Dance Styles
We strive to offer a variety of dance styles, honoring multiple traditions and ensuring there are options for both kids and adults, beginners and experienced dancers.
Aerial
Aerial dance is the art of performing various acrobatic movements while on an apparatus suspended in the air. Students gain physical and mental strength while learning to be graceful; they gain trust within themselves and confidence as they move through the air. Check out our Aerial Dance page for more information about our aerial program.
Creative Movement
Ages 2.5 - 4
Creative movement is the introduction class for all other dance classes! This class explores the elements of dance in a developmentally appropriate context. For students who are not yet ready to be on their own in one of our preschool programs. Instruction builds movement skills, self-esteem, social/emotional growth, and love of dance.
K/1 Ballet & Tap
Kindergarten and first grade
In this combination class, students will learn developmentally appropriate movement skills and foundations of ballet and tap dance, including terminology and technique. Dancers will practice simple spatial patterns and play dance and dramatic games while fostering a love of movement. Students h ve two performance opportunities each year: winter and spring.
K/1 Jazz & Hip Hop
Kindergarten & first grade
In this combination class, students will learn developmentally appropriate movement skills and foundations of jazz dance and hip hop. Dancers will practice simple spatial patterns and play dance games and dramatic games, all while fostering a love of movement. Students have two performance opportunities each year: winter and spring.
2/3 Ballet & Tap
Grades two & three
In this combination class, students will learn developmentally appropriate movement skills and foundations of ballet and tap dance, including terminology and technique. Instruction will focus on coordination, the elements of dance, fine motor skills, musicality, and choreography and performance. Students have two performance opportunities each year: winter and spring.
2/3 Jazz & Hip Hop
Grades two & three
In this combination class, students will learn developmentally appropriate movement skills and foundations of ballet and tap dance including terminology and technique. Instruction will focus on coordination, the elements of dance, fine motor skills, musicality, and choreography and performance. Students have two performance opportunities each year: winter and spring.
4/5 Ballet
Grades four & five
A one-hour ballet class is the first step in a child’s dance education toward advanced movement, including leaps and turns. Instruction builds strength and flexibility, muscle development, and knowledge of anatomy, prioritizing safety. Class structure includes barre work, center work, and across-the-floor movement. If a child has a dream of pointe, this is where the training begins.
Ballet I, II & III
Grade six and up
Traditional classical and contemporary ballet techniques with professionally trained ballet teachers. Students must dress appropriately, act disciplined, and learn, know, and use proper ballet terminology. Teachers will focus on alignment for safety while pushing dancers to find their edge with flexibility, strength, movement quality, musicality, and advanced movements such as leaps and turns. This is where training for pointe continues. The ballet teachers and the executive director will determine the appropriate level for students based on skills checklists, teacher evaluations, and student self-evaluation.
Pre-Point & Point I & II
Grade six and up, student eligibility must be determined prior to registration
Traditional pointe classes with professionally trained ballet and pointe teachers. Pointe training is scaffolded from pre-pointe forward. Sometimes we offer a separate pre-pointe preparation class, and sometimes we combine pointe beginners with the pointe I class. Readiness for pointe work is determined by each student’s strength and physical development as well as by their age. It should be thoroughly discussed with the ballet teachers and the executive director. If you are interested in pursuing pointe training, please reach out directly!
Jazz
Grade six and up
The defining characteristic of jazz dance is “an aesthetic of cool.” Jazz technique is based on ballet technique and uses similar terminology. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of styles, including classical jazz and current trending styles. Depending on the development of the student population and the Block schedule we are in, we offer classes split by middle school and high school or by level I/II/III.
Lyrical
The lyrical class combines elements of jazz and ballet. Dancers will explore a realm of musicality and movement that relates specifically to song content and the emotion of lyrics. It is an intricate, technical, dynamic, and emotional dance genre.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop dance is a vibrant form of dance that combines a variety of freestyle movements to create a cultural piece of art. Elementary classes play dance games and learn to improvise and experiment with strength and balance. Middle school and high school students practice improvisation and choreography in a relaxed, fun environment.
Tap
Grade six and up
Tap falls under the dance genre of jazz and trains dancers in musicality. Tap technique builds coordination, dexterity, and strength in the lower legs and ankles and references ballet and jazz technical terminology.
Musical Theatre
Musical theater is a jazz based class to music from new and old Broadway shows. Students learn and practice foundational musical theater steps and then put them together into choreographic combinations and full dances.
Modern / Contemporary
Dancers will explore the traditional framework of ballet and jazz from a new perspective. Each class includes a warm-up, technique, and a combination. The class emphasis will be on developing efficient alignment, increasing strength and flexibility, broadening the range of movement qualities, exploring new vocabularies and phrasing styles, and encouraging individual investigation and embodiment of movement material.
Jazz
Dancers delve into the basics of jazz technique and bring it to a new level within their scope of movement. Students explore various styles, including classical, funk, theatre, old school, and more! Warm-ups involve technique exercises, cardio work, and learning terminology. They mix slow, controlled movement with fun, upbeat dancing. Class choreography incorporates all learned techniques, current trends, and student interest and expression.
African
This class will embrace a variety of movements, dances, and traditions from multiple countries of Africa. We will study and explore the differences and similarities of the rich cultural elements and meanings behind the moves, as well as touch on a range of rhythms and their relation to dance with live drum choreography and stomp percussion. Fun and friendly, engaging and educational!
Belly Dance
Based on belly dance styles worldwide, this class will focus on basic belly dance techniques, combinations, and choreography.
