The Inspiration Behind the Align Ballet Method – by Michael Cornell

In 2011, as the first seeds of the Align Ballet Method were planted, the business was originally called Private Ballet Los Angeles because most of my lessons were private, one-on-one sessions. But if I had to pinpoint the true beginning of Align, it would be on Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills, in the wood-paneled living room of a woman named Judy.

Judy was an elegant, affluent woman who had spent her career as a media consultant for the elite, including the mayor of Los Angeles. She taught people how to look good, sound good, and be persuasive on camera or during an interview. She was wise, direct, and full of insight.

One day, she looked at me and said,

“Michael, where is your pen? Where is your watch? How are you going to be successful if you don’t have a pen and a watch?”

Since that day, I have religiously carried a watch and a pen.

At the time, I was Judy’s personal trainer, but beneath our sessions lay a quiet tragedy. Just six months earlier, she had lost her husband, David—the love of her life. Their devotion to each other was unmistakable. Their home was filled with photos of them together, radiating a love so deep and unwavering that I have rarely seen anything like it since. These were two charismatic people, bound by a riotous sense of humor and a lifetime of shared joy.

My job after David’s passing was simple: show up a few times a week and get her moving. But more often than not, when I arrived, Judy would stand in her living room and say wearily,

“Michael, today I just want to do ballet.”

So we would begin—gentle pliés, simple tendus. And with each movement, I could see her spirits lift.

It was in those quiet moments, with a woman in her late 70s who had just lost the love of her life, that the foundation for teaching ballet to adults in a simple, clear, and accessible way was formed. This experience helped me develop a process and philosophy I still use today.

Returning to My Roots

After five or six years as a professional personal trainer in Hollywood, I began to realize something: no matter how many fitness trends I explored—kettlebell training, Pilates, bodyweight exercises, cross-training, bodybuilding—nothing engaged people mentally and physically as much as ballet.

Time and again, I found myself returning to my roots.

Training hundreds of clients gave me a deep understanding of movement—how to break it down into a simple, teachable process that anyone could grasp. Judy was my first laboratory. Inspired by what I had learned, I rented a local dance studio for one hour per week for six weeks and advertised my first adult beginner ballet workshop.

Within a few days, 16 students had signed up—for what should have been a terrible time slot: 11 a.m. on a Wednesday.

That was when I knew—I wasn’t just onto something.

I was onto something big.

A Burning Desire to Bring Authentic Ballet to Adults

At that time, barre fitness had taken over the world. POPSUGAR had dubbed it “the year of the barre.” But I found it frustrating. These classes had co-opted ballet while stripping it of its artistry.

The only thing barre classes had in common with ballet was the barre itself.

Their websites featured images of ballerinas, but it was all marketing hype.

I knew it was a lie.

I didn’t want to teach another fitness trend. I wanted people to experience real ballet. I wanted them to know that they could actually learn to dance—not just mimic a movement for an exercise class, but truly dance.

Ballet had transformed my own life, and I felt a burning desire to share that experience with others.

The Birth of Align

One workshop led to another. Then another. Then another. Before I knew it, I had hundreds of students, all deeply committed. The retention was enormous. Many of those original students have gone on to dance in advanced classes across the globe.

At this point, it became clear—Private Ballet Los Angeles no longer fit. The business wasn’t private anymore.

It was a movement. A community.

I needed a name that reflected this momentum. At the time, fitness brands were being built around individual personalities—self-named brands with egocentric identities. I found it nauseating. This business wasn’t about an individual.

It was about something bigger.

I had a vision: a collective of high-level instructors—like a prestigious law firm—where the quality of our expertise and service created a reputation that preceded itself.

Then, like a cannon blast, the word ALIGN shot into my mind.

It was perfect.

It represented direction, precision, unity. It symbolized our commitment to bringing real ballet training to any adult who wished to pursue it, taught by artists who were truly knowledgeable and passionate.

I also knew that I had developed a very specific way to simplify classical ballet for adults—making it accessible while preserving its integrity. If my team embraced these ideas, we could impact many lives and potentially shape the future of ballet culture.

This was what ballet needed. This was what the world needed.

The Logo and the Philosophy

For years, we operated without a logo. I felt awkward about having one until I knew exactly what I wanted.

Then one day, once again, inspiration struck in a flash:

A giant “A” with a line beneath it.

A + line = ALIGN.

It was bold. It was unforgettable. It was stupidly simple.

You could see it from 25 feet away. It burned into your retina.

And, as an inside joke for those in Los Angeles—it looked strikingly similar to the highest health grade a restaurant can receive from the city of Los Angeles: an “A.”

The pyramid-like shape of the logo also resonated with me. It represented a solid foundation, building upward toward a singular, focused point.

That was Align.

It’s Not About Me—It’s About You

The achievement I am most proud of is this:

Align is not about me.

It’s about you.

It’s about our incredible team of dedicated, passionate instructors—who bring light into our students’ lives, just as they bring light into mine.

The other night, I was covering a shift at the front desk. As students gathered in the lobby, one of our instructors turned to a student and said, “Oh, Michael teaches on the weekends.”

The student, whom I had never met, turned to me and said,

“Oh, you teach ballet?”

She had no idea I was the owner and founder.

And I loved that.

It was deeply satisfying because it meant people weren’t here for me.

They were here for the ballet.

For the experience.

For the instructor who had faithfully adopted our method and made it their own.

That was the goal all along—to create something bigger than myself.

A Final Thought

As Martha Stewart says, “It’s a good thing.”

At the time I was building Align, I found inspiration in Halston.

His philosophy was simple:

“I make fashion for people. I create products a woman wants to buy—an outfit she feels good in, that she can work in, then go out at night, and other people think she looks terrific.”

What a simple concept.

Why couldn’t ballet feel good?

Why couldn’t ballet be reinvented?

The Mission

It hasn’t always been easy. It has taken years to build a team who truly embraces this vision and a solid network of studio partners.

But in the end, my job is simple:

To facilitate, organize, and be the guardian of your experience.

It is a privilege.

We are here to serve.

Thank you for your dedication.

About The Author
Michael Cornell is the founder of Align Ballet Method, a premier training program dedicated to adult ballet students. Before launching Align, Michael spent a decade as a principal dancer with BalletMet, where he performed leading roles and worked with some of the most celebrated choreographers of his time. He had original works created on him by Alonzo King, David Parsons, and James Kudelka and was a favorite among the groundbreaking contemporary choreographers of 1985–1995.

Now, through Align Ballet Method, Michael shares his passion for ballet with thousands of students, helping adults of all levels experience the beauty and discipline of classical dance. His innovative approach has earned praise from Vogue, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. When he’s not in the studio, Michael focuses on expanding Align, integrating technology into the arts, and building a strong, supportive dance community.

In his free time, he immerses himself in mastering the Argentine tango, embracing its complexity, musicality, and the deep connection it fosters between partners.