Adult Ballet

Adult Ballet Classes

At Gulf Coast Dancenter, we are proud to offer 5 levels of ballet classes for our adult dance students, ensuring there is truly a place for everyone. Whether you are a novice dancer who has always wanted to try ballet but never had the opportunity as a child, or an experienced dancer looking to keep your mind and body challenged, our program is designed to support your goals and growth.

Because we understand that adults have busy lives and changing schedules, we offer flexible drop-in options as well as our most-loved punch cards, which provide a discounted rate while helping keep you motivated and consistent in your training.

Scroll down to find your perfect class and level!

Cost

Drop in Rate is $24 per class.

10 Class Punch card is $200 (makes each class $20), does not expire and can be used on any of the adult classes except for the Intro Series.

Intro Series is pre-registration and a flat fee of $150 for 6 classes.

First Time Attending

If this is your first time coming to Gulf Coast Dancenter, here is a quick run down for arrival…

Location:

    • We are located in the corner of the plaza, nestled between the bakery and fabric shop.  We have our signage on the front door.
    • 2480 E Bay Dr Ste B8, Largo, FL 33771

How to attend a class:

    • Arrive 5-10 mins early.
    • Stop by front desk to check in.
    • If you are NEW please let the front desk know so that you can fill out our simple blue adult intake form.  
    • Next, notify the receptionist which class you plan to take and pay class fee or have them mark your punch card.  You do not pre-register for a class prior to arrival except for the Intro Series.
    • Use the restroom before class if needed.
    • Settle in and get excited for a great class.
What to Wear to Class

Attire for Women

We want you to be comfortable and confident, but we do also want to see your body outline to assist you with your placement and posture. Here is what we suggest:

    • Leggings and fitted top OR
      Leotard, tights, and ballet skirt, showing off your inner ballet dancer
      Hair up and out of face, something like a bun is preferred as we will be learning to turn and don’t want your hair to hit you in the face
      Ballet slippers, typically women wear pink but black or flesh toned is fine. *If you have a desire to perform at some point we do use pink ballet slippers.

Attire for Men

Comfort is key while also getting the most out of class, so here is what we suggest for the men:

    • Fitted t-shirt and gym shorts OR
    • Mens dance tights or leggings and fitted dance shirt
    • Ballet slippers, typically men wear black or white, but flesh toned is also welcome. *If you have a desire to perform at some point we lean towards black for our men.

Recommendations:

    • It is highly recommended to buy your shoes at a dance store.
    • There you can try on many different brands and sizes allowing you the best fit.
    • When trying on ballet slippers walk around in them, point your toes, rise up on the ball of your foot, and try your size and maybe a half size up. This will give you a great sense of what they shoe will feel like in class.
    • Many of my adults go up half a size for comfort.

Dance Store Near Us:

    • New Attitudes Dancewear
    • 13002 Seminole Blvd #2, Largo 33778
    • 727-586-0447
    • Located in Largo, FL across the street from the Largo Mall.
    • The owner, Meagan, has been wonderful in supplying dance wear and shoes for our adult dancers and makes you feel comfortable when shopping.
    • New Attitudes Dancewear Website
One of our adult ballet 2 students doing a grand plie at the barre.
An adult ballet 1 student taking class and warming up at the barre
Intro to ballet student receiving feedback from the instructor on how to do a back cambre.

Adult Intro to Ballet (Absolute Beginner)

This class was intentionally designed and taught as a 6-week series. This structure allows us to build upon each week progressively, creating real growth, confidence, and understanding of ballet technique for our adult students.

While adults often learn faster than children, a strong foundation and understanding of the fundamentals are still incredibly important. For students who are completely new to ballet, we highly recommend taking the series twice to help the information truly settle in and to create a strong foundation for a successful transition into Ballet 1.

Intro to Ballet Series runs every 6-weeks. For all the details, dates, and to enroll click HERE.

Picture of Anne Carollo teaching an Adult Intro to Ballet Series class. Here the students are working on their balances at the barre.

