 CLASS LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS :Â
"Just want to thank you so much for making my daughter's dance experience so enjoyable and memorable. You have been a very positive role model for her and we are so happy we found your studio." Linda D.
Class I / II:
Class I/II are our pre-school combination classes. The dancers meet once a week for 45 minutes. Each class consists of 15 minutes of pre-ballet, 15 minutes of tumbling/acro, 15 minutes of tap. During the pre-ballet portion, the dancers are introduced to basic ballet skills including foot and arm positions, elementary level ballet steps, across the floor locomotive movements and ballet terminology. During the tumbling/acro section of class, the dancers learn basic skills like forward rolls, crabwalks, pencil rolls to strengthen their gross motor skills. During the tap portion, our dancers work on basic tap steps, balancing, right and left differentiation, locomotive skills and terminology. If you peak in at the end of one of these classes, don’t be surprised if you find a lively game of freeze dance too. The dancers find it super fun but we know it is working on their improvisation skills, listening, rhythm and self-confidence.
Class III, Juniors and Seniors:
The dancers meet once a week for the allotted timeframe which is equally divided between ballet, tap and jazz. Class III is a 45 minute class, Juniors is 1 ¼ hours and Seniors is 1 ½ hours. As the students get older, the classes get longer to accommodate their stamina and attention spans, keeping them engaged in the learning process. During the ballet portion, the dancers learn age/level appropriate skills at the barre, in the center, and across the floor. For jazz, the classes begin with level appropriate warm ups, center work including new steps, pirouettes, and jumps afterward moving on to locomotive movements across the floor. Tap begins at the barre with a tap warm-up where core steps are reviewed and new steps are introduced and then moves to the center where students work on combinations and progressions of the steps. Periodically, these dancers engage in choreographing their own dances in small groups which are performed at the end of class for each other. They think making up dances is fun but we know this activity is improving their musicality, lessens their concerns about performing in front of others and enhancing their social skills including cooperation and collaboration.
Junior Masters:
The dancers meet once a week for two hours for ballet, tap and jazz. This class structure ensures that the dancers are well-rounded and have a solid foundation of these core styles. The ballet portion of the Junior Masters class is extended to an hour while jazz and tap remain at thirty minutes each. During the ballet portion, the dancers learn level appropriate skills at the barre, in the center, and across the floor. Pre-pointe work is introduced at this level. Starting pointe work is not just a question of age or physical maturity; readiness depends on strength, technique, attitude, and commitment. Students are observed and individually approved for pointe shoes when they meet this criteria. Jazz includes level appropriate warm ups, center work and locomotive movements across the floor. Tap begins with a center warm-up that emphasizes speed, sound clarity and complex rhythms. Tap center work is the time where students work on combinations and progressions. These dancers also periodically choreograph in small groups and perform the pieces for the class. Along with the student choreography, improvisation activities are used to expand their creativity. The dancers enjoy the occasional break from the routine class and we know these dance activities build on the skills of cooperation, collaboration and allow them to take on leadership roles as well as improving their musicality and creativity.
Masters:
Dancers in the Masters level classes are offered ballet, pointe, tap and jazz. Ballet is a one hour long class consisting of barre, center work and across the floor. Pointe is one half hour. Ballet and teacher approval are required to participate in the pointe class. Jazz and Tap are both forty five minute classes. The basic class structure for each is warm-up/barre, center work and locomotive movements. The classes build progressively from the basic knowledge and skills to a wide array of abilities that support the complexity of each genre. In addition, each genre has more than one methodology (for example, ballet has Vaganova, Royal Academy, Bournonville, Cecchetti, among others while Jazz has Luigi, Giordano, etc.) and the dancers are introduced to the various nuances each lends. The dancers are encouraged to expand their expressiveness, creativity and