Class Descriptions
Primary Division
The Primary Division is for the younger student ages 2–8yr. Instilling a love and an appreciation for the art of dance, this class lays the foundation for the development of the future dancer and dance enthusiast. The curriculum provides a structured environment for students to explore movement and rhythm, while developing valuable motor and social skills. Basic ballet vocabulary is taught to support the introduction of the classical ballet curriculum. Strength, flexibility, and musicality are developed through movement activities that promote creativity, movement comfort and self-expression.
This class exposes the young child to the art of creative dance in an energetic and welcoming environment. Students focus on spatial awareness, movement comfort, basic rhythm, coordination, and locomotor skills.
Instilling a love and an appreciation for the art of dance, this class lays the foundation for the development of the future ballet dancer. Basic ballet vocabulary is introduced, in addition to strength, flexibility, and musicality as it relates to the classical ballet technique.
Jazz/Tap Combination classes are designed to stimulate the young child’s interest in dance by offering a diversified experience. Students are exposed to beginning jazz and tap components. This class develops a wide range of skills including rhythm, coordination, movement comfort, spatial awareness, and flexibility.
Professional Divisions
Professional, Professional X, and Contemporary
The Professional Division is for Levels 1-6. This division provides students with focused classical ballet training through a sound and diverse curriculum. The training guides the dancer through a methodical process of technical advancement, while supporting the development of the versatile dancer. Students focus on core classes including ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary.
Professional X Division is optional for students placed in Levels 4-6. This division is designed for upper-level students who wish to pursue an increased classically focused curriculum and intensive training. The program includes increased class requirements and a more demanding training schedule than the regular Professional Division.
The Contemporary Division is optional for students in Level 5 & 6. This division is designed for upper-level students who wish to pursue a more focused curriculum and intensive training in the Contemporary realm. Students will experience more diverse coursework that places less emphasis on classical ballet, especially pointe work. This track is geared toward the dancer that wishes to develop increased self-expression, improvisational skills, and creativity.
Traditional classical ballet training, which follows a sound curriculum and guides the dancer through a methodical process of technical advancement. The student develops strength, flexibility, and movement quality with attention to correct body placement, and the development of line and grace as demanded by the classical discipline.
In addition to the skills acquired in levels 1 through 2, Pointe Preparation and Pointe classes are added to the curriculum. Emphasis is placed on the development of foot and ankle strength. Instructors will focus on speed, proficiency, complexity, and more advanced ballet terminology as they move through these levels. Students can expect an increase in core classes as they progress.
Pointe Prep classes are for students not yet on pointe. The class is designed to further develop and strengthen the muscles necessary to support the foot en pointe. Focus is on strengthening muscles of the foot, ankle and core, with attention to anatomical alignment and classical technique. Theraband equipment will be required.
Pointe classes are for students that have met the age, strength, and technical requirements, as defined in our handbook, to go en pointe. These classes further prepare the dancer for classical repertoire. Classes focus on strengthening muscles of foot, ankle, and core, with a heavy emphasis on the correct foot and body alignment. Difficulty and stamina will increase as students advance through each level. Recommendation for pointe is made conservatively and is not based solely on age.
These classes will explore classical ballet variations that have been historically performed by female ballet dancers. Classical variations are traditionally performed en pointe by an advanced level dancer. Placement is required and the degree of difficulty will vary depending on the level of placement.
Pas de Deux class is designed to help dancers learn the art and skill of partnering. This class teaches essential partnering techniques and skills for both male and female dancers. Within each session, students will also learn a variety of partnering repertoire to support the development of dance vocabulary and choreography. Class attendance is by invitation only.
Contemporary ballet combines classical ballet with modern dance to create movements that are expressive with added fluidity. This class will encourage dancers to use their creativity, to portray a wide array of movement styles with emotion. It focuses on dynamic movement, spatial and body awareness, use of body weight, floor work, leaps and turns.
General Division
The General Division allows flexible scheduling for dancers whose interest may lie outside a rigorous classical training regimen. This division provides a diverse offering of dance styles and is designed for students interested in a less demanding schedule with no specific class or level requirements.