Adult Ballet 1 (Beginner)

Adult Ballet 1 is designed for dancers who have completed two Intro to Ballet Series sessions or have approximately 6 months to 2 years of current ballet training with a basic understanding of ballet class structure, terminology, and foundational technique.

In this class, dancers will continue expanding their ballet vocabulary while developing a deeper understanding of placement, coordination, musicality, and technical execution. New steps and concepts are introduced in a supportive environment that encourages confidence, consistency, and continued growth.

While this is not an absolute beginner class, teachers continue to guide students through demonstration and explanation to help dancers feel successful as they progress in their ballet training.

Adult Ballet 1 Classes:

    • Mondays at 6-7:30pm (Heidi)
    • Tuesdays at 7:30-9pm (Heidi)
    • Thursdays at 6-7:30pm (Anne)
Adult Ballet 1 students at the barre for warmup working on a tendu combination.

Adult Ballet 2 (Advanced Beginner)

Adult Ballet 2 is designed for dancers with a few years of current ballet training who have a solid understanding of ballet class structure, terminology, and foundational technique. This class moves at a quicker pace with increased complexity in both combinations and technical expectations.

Dancers will continue expanding their ballet vocabulary while developing greater strength, coordination, musicality, and technical precision. In this level, dancers begin working more heavily on single-leg balance and stability for turns, jumps, and transitional movements while continuing to build confidence and consistency in their technique.

While students are still actively learning and strengthening their understanding of ballet terminology, combinations move faster and require greater retention and application of technical concepts within class exercises.

Adult Ballet 2 Class:

    • Wednesdays at 7:30-9pm (Heidi)
Adult Ballet 2 students at the barre warming up for class. Here you can see them working on their sousou balance at the ballet barre in Mrs. Heidi's class.

Adult Ballet 3 (Intermediate)

Adult Ballet 3 is an intermediate-level class for adult dancers who are confident in ballet terminology, class structure, and foundational technique, and who are ready for increased pace, complexity, and technical challenge within the class setting.

At this level, instruction becomes more verbally driven through the use of traditional ballet terminology, with less demonstration from the teacher. Class moves at a brisk pace as dancers continue building strength, coordination, musicality, and technical precision.

Combinations become longer and more complex, challenging dancers not only physically, but mentally through increased memory, retention, and application of technical concepts. Dancers are encouraged to push their endurance, control, and artistry as they continue progressing in their ballet training.

Adult Ballet 3 Class:

    • Mondays at 7-8:30pm (Nicole)
Adult Ballet 3 student at the barre for warm up in ballet class

Adult Ballet 4 (Advanced)

Adult Ballet 4 is designed for the highly experienced adult dancer or former professional seeking an advanced ballet class that is both mentally and physically challenging while continuing to refine artistry, technique, and performance quality.

This class moves at an advanced pace with complex combinations, sophisticated musicality, and high technical expectations. Dancers are challenged through intricate movement sequences, increased endurance, dynamic coordination, and artistic nuance, all within a professional-style class environment.

This class is uniquely co-taught by Anne Carollo and Dana Barbour, who alternate teaching weekly. This structure provides advanced students the opportunity to train under two experienced instructors, gaining the benefit of different teaching styles, perspectives, corrections, and artistic insight to further support their continued development.

Adult Ballet 4 Class:

    • Thursdays at 7:30-9pm (Anne and Dana, alternate weekly)
Three adult ballet 4 students doing a menage for their center grand allegro at the end of Mrs. Anne's class.

Meet the Teachers

Anne Carollo's head shot, ballet instructor at Gulf Coast Dancenter

Anne Carollo - Ballet instructor

Anne Carollo is the owner and Artistic Director of Gulf Coast Dancenter, a ballet-focused studio she founded in 2011, as well as the founder of Gulf Coast Ballet Theater, a nonprofit company serving both youth and adult dancers in the community.

Anne trained extensively and performed professionally with Orlando Ballet and brings over 20 years of teaching experience to her work. She is an ABT® Certified Teacher and also holds certifications in Progressing Ballet Technique and Florida Dance Masters, reflecting her commitment to high-quality, structured ballet training.

