Fresh Pond Ballet

I just had my first lesson with Nina at Freshpond ballet, and it was marvelous! The professionalism and understanding really made me feel comfortable as an adult ballet dancer. Nina is not only extremely kind and welcoming, she corrected my mistakes in such a way that promotes true learning and fun! I would recommend this studio and ninas classes to everyone who wants to dance!

What a great studio! I was a ‘semi-​serious’ dancer up until the age of 14 (member of a dance company… classical ballet/​pointe) but, I haven’t danced in 10 years. On a whim, I took the adult class offered Mondays at 7:45, and was neither bored nor overwhelmed. There was a good mix of students, ages 13 or 14 to around 40. All women the night I attended. The relaxed dress code was appreciated, though most wore leotards and tights with pants/​shorts/​skirts (it seems like yoga pants and a tee-​shirt would also be fine). The owner the studio, Nina, is warm, humorous, and obviously loves to teach (…read: nothing like the teachers from my childhood years). Plenty of constructive criticism and feedback if you are looking to improve as a dancer. Hooray for making ballet low-​pressure and accessible! :)

Fresh Pond Ballet is a wonderful studio, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Nina, the studio owner, goes out of her way to create a friendly atmosphere. Her instruction is always positive and encouraging. This translates to the students as well. I felt immediately welcomed in the adult classes when I started (which is not true at all the studios I tried in the area), and I’ve even seen the young students doing the same for new dancers.
My favorite thing about the Fresh Pond Ballet is its philosophy, which is rather unique in ballet. Nina wants her students to love dance, but she understands that most will not become professional dancers. To this end, dancers are trained with strong technique that keeps them safe and healthy (e.g. not forcing turnout to 180 degrees). I’ve also noticed that all body types are embraced, and students have very healthy body images (sadly, a rarity in the ballet world). The dancers are also encouraged to do well in the rest of their lives: academics, sports, music, etc.
It has been fun and rewarding for me to dance at Fresh Pond Ballet, and in the future, my husband and I can’t wait for our children to take classes as well!

When I was younger, I took ballet, pointe, modern and jazz extensively in the New Haven area, but took a hiatus during college. Feeling the desire to move beyond the monotony of the gym, I returned to ballet, starting with the adult classes at Fresh Pond Ballet 2 years ago. Nina Alonso Hathaway is a wonderful teacher. She presents clear, no pressure instruction while helping her students to improve their skills. I’ve had many teachers who believe the path to becoming a better ballerina involves insults and physical torment, and Nina is about as far from that camp of teaching as possible. She works with Blake Barich as well, who teaches with her, and Blake maintains a similar philosophy to teaching as Nina does.
Her studio is affordable and a good choice for adults with hectic lives, as instead of a semester fee, she offers a 10-​class card for $ 105 dollars. If you need to miss a class, you are not going to lose on your investment. Adults of all levels join her adult beginner classes, and students who have had training in the past are welcomed to dance with her advanced students (and even invited to take part in their annual ballet production at Pine Manor College).