
Your child's training is their own. The wins and the setbacks both belong to them.
Dance with Mimi works in close collaboration with Miccan Physio. The training approach is informed by physiotherapy expertise and Miccan Physio provides direct instruction at intensives. The aim is not to make the body comfortable. The aim is to understand the body well enough to work it seriously without unnecessary damage.
Outside production periods, Friday 6:00–7:00 runs as Ballet Nova Weekly Intensive, available as a paid add-on. During Ballet Rogue production periods, this slot may become Ballet Rogue Youth Rehearsal. Participation is not compulsory and there is no automatic entry. Students who wish to participate audition on the same terms as everyone else and may not be selected. There is no charge for rehearsals but production-related costs such as costumes may be separate.
Ballet Nova encourages participation in international competitions such as YAGP and AGP, where appropriate. The goal is for students to measure themselves against a broader standard. Local competitions may be used selectively but they are not the main focus.
Ballet Nova students are generally expected to compete under Ballet Nova. If there are circumstances that make this difficult please get in touch to discuss. Students enrolled in The Soloist Program only are free to compete under any affiliation.
Term fees for Ballet Nova and Pre-Nova are non-refundable for change of mind, missed classes or personal scheduling conflicts. This does not affect any rights you may have under Australian Consumer Law.
Ballet technique cannot be built at home. Unlike many skills where independent practice drives progress, ballet requires eyes on the body, correction in the moment and repetition under instruction. The only way to improve is to be in the studio regularly. The real costs in ballet are often elsewhere: pointe shoes, costumes, competition fees and travel add up. Dance with Mimi keeps tuition as accessible as possible because fees that make regular attendance difficult become a direct obstacle to progress.
Dance with Mimi and Ballet Rogue are separate organisations. Mimi leads both but enrolment in any Dance with Mimi programme does not automatically lead to Ballet Rogue participation. Ballet Rogue auditions are open to all eligible dancers on the same terms.
If you want to be told you are doing well when you are not, this is not the right place. If you want to actually get better, understand what is happening in your body and perform at a level that means something beyond your local studio, it probably is.
Dance with Mimi is for dancers who are serious about ballet as a performing art. That does not mean you have to be advanced. It means you have to want to be here for yourself, not because someone else decided it for you. A dancer has to want the work.
Depending on your age and goal, yes. Baby Ballet is for children up to age 7 with no prior experience. Pre-Nova starts from age 8 with a trial class. For adults and older teens, Ballet Eterna is available from age 15 for dancers who want serious supplementary ballet training, including those who came from other movement backgrounds or started late. The Soloist Program is available to dancers at different levels, depending on age, goal and suitability.
The standard here is whether ballet functions on stage, not whether it looks acceptable in a studio. That means the work covers technique, musicality, line, focus, theatrical presence and rehearsal discipline together. Not as separate items but as one thing. Many students begin to understand the difference within a few sessions.
Yes. Ballet Eterna is specifically designed to complement regular classes elsewhere. The Soloist Program is open to external students for individual coaching. Ballet Nova is also open to students from other studios.
Hard enough that an hour goes by faster than expected. The work is demanding and specific. You will be told what is not working and why. You will be taken seriously but not pushed recklessly. The goal is to find out how far your body can actually go. Classes move quickly because students are thinking, adjusting and discovering what their bodies can actually do.
Yes. You do not have to want a professional career. You do have to take the work seriously. Dance with Mimi is for dancers who want ballet to mean something in the body and in performance, whether or not they become professional dancers.
Yes. Ballet Nova prepares students for international competitions such as YAGP and AGP. The Soloist Program covers competition preparation and audition coaching across ballet, contemporary, musical theatre and dance college pathways. Étoile Track is specifically for dancers pursuing professional pathways or international competition at a serious level.
Show them the Parents FAQ. The short version: Dance with Mimi is a serious training programme, not an expensive hobby class. The fees are kept as accessible as possible so that regular training is not blocked by cost. There is a trial class for Pre-Nova and an assessment for Nova so no one is committing to anything before knowing if it is the right fit.
That is a harder situation and there is no simple fix. What can be said is this: the discipline, focus and work ethic built through serious ballet training are useful in any direction a person takes. If you are serious about this and your situation allows it, get in touch to ask what options are appropriate. If you are under 18, any ongoing training arrangement will still need appropriate parent or guardian involvement.
