Dance Education 101
Education
I Am…4 or younger
Have fun in your Ballet/Tap or Hip Hop Jr. class!
I Am…5 years old
Ballet/Tap and Hip Hop Jr. classes are both great options! If you’re undecided between the two, we recommend Ballet/Tap because it gives young dancers a stronger base for later classes!
I Am…6-8 years old
So many choices! Do you love Hip Hop? Take Hip Hop! Want to learn Tap? There’s a class for you! Have fun with whatever class you’re in, but remember that always taking an additional Ballet or Jazz class with any other class you’re taking will help you a lot! Ballet and Jazz build a technical foundation that helps with all other styles of dance.
I Am…9 years old - Teen
Taking one class a week in any style is a great way to build confidence and grow more comfortable in your own body. If you take more than one class a week, think about making one of those classes a Ballet class (or else maybe a Jazz class). Classes like Ballet and Jazz will help dancers develop skills like turns and kicks that will help in other styles like Hip Hop and Tap too!
Developmental
I Am…4 or younger
Have fun in your Ballet/Tap class! Try adding a Hip Hop Jr. class, but make sure you keep taking Ballet/ Tap to maintain your strong dance foundation.
I Am…5 years old
Taking 2 Ballet/Tap classes each week is the best thing you can do right now. Taking one Ballet/Tap class and one Hip Hop class is also a good option, but make sure you don’t drop that Ballet/Tap! The ballet learned in these classes will have great payoffs in years to come.
I Am…6-8 years old
Where to start depends a lot on what style of dance you’re most interested in. Do you want to dance Ballet? Start taking at least two Ballet classes each week.
Is Jazz your style? Supplementing your Jazz classes with at least one Ballet class is vital if you want to progress in Jazz. Or maybe you’re into Tap or Hip Hop? Ballet will help with those, too! Jazz is a good alternative if you really don’t want to take Ballet, but both will help you develop the flexibility, strength, and body control all dancers need.
I Am…9 years old - Teen
For ballet dancers, taking three Ballet classes a week is very important to getting better and eventually going on pointe. Ballet is also an important part of learning Jazz, so jazz dancers should take 2 Ballet classes and at least 1 Jazz class each week. You’ll also get a solid technical foundation that transitions into things like high school dance teams and supports other activities like gymnastics and other sports!
If your main interest is Hip Hop or Tap, adding 1 or 2 Ballet or Jazz classes is important if you want to add some technical dance foundation to your training.
Advance Technique
Additional Information
I Am…4 or younger
Have fun in your Ballet/Tap or Hip Hop Jr. class and work on your love of dance!
I Am…5 years old
Taking two Ballet/Tap classes will start to build a great technical foundation!
I Am…6-8 years old
Take 3 to 4 classes each week. If you’re focusing on Ballet, take at least 3 Ballet classes. If you’re focusing on Jazz, take 4 core classes: 2 Ballet classes, 1 Jazz class, and 1 Jazz Jumps & Turns class. Hip Hop and Tap can also be fun additions to your schedule, and they’re great for building rhythm, musicality, and confidence.
The reason we recommend Ballet and Jazz for dancers who want to be technically trained is that these styles do more to build flexibility, strength, body control, and other skills that are important to all styles of dance.
Note to our most advanced students:
Many of our advanced elite dancers started with 4 core classes (2 Ballet, 1 Jazz, 1 Jazz Jumps & Turns). If you would like to train beyond the 4 core classes, please let the front desk know so our curriculum director will get back to you with a customized training plan.
I Am…9 years old - Teen
Take at least 4 core classes each week. For a Ballet focus, this means taking 4 Ballet classes each week. For Jazz, you should still be taking at least 2 Ballet classes, 1 Jazz class, and 1 Jazz Jumps & Turns class. If you want more work on your technique, private lessons or additional classes (in Ballet, Jazz, or Jazz Jumps &Turns) are the way to go.
Note to our most advanced students:
Most of our elite students are in 6-12 hours of classes each week depending on which style they’re focusing on. If you spent at least a year taking the 4 core classes and you want to do more, please let the front desk know so our curriculum director will get back to you with a customized training plan.
First Class is ALWAYS FREE
Tap Classes
Ballet Classes
Ballet Classes
ALL Age & Experience Levels Available
Classes will emphasize rhythm, style, and sound. Students will study basic tap steps, combinations, and rhythms with an emphasis on developing proper tap technique and producing clear tap sounds.
Ballet Classes
Ballet Classes
Ballet Classes
ALL Age & Experience Levels Available
A classical dance form that is the foundation for all dance. Classes will emphasize technique and proper body alignment, as well as flexibility, strength, grace, coordination,
musicality, and performance quality. Students will also study ballet terminology and history.
Pointe Classes
Ballet Classes
Hip Hop Classes
Experience Level & Requirements ONLY
PRE-POINTE
This technique class is designed to prepare dancers to go on pointe. Dancers will work on strengthening the entire foot and ankle as well perfecting the proper body placement that is essential for going on pointe. This is not a pointe class and pointe shoes are not needed. Students begin preparing the legs and feet for pointe work through a combination of pre-pointe appropriate physical therapy exercises and ballet technique. Students will work with therabands and other PT props to strengthen the appropriate muscles in the legs, feet, back and abdominals to prepare students anatomically for work on pointe. The class will help reduce injury and increase awareness of each dancer’s strengths and weaknesses. Students must take at least one year of pre-pointe before enrolling in a beginning pointe class. Students must be enrolled in a ballet class Grade I or higher and have two or more years of ballet experience. This class uses soft ballet slippers.
