Defying Tradition: The Revolution of the Align Ballet Method by Michael Cornell
The other day, a student, a professional dancer no less, remarked to me, “I’ve heard other dancers wonder, ‘What’s this guy at Align doing? I don’t understand.’” Honestly, that didn’t surprise me. From day one, Align Ballet Method has been misunderstood, and for good reason—it’s revolutionary. When I started Align over a decade ago, there was nothing like it. Today, there still isn’t. But let’s rewind to when I first began, and the landscape of adult ballet was barren, to say the least.
Back then, no one wanted to teach ballet to adults. Sure, you could find a class here and there, but they were an afterthought—no serious effort, no real intention. Beginner classes were a joke, if they existed at all. Studios slapped “beginning ballet” on their schedules, but what they delivered was a basic class for those with prior training. No one bothered to start from ground zero, to break down the fundamentals for those who had never danced a day in their life. You’d walk into a beginner class and be expected to follow along with zero explanation of foot positions, posture, or anything else. It was a sink-or-swim approach that served no one.
Then there was the pace—relentless, punishing, and totally unsuitable for beginners. The instructors with the most prestigious careers would often teach “beginner” classes, but they’d pack them with complex material that left true novices in the dust. And let’s not forget the culture: fat-shaming, exclusivity, and an overall atmosphere that made anyone who didn’t fit the mold feel unwelcome. Adult students were often ignored, their presence barely acknowledged.
These were the issues I saw, and I knew there was a gap in the marketplace, a need crying out to be filled. People were flooding my inbox, desperate for the kind of classes I envisioned. So I created a school dedicated to adults, with a primary focus on absolute beginners. That’s been our mission from the start, and it still is.
Yes, we have classes for advanced students—some with live piano accompaniment on weekends—but our bread and butter is the adult beginner. Many of our students have never taken any formal dance training, and that’s okay. We’ve built a program where they can progress at their own pace in a supportive environment. We welcome everyone, regardless of skill level or body type. But let me be clear: Align is not just a training program; it’s a brand with a specific culture of inclusiveness. Toxic attitudes have no place here. We expect everyone—students and staff alike—to encourage and support each other.
Why do so many professional dancers not understand what I’m doing at Align? Simple. My mission has always been to smash the toxic culture of ballet that has persisted for far too long. Before “Black Swan” and other exposés on toxic ballet culture hit the mainstream, I was already on a warpath to address these issues.
People often ask, “What is the Align Ballet Method? Are you Cecchetti, Vaganova, RAD, SAB?” For those who don’t know, these are syllabuses from famous ballet schools that have been around for decades, but I see them more as styles of ballet training. Align doesn’t adhere to a style; we teach general technical fundamentals because those never change. A plié is a plié. Where you place your head and arm is stylistic fluff. Our students aren’t ready for style; they’re here to build a solid foundation.
Align isn’t rooted in two centuries of ballet history because that approach doesn’t work for the adult student. Instead, I asked myself, “What do students actually respond to in real time?” I didn’t just regurgitate the combinations I was taught as a teenager. I stripped them down, simplified them, and focused on repetition to build muscle memory. The key to adult success is simplicity and repetition.
Another crucial factor is the student experience. Are they enjoying the process? Is their confidence growing? Are they progressing without frustration? How quickly can we help them master ballet? I believe we’ve succeeded. After our first six-class Align 1 program, students can complete a simple ballet barre with decent form. By the end of Align 2, they’re not only performing the barre but also mastering basic exercises in the center. And then, they’re ready for a basic ballet class where they feel comfortable. I guarantee that if you attend our classes two to three times a week for a year, you will see a transformation. I’ve witnessed it countless times.
I’m not fixated on perfecting terminology or head and arm positions. My goal is simple: After three years of studying with us, can a student take a class in New York and feel comfortable? If so, I’ve done my job. I’m not trying to produce the perfect Bolshoi dancer; I’m helping our students make ballet a lifestyle. If ballet becomes a lifestyle, they’ll stick with it, and if they stick with it, it will impact their long-term wellness.
Align isn’t about a single, rigid way of ballet training. I’ve hired instructors from various backgrounds to meet the enormous demand, and it would be impossible to force them into one format. Instead, we emphasize appropriate levels of intensity and progression. Our instructors follow a certain framework, but I don’t dictate exactly what they teach. Each instructor has unique insights, and students need a variety of teaching styles over time.
Align has always been about what directly benefits the student’s progression, not the purity of any instructional pedigree. There’s a method to my madness. I was a ballet reject who never fit the mold, but I went on to be featured in Dance Magazine as one of the few centerfold images they ever published. I trained under a wide variety of styles and was fortunate to work with some of the most innovative choreographers in the industry. This diverse experience taught me to experiment, challenge the form, and push the boundaries—principles that are at the core of Align.
No, we’re not like any other ballet school, and thank God for that. Not everyone believes in what we do, but I’m not concerned with them. I care about how our students feel when they leave class. Do they feel better than when they walked in? If the answer is yes, then we’ve done our job.
I know we’re on the right track. Name another ballet school that’s been featured in The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and Vogue in the last decade—besides the School of American Ballet. I’ve seen our success firsthand. I’ve watched beginners go on to dance en pointe in the Nutcracker. We’ve changed lives, and it’s been my pleasure.
There’s no specific reason I wrote this today, except to address that question: “What is that guy at Align doing?” Innovators are often misunderstood by the masses. We’ve only just begun, and I look forward to continuing this journey with our students and amazing staff.