Dance Program

GOAL OF THE DANCE DEPARTMENT
To see that each student achieves excellence in all styles of dance. To promote a healthy confidence and the development of each individual student artistically, musically, and personally.

CREATIVE MOVEMENT (Ages 3-5):
Creative movement classes focus on teaching students the basics of movement. This class is a fun way to introduce children to dance while incorporating creative thinking and games.

COMBO Ballet/Jazz and Ballet/Tap (Ages 4-6):
Combo classes start introducing students to movement related to Ballet, Jazz or Tap. These classes introduce students to correct placement (turnout, pointing the feet, stretching, and using correct muscles). It combines fun games for children while developing listening skills and introductory steps to ballet and jazz or tap.

JAZZ

JAZZ 1 (Beginner):
Jazz Level 1 classes start working on student's flexibility and strength. Students will learn isolations of the body, tempo, diretion, body alignment, and basic steps that were learned in Combo Jazz class. Students will begin to work on balance, turns, basic jumps, and combinations.

JAZZ 1-2 (Advanced Beginner to Beginning Intermediate):
Jazz Level 1-2 classes will continue to work on the basics of level 1 Jazz. Students will start to work on Battements, pirouettes, chaine turns, leaps, passe, passe jumps, level changing, and traveling. Students will continue to work on strength and flexibility. Students will also be learning combinations that execute what they have learned in class. This class will strive to achieve excellence in technique and beginning performance skills.

JAZZ 2-3 (Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate):
Jazz Level 2-3 classes will continue to work on the elements of Jazz 1 thru 1-2 while beginning more complex jumps and turns. This includes double attitude jumps, center leaps, switch leaps, barrel turns, stag jumps, and double passe jumps. This level will begin to work on more complex combinations with stylistic differences and dynamic changes. This level will begin to shape dancers into performers.

Jazz 3-4 (Advanced):
Jazz Level 3-4 classes will continue to work on the elements of Jazz 1 thru 2-3 while beginning more difficult jumps, turns, and combinations. This level will focus more on detail of choreography, quality of movement, and artistry. This is where a student will go from dancer to pre-professional performer.

LEAPS AND TURNS:
Leaps and turns class (Level 3-4) will work on basic through advanced jumps and turns. More attention will be paid to how to correctly execute specialty jumps and turns as well as basic jumps and turns. This class is about the power of jumping and the precision of turning along with the overall look of the movement.

BALLET

BALLET 1 (Beginner):
Ballet Level 1 classes will start to work on correct placement; 1st through 5th positions, turnout, using correct muscles, and basic ballet steps. This includes: Plie, tendu, degage, ron de jambe, releve, and eleve. Students will repeat easier barre work on pique turns, spotting, 3 step turn, coupe, passe, and saute. The students in this level will do all barre work with two hands on the barre.

BALLET 1-2 (Advanced Beginner to Beginning Intermediate):
Ballet Level 1-2 classes will continue to work on the basic steps of level 1 while beginning to learn more complex steps like, frappe, fondu, develope, and grand battement. Students will continue to work on balance, center abs strength, and correct placement. Students will begin to do steps en l'air at a 45 degree angle. Students will work on center such as chaine turns, saute, eschappes, Grande Battement Jete, and reverence.

BALLET 2-3 (Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate):
Ballet Level 2-3 classes will continue to work on the steps taught in levels 1 and 1-2 while beginning more variety of combinations with different tempos as well as 45 and 90 degree angles. Students will learn petite allegro steps, which include glissade, jete, ten leve, assemble, weight change, and traveling. Students will begin work on Grande Allegro steps including Grande Jete, balance, waltz step, and saute chat.

BALLET 3-4 (Advanced):
Ballet Level 3-4 classes will continue to work on steps taught in prior levels while learning how to carry and perfect steps already learned. Students in this level will be given more complex combinations using releve, higher extension, longer balances, musicality, and quality of movement in which it will be performed.

PRE-POINTE/POINTE:
Pre-Pointe/Pointe classes will build upon the techniques learned in Ballet classes while building strength in the ankles, legs, and center for training in pointe shoes. Pre-pointe students will not be using pointe shoes.

TAP

TAP 1 (Beginner):
Tap Level 1 classes will begin to work on placement, sound, weight change, and rhythm. Students will learn basic steps including Toe/Heel exercises, shuffle, flap, ball change, sugars, tick tocks, and scuffs. Students will learn simple combinations that execute what they learn during class.

TAP 1-2 (Advanced Beginner to Beginning Intermediate):
Tap Level 1-2 classes will continue to work on basic steps taught in level 1 while adding hops and toes. Students will continue to work on timing and rhythm as well as new steps like maxi ford, beginning pull backs, toe heel turns, spotting, cramp roll, and time steps one and two. Students will learn more complex combinations.

TAP 2-3 (Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate):
Tap Level 2-3 classes will continue to work on basic steps taught in level 1 and 1-2. Students will begin to work on more compex steps including trains, double pull backs, toe balance/turns, reverse heel steps, and traveling steps/turns. Students will be taught complex combinations allowing them to execute rhythmically challenging steps.

TAP 3-4 (Advanced):
Tap Level 3-4 classes will continue to work on steps taught in prior levels while working on more complex steps and combinations. These steps include uneven pull backs, wings, uneven wings, one footed pull backs, one footed wings, and time steps three and four. Students will learn to execute combinations with an entertaining quality and percision.

HIP HOP

Our Hip Hop classes provide a high-energy dance class for both boys and girls are want to learned the latest in Urban, Street, B-Boy, Free Style, and Pop & Lock. dance. Students will learn dance steps and choreography to age appropriate music. Our Hip Hop classes follow the age/skill breakdown of our other classes; HIP HOP 1 (Beginner), HIP HOP 1-2 (Advanced Beginner to Beginning Intermediate), HIP HOP 2-3 (Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate), HIP HOP 3-4 (Advanced), and HIP HOP AEROBICS (Beginner Adult).

LADIES ARTISTIC DANCE DEVELOPMENT (LADD):
LADD class is a program designed for women who have not neccessarily taken dance before, but who are wanting to try all types of dance. We will be touching on ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop.

BOYS ATHLETIC DANCE DEVELOPMENT (BADD):
BADD class introduces dance movement to help with sports development. We will touch on strength, flexibility, and conditioning.

To review our class schedule, go to our Schedule & Rates page.