DEMI-POINTE
Demi Pointe is a class that transitions dancers from pre pointe and prepares them for beginning pointe. Demi-pointe is used to train dancers who are new to pointe technique. This class will focus on conditioning the dancer’s feet, ankles and core to prepare them for beginning pointe as well as teach them how to work in the demi pointe shoes. The shoes serve to acclimate dancers to the feel of wearing pointe shoes while at the same time strengthening the foot in preparation for dancing on pointe in pointe shoes. In addition, students will learn how to properly sew ribbons and elastics, in addition to learning how to correctly tie the shoes and care for shoes. A doctor’s note or x-ray is not necessary for this class however, students must have taken at least a full year (possibly more) of pre pointe and have the teacher’s permission to register. It is extremely important for parents of demi pointe students to know that there is not enough support in the shoe to come up onto the toes safely. We recommend that students only wear the shoes during class time and not at home without an instructor’s supervision.
POINTE
Pointe is the study of ballet while wearing blocked satin shoes that allow the dancer to raise the body onto the tips of the toes. Dancers must be at least 11 years old with a few years of ballet training. They must get a note from a doctor stating that they have had a x-ray and that their feet are mature enough for pointe. They must also be currently studying ballet and have permission from their instructor.
Hip Hop Classes
Polynesian Dance Classes
Hip Hop Classes
ALL Age & Experience Levels Available
This form of dance is seen on television in music videos. Hip Hop evolved out of street and break dancing and is characterized by its athletic and bouncy style. Hip Hop is done primarily to Rap,
R & B, and Hip Hop music.
Jazz Classes
Polynesian Dance Classes
Polynesian Dance Classes
ALL Age & Experience Levels Available
Jazz is the style that you'll typically see on Broadway. It combines kicks, leaps, jumps, turns, and everything in between! Learn body placement, movement, expression and proper technique.
***All Musical Theater students must also be enrolled int his class.
Polynesian Dance Classes
Polynesian Dance Classes
Polynesian Dance Classes
ALL Age & Experience Levels Available
Our classes are welcoming and energetic and teach authentic, contemporary Polynesian dance styles from the various Islands.
We offer a weekly beginner to intermediate class for dancers learning and strengthening their basics, an advanced level class for dancers with more experience in Tahitian dance, and a thirty minute mixed-level technique session.
Our beginner/intermediate class requires no experience and coaches you step-by-step through the basics of Polynesian dance, fun combinations, and exciting choreography. You can drop in for an individual class or sign up for a month to month session.
In our advanced session, you'll work on keeping up a strong foundation and learn exceptional ote'a and aparima choreography from our expert choreographers.
In our technique session, you'll focus intensively on the fundamentals of Polynesian dance, strengthening your mastery of the building blocks of the dance. We also love that this session gives our dancers of all levels a chance to dance together!
All Experience Levels Available
Latin Dance Classes
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
Ballroom Dance Classes
All Experience Levels (Ages 14+)
Known for its sensual hip action and sexy flair, Rhythm or Latin dance is one of the most popular styles of dancing. Learning Latin dances is fairly easy, as most of the dances are made up of the same basic steps. The term "Latin dance" may be used in two different ways: to denote dances that originated in Latin America and to name a category of International style ballroom dances. Many popular dances originated in Latin America, and so are referred to as Latin dances.
Ballroom Dance Classes
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
Ballroom Dance Classes
All Experience Levels (Ages 16+)
Learn basics of the most popular ballroom dances in a fun and easy manner using an inter related system of teaching.
- Fun way to meet people and get exercise at the same time.
- Develop a skill you can use for the rest of your life
- Increase confidence in social situations. Overcome shyness
- Acquire more grace and poise. Better balance. Improve posture.
- Become happier, refreshed and relaxed.
- Relieves stress, improves overall health.
Learn the basics in:
Foxtrot
Swing
Waltz
Rumba
Cha Cha
Tango
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
All Age & Experience Levels
Work on your isolations and musicality while doing belly dance, veil work, and Dabke (line dance). Each class session will focus on one a specific style.
Burlesque Dance Classes
Burlesque Dance Classes
Middle Eastern Dance Classes
All Experience Levels (Ages 18+)
Learn the art of Burlesque and have fun, get fit, and feel sexy with one of our many classes.
BURLESQUE TEASE:
This class will teach you the basics of this sensual and seductive form of dance. Class will primarily focus on costume removal: gloves, corsets, stockings. You will finish with a different routine each week to put your new skills to work.
CLASSIC BUMP & GRIND:
This class introduces classic burlesque movement. Bump & grind, tease, and floor work will all be covered in this class. Wear fitted workout/dance wear and bring heels with an ankle strap.
Swing Dance Classes
Burlesque Dance Classes
Swing Dance Classes
All Experience Levels (Ages 14 & up)
We offer Beginning thru Advanced group classes (& private lessons) in Ballroom Dancing and all styles of Swing Dancing: Jitterbug (East Coast Swing), Lindy Hop, Smooth Lindy/Westcoast Swing, and Balboa, plus Tango, Salsa and more!