Acro class is the fusion of classical dance technique and the precision and athleticism of acrobatic elements. Students progress through a variety of tumbling skills from basics to more advanced aerial stunts, depending on the level. This class supports the development of physical strength, flexibility, power, agility, coordination, grace, balance, and control. Designed specifically for dancers interested in the Contemporary realm.
Ballet Conditioning Class will include exercises to prepare and strengthen feet, core, balance, flexibility, and alignment. This class will utilize resistance bands, and other exercise props to ensure dancers achieve the strength, stamina and flexibility needed to improve technique in dance class while avoiding injuries.
Beginning/Intermediate Tap is designed for students ages 8+ with previous experience and that love to move and groove! Dancers will enjoy creating their own sounds, while gaining a better understanding of rhythm and musical structure. Focus is on footwork, tap vocabulary, pattern building, and fun! Tap is a wonderful style to broaden an existing dance education, or for movers new to dance. Join us for this classic dance style and get ready to make some noise!
Contemporary dance combines the technical elements of classical ballet, modern, lyrical, and jazz dance, weaving them into a highly expressive movement form. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and body through fluid dance movements. Additionally, students are exposed to improvisation, creativity is encouraged.
Hip Hop is a high-energy upbeat dance style that combines jazz technique and street dance movements, which support the development of overall body strength, flexibility, and coordination. In these fast-paced and fun classes, students also have opportunities to explore spontaneous self-expression through movement. No suggestive movements or lyrics are used.
Intermediate/Advanced Tap focuses on the development of a strong technical foundation to support more intricate rhythms and footwork. Students in upper- division classes work on improving speed, clarity, dynamics, and the ability to execute increasingly complex, rhythmic combinations.
Professional division jazz classes follow a curriculum designed to achieve the mastery of complex rhythms and patterns as well as supporting the development of a well-rounded dancer. Students are exposed to several styles of jazz from traditional to contemporary. Class curriculum is based on a foundation of ballet technique and incorporates traditional jazz movement. Classes follow a structured format, including warm-up, stretches, isolations, across-the-floor progressions, and combinations. As students progress through each level, the curriculum becomes increasingly complex, challenging, and intricate.
This class is designed to perfect and refine the skills of jumps, leaps and turns. Students are taught with an emphasis on learning, improving and perfecting technique in jumps, leaps, turns, kicks, strength, and conditioning. The class will challenge students in exercises that travel across the floor and in group combinations.
A beginning level tap class designed to teach Level 1 students basic tap skills. Fundamental techniques, steps, skills, and terminology are taught in a fun and stimulating environment. This class supports the student’s development of rhythm, musicality, and coordination.
Lyrical dance is a combination of ballet and jazz dance that often uses music with lyrics to inspire the dancer’s movements. Instructors frequently use the song’s lyrics to inspire the dance, and the result is a style that focuses on strong emotion portraying the song’s story with a focus on expressive movement. No suggestive movements or lyrics are used.
Modern technique classes focus on developing fundamentals, including asymmetry of the body, moving off-center, working with internal rotation, movement of the spine in all planes, yielding to gravity, floor work, and inversions.
Progressive Ball class uses a revolutionary program to enhance the dancer’s technique. The Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) uses props and equipment to simulate challenging positions for the body to activate deep muscles. These props facilitate work on core activation, balancing, turnout, and more.
Stretch Flex is designed to supplement your dancer’s training, by strengthening, stretching, and toning your dancer. Strength, flexibility, and better body mindfulness are gained by using core abdominal, spinal, hip, and thigh muscle groups. The sequence of exercises lengthens, strengthens, and corrects muscular/skeletal imbalances.
*No experience required *
These classes are geared towards dancers wanting to take the leap into exploring the world of dance. With little to no experience necessary, students are taught basic vocabulary, rhythms, steps, and skills, all in an environment that is suitable for their age. Both Teen Basic Jazz and Ballet classes are offered.
This advanced level class will explore classical ballet variations that have been historically performed by male ballet dancers. These classical variations include technical skills such as tour en l’air, grand pirouettes, advanced allegro work, and more. In addition to learned repertoire and technique, dancers will also perform supplemental strength and conditioning exercises. Placement required.