Children's Ballet in Kagurazaka
Omoto Children's Ballet

About the school

A child's first step matters. The classes here are supervised and taught by Yasuyo Omoto, who danced as prima of the Tani Momoko Ballet and still appears on stage as its senior principal, with wide experience of international work. She teaches the foundations herself, and the other teachers share the same approach.

The school began in April 1992 as an academic ballet class for children from three years old to high school age. What Yasuyo Omoto sets out to give is a basic technique that will hold up in any ballet setting anywhere - taught carefully, in small groups, in a room that is also a working theater. Some classes are taught with live piano accompaniment.

What the school believes

Classical technique is not only for children who will become professional dancers. What we care about above all is elegance: manners, posture, sensitivity, musicality. Ballet training also does a great deal for how a body is formed - the same core work is used across every kind of sport.

Through the lessons we try to draw out each child's own sensibility and to respect their independence, so that they are able to choose freely later on. The lessons are for the whole of a life, not only for the next recital.

What makes this school special

Age groups and class placement

Kids / Pre Ballet

From age three

Class C

Lower primary-school years

Class B

Middle to upper primary-school years

Class A

Junior-high and high-school students

Class S

High-school students

These are age guidelines. The head teacher will discuss the child's experience and decide the appropriate class. Please ask if the scheduled days do not suit your family, or for details of Class S, whose timetable is not listed here.

Students in A2 and A3 may also attend Yasuyo Omoto's Wednesday 19:30-21:00 class using monthly tuition.

Days and times

There are no classes on public holidays or during the year-end and New Year closure. Please confirm the current timetable when arranging your visit.

Fees

All prices include tax. Monthly tuition is separate from the one-time enrolment fee.

Enrolment fee

JPY 11,000

Kids: one class per week

JPY 8,800 / month

C, B or A: one class per week

JPY 9,350 / month

B or A: two classes per week

JPY 13,200 / month

Maintenance fee during extended absence
For an absence of one month or longer

JPY 2,200 / month

Free observation and joining

Observation is free, by appointment. Please telephone in advance so that we know to expect you. On the day, come to the B1F lobby five minutes before the lesson begins.

1. Telephone to arrange a free observation.
2. Observe a class and discuss placement with the teacher.
3. To enrol, complete the form with your name and contact details and pay the JPY 11,000 enrolment fee. You will receive a membership card and a monthly-tuition envelope.

What to prepare

A leotard with minimal decoration, so the body's lines can be seen; pink tights; and pink ballet shoes.

Tel: +81-(0)3-3266-0461 (11:00-19:00)
Email: mail@session-house.net

Classes are taught in Japanese, though ballet vocabulary is French and much of a class is shown rather than explained. Children from non-Japanese-speaking families are welcome - please write to us in English and we will talk through which class would suit your child, and arrange a visit.

Teachers

Yasuyo Omoto - lead teacher

Senior principal of the Tani Momoko Ballet. She won first place and the Minister of Education Encouragement Award at the 1973 Tokyo Shimbun national dance competition, trained with the Cuban National Ballet through an Agency for Cultural Affairs fellowship, and received the Akiko Tachibana and Chieko Hattori awards.

Yasuyo Omoto's teacher profile

Shigeri Ichikawa

She began ballet at Yasuko Fuseda Ballet Institute and studied with Hiroki Urushibara, Aya Noma and Betty Jones. In the United States she performed with Dance We Dance; after returning to Japan she has taught students from young children through seniors.

Shigeri Ichikawa's teacher profile

Minami Izuya

She began ballet at six and studied with Yasuyo Omoto at Session House. Her stage work includes Clara in The Nutcracker and musical theater. She completed the Ashiya University ballet teacher diploma course and works as a ballet teacher.

Minami Izuya's teacher profile

Recitals and the stage

A recital is held at Session House every April. In their final year, each student performs a solo from the repertoire before graduating from the children's classes. Individual advice is available for students considering competitions, study abroad or joining a ballet company.

Access

Kagurazaka Session House B1F Studio
158 Yarai-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0805, Japan
1.5 minutes' walk from Exit 1b of Kagurazaka Station, Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.

Map & access · Dance classes · Adult ballet · All teachers · Session House home

Frequently asked questions

For adults

Yasuyo Omoto also teaches adult ballet at Session House - Ballet Basics on Wednesday evenings, and a monthly class for revisiting the foundations. Those are listed with the rest of the weekly timetable and on the workshops page.