Known for her encouraging yet detail-oriented teaching style, Anne works with adult dancers of all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced students returning to ballet or continuing their training. She is passionate about helping adults build strong technical foundations while also developing artistry, confidence, and a genuine love for the process.

Anne created the Intro to Ballet Series in 2020 after recognizing how many adults wanted to try ballet but felt intimidated stepping into a traditional class without prior experience. By starting dancers together from the very beginning, she created a supportive environment where students can progress with confidence, connect with others, and truly enjoy learning ballet.

In addition to teaching in the studio, Anne is building a YouTube platform dedicated to supporting adult ballet dancers through educational content, tips, and follow-along training designed to help students continue growing both inside and outside the classroom. She has also been invited to teach as a guest instructor at multiple dance intensives throughout Florida.

Heidi Romero's head shot, ballet instructor at Gulf Coast Dancenter

Heidi Romero - Ballet Instructor

Heidi Strohl Romero has been a valued member of the faculty at Gulf Coast Dancenter since 2019 and brings over a decade of experience teaching adult ballet dancers of all levels, from absolute beginners to more advanced students continuing their training.

Known for her warm, supportive teaching style, Heidi has a unique ability to help adult students feel comfortable, encouraged, and capable from the very first class. She began teaching the Intro to Ballet Series in 2025, where she quickly became a favorite among new dancers for her patient guidance and encouraging approach.

Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Heidi trained for nine years at the North Carolina School of the Arts and continued her studies at prestigious summer intensives including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and the Hungarian Ballet Academy in Budapest.

Her professional performance career spans companies across the country, including Charleston Ballet Theatre, Greensboro Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, and Tampa Ballet Theater. Her repertoire includes leading roles such as Odette in Swan Lake, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

With both professional experience and a genuine love for teaching, Heidi creates a welcoming environment where adult dancers can build confidence, strengthen technique, and truly enjoy the process of learning ballet.

Nicole Stuart ballet instructor at Gulf Coast Dancenter. She can be seen here in a headshot

Nicole Stuart - Ballet Instructor

Nicole brings both professional performance experience and a deep passion for teaching adult dancers to every class she leads. She began her training at the Academy of Ballet Florida and Palm Beach Ballet Center before continuing her studies at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under renowned faculty including Melissa Hayden and Fanchon Cordell.

Her professional career included dancing with Orlando Ballet, Ballet Florida, and guest performances with Palm Beach Ballet Center in productions such as Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Les Sylphides.

Since joining Gulf Coast Dancenter in 2013, Nicole has become an integral part of both the studio and Gulf Coast Ballet Theater, where she serves as Associate Artistic Director alongside Anne Carollo. Nicole is known for her detail-oriented teaching style and her ability to help dancers discover and execute the nuances of ballet technique and artistry. She loves working with adult dancers of all levels, helping students build strength, confidence, artistry, and a deeper understanding of ballet in a supportive and welcoming environment.

In addition to her work in dance, Nicole holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and recently opened her own psychology practice serving the families of Pinellas County.

Dana Stackpole Barbour, ballet faculty head shot for Gulf Coast Dancenter

Dana (Stackpole) Barbour - Ballet Instructor

Dana (Stackpole) Barbour brings a remarkable depth of professional experience and artistry to the adult ballet program at Gulf Coast Dancenter. With a professional dance career spanning more than 23 years, Dana performed for nine seasons with American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov and four years with San Francisco Ballet before transitioning to Broadway.

Her Broadway career included leading roles in Tony Award-winning productions such as Carousel, On The Town, Movin’ Out, Contact, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Dana teaches the highest levels of adult ballet, where she is known for bringing a strong sense of musicality, artistry, and performance quality into the classroom. She challenges dancers to think and move like artists, not just students learning steps, helping them develop both technical precision and expressive freedom. Her classes encourage dancers to deepen their connection to movement, music, and storytelling while continuing to refine their technique.

In addition to her extensive performing career, Dana is certified in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum as well as Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis®, personal training, and Zumba instruction. Her passion for teaching is rooted in helping dancers experience both the discipline and joy of ballet through thoughtful, intentional training.