Dance Classes

These are Ballet based classes with Tap added at the end. The teacher guides the student to learn in a way that makes discovering movement, balance and listening skills easy and fun. By the end of the year the students will memorize simple exercises and sequences, and learn vocabulary that will prepare them for classes taken in the years to come.

Pre-ballet offers a prelude to formal ballet instruction. Dance classes at this level introduce barre work, Ballet vocabulary, and French terminology, while building flexibility of movement, dance exploration and classroom decorum. Center work is introduced at this level with a focus on the positions of the arms, legs and feet in the classical Ballet vocabulary. Emphasis on balance, large motor skill development, coordination and age appropriate stretching partnered with encouragement of individual creative expression is continued at this level. An introduction of tap terminology and beginner movement vocabulary occurs in this class.

Ballet is known as the foundation of all dance styles and is a theatrical representation of a story usually accompanied by music. All Ballet classes include barre, center and across the floor work. Technical, Pointe, and performance (repertoire) classes are offered. Pointe is an advanced form of Ballet technique, the main difference is that the shoe worn has a hardened toe and reinforced arch which enables a dancer to dance on the tips of their toes. For this very reason, Pointe is not introduced fully until the student has a strong understanding of alignment and body awareness.

Jazz dance focuses on skills in isolation, syncopation, strength, rhythm, contraction and expansion. Influenced by Africa, jazz dance uses many of the techniques from the other forms of dance allowing room for improvisation and implied looseness of transitional movements.

Students will learn the latest new dance moves. Hip Hop allows a student to move freely and funky. This dance class will enhance a dancer’s energy and enthusiasm for dance and focuses on building the basics including counting music, memorization of sequences and choreography and exploring rhythm through the use of the body.

Contemporary, also known as Modern, builds on the foundation of Ballet and offers dancers the chance to develop torso articulation, core and distal patterning, as well as head and tail connectivity. It develops body, action, space, time, and energy awareness and expressiveness. 

Tap honors its multi-cultural heritage by exploring both traditional and modern techniques in developing and expressing rhythm. As the students advance in ability, they learn increasingly intricate combinations.

Break dancing is a popular style of street dance that was created and developed as part of Hip-Hop culture. This is a supplemental class to go along with furthering you Hip-Hop skills. Popping, locking and tricks!

Acro is offered for those who are interested in working on basic acrobatic fundamentals. Movements such as forward rolls, back rolls, cartwheels and front and balk walkovers will be taught. This is a great body conditioning class that does not require previous gymnastics training.