To think, not just move. There is a difference between technique becoming second nature in the body and moving without understanding what you are doing. The first is the goal. The second is how bad habits get locked in. Mimi will stop the music when something is being done without thought. The expectation is that you are present and making decisions, not just going through the motions.
Discipline here does not mean obedience for its own sake. It means learning how to work: taking correction, preparing properly, showing up, staying focused and respecting the demands of performance. Talent is not enough. The dancer has to be able to receive correction, repeat, adjust and return with the work changed.
Yes. Whether you have a clear goal or no idea yet, that conversation is part of the work. Figuring out which schools, programmes, competitions or auditions are worth pursuing and which are not is something Mimi will engage with directly. If the right next step is somewhere beyond what Dance with Mimi can offer, Mimi will be honest about that and use the contacts, knowledge and resources available to help you move in the right direction.
It is normal, especially at first. What matters is that you are willing to be seen and corrected. Self-consciousness usually comes from comparing yourself to others or worrying about looking wrong. In this room the standard is not other students. It is whether your ballet is developing and becoming visible in performance. That is a different kind of pressure and most dancers find it easier to work with once they understand what is actually being asked of them.
Depends on what you want to do and how seriously you are willing to work. There are real timelines in ballet and Mimi will be honest about what is and is not realistic for your situation. What will not happen here is false reassurance. What will happen is an honest assessment of where you are, what is possible and what it would take.
This is worth an honest conversation rather than a blanket answer. Ballet has physical realities and pretending otherwise does not help anyone. This does not mean there is only one acceptable ballet body. It means goals and training choices need to be honest. What Dance with Mimi works with is the body in front of it, finding how ballet can function in that specific body and what that body can do on stage. If there are limitations that affect certain goals, that will be addressed directly and practically.
From Dance with Mimi's side, no. Mimi does not interfere with other teaching relationships. Some studios have their own policies about students training elsewhere, so it is worth being aware of your current studio's stance and handling that conversation on your end.
Video recording in class is fine. For social media, you may post content in which only you appear. If classmates are visible, you are responsible for ensuring they cannot be identified. Cropping or editing them out is fine but blurring faces is not an acceptable workaround. If you cannot remove them from the footage, ask their permission directly before posting.
Cancellations made more than 48 hours before the session are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations made between 24 and 48 hours before receive a 50 per cent refund. Cancellations within 24 hours of the session are not eligible for a refund. This policy applies to change of mind, scheduling conflicts and non-attendance. It does not limit any rights you may have under Australian Consumer Law.
Direct, yes. Brutal, no. The feedback is specific because vague encouragement does not change anything. You will be told what is not working and what to do about it. The goal is not to make you feel bad. It is to actually move you forward. Most students who have only experienced positive-only teaching find the adjustment takes a session or two and then prefer it.
If you find it genuinely difficult to receive criticism over time, that is worth taking seriously. Ballet is a demanding art form and learning to deal with that kind of pressure is part of the training. But if it is affecting you beyond the studio, talking to a counsellor is a reasonable and practical step. Teachers are not psychologists. There is no shame in getting support from someone who is.
Ballet Eterna is not a general adult ballet class. It is serious supplementary training for adults who want more than what a typical adult class offers. It is particularly relevant if you have been dancing for years without seeing the progress you expected, if you trained in another style and want to develop real ballet technique, if you came to ballet later than the traditional pathway, or if you are tired of being encouraged rather than corrected.
Ballet Eterna exists because late starters and adult dancers deserve serious ballet training, not a children's syllabus forced onto adult bodies and not a class designed to keep them pleasantly unchanged.
It is designed to complement regular classes elsewhere, not replace them.
Most adult ballet classes are designed to be enjoyable and accessible. That is not a problem in itself. The problem is when enjoyment becomes the ceiling. Technique that is never seriously corrected does not develop. It solidifies. Ballet Eterna exists for dancers who want the ceiling removed.
Yes. Ballet Eterna works well for dancers from other disciplines who need to develop or refine their classical technique, whether for performance, audition preparation or personal development. The teaching is adapted to your body and background, not to a standard syllabus that assumes everyone started at age 5.
Depends on what seriously good means for you. There are physical realities in ballet and Mimi will be honest about what is and is not realistic at any given stage. What will not happen is false reassurance. What can happen is genuine technical development at any age, if you are willing to work for it and honest about what you are working toward. Progress at 30, 40 or 50 looks different from progress at 15. It is still progress.
No, but your body's current reality matters. Ballet Eterna does not require an ideal ballet body. It does require honesty about what your body can currently do, what needs to change and what goals are realistic.
Eterna is designed as supplementary training and works best alongside consistent class attendance elsewhere. For adult dancers in Adelaide, Chylie Cooper's open ballet technique classes are a strong option. Chylie teaches Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings and on Tuesday evenings at Homegrown Dance.
That said, adult life is real. If Eterna is the only class you can commit to right now, that is still worth doing. Progress will be slower without the additional training hours but the work done in Eterna is still real work.
For adult dancers, pointe is not a default goal or a reward for attendance. Pointe work places significant load on the feet, ankles, knees and hips. Readiness requires technique, strength, alignment, foot and ankle control, consistency and the ability to manage that load safely.
If a dancer cannot safely manage that load, Mimi will not put them en pointe. If pointe work is relevant and the dancer is ready, it can be discussed. If not, that conversation happens honestly and early. What other studios permit is their business. In Mimi's classes, pointe happens only when it is safe and when it serves the dancer's development.
Yes, through The Soloist Program. Ballet Eterna is a group class focused on technical development and does not include competition preparation. The Soloist Program offers individual coaching for adult dancers preparing for competitions or auditions, including solo work, variation preparation and performance detail. Get in touch to discuss what is appropriate for your level and goal.
Yes. Students who are committed and prepared may have the opportunity to perform in Ballet Eterna showings, showcases or related productions. Ballet Rogue also occasionally involves adult community artists and extras in productions. This is not automatic and is handled separately from class enrolment but it is a real possibility for students who are ready and interested.
Dance with Mimi and Ballet Rogue are separate organisations. Mimi leads both but enrolment in any Dance with Mimi programme does not automatically lead to Ballet Rogue participation. Students from Ballet Nova, Ballet Eterna or The Soloist Program may have opportunities to participate in Ballet Rogue productions but this is not guaranteed and is not tied to enrolment. Ballet Rogue auditions and participation opportunities are open to all eligible dancers on the same terms.
Ballet Eterna is a group class focused on serious technical development as a supplement to regular training. The Soloist Program is individual or small group coaching built around a specific goal, whether that is a solo, an audition, a competition, stage work or a professional pathway. They serve different purposes and can be done alongside each other.
Yes, if you want ballet to actually work in your body rather than remain at the level of going through the motions. The standard here is performance visibility, but that does not mean every student needs to be heading toward a stage. It means the teaching takes seriously whether what you are doing is functioning, not just whether you showed up.
If you are confident you can manage your own limits during class, yes. Mimi will not push you past what you have flagged. If you have a persistent or unresolved injury, the recommendation is to see Miccan Physio or a dance-specialist physiotherapist in your area before continuing training.
For Ballet Eterna and The Soloist Program, cancellations made more than 48 hours before the session are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations made between 24 and 48 hours before receive a 50 per cent refund. Cancellations within 24 hours of the session are not eligible for a refund. This policy applies to change of mind, scheduling conflicts and non-attendance. It does not limit any rights you may have under Australian Consumer Law.
Mimi is available for class cover and relief teaching across ballet, contemporary, repertoire, pointe preparation, performance coaching and related dance training. She is also available for guest teaching, workshop residencies, intensive programmes, holiday workshops, competition preparation sessions and audition coaching for students from any studio.
Contact Mimi directly at contact@mimiyoshii.com with details of the engagement, location, dates and what is being asked.
Yes. Mimi does not take engagements where the fee is significantly below Mimi's standard rates. Engagements outside Adelaide's metropolitan public transport network are generally not available. Locations reachable by public transport but requiring more than one hour each way may incur an additional travel fee. Interstate and international engagements are possible but require travel and accommodation costs to be covered separately.
Yes, as long as the purpose of the engagement is clear. Mimi can teach within the context of your studio without trying to replace your syllabus. However, her teaching will still be direct, stage-centred and focused on how the dancer is actually using the body, not simply on completing set exercises.
Fees depend on the scale and nature of the engagement. For relief and class cover work, the minimum rate is $50 per hour. For workshops and guest teaching residencies, please get in touch with details and a quote will be provided.
Mimi has no interest in recruiting students from other studios. If a student who attended a guest class expresses interest in training with Dance with Mimi, Mimi will not pressure them to move. Where appropriate, especially for minors, she may discuss the situation with the original studio, the student and the parent or guardian to avoid unnecessary conflict and to work out what is genuinely best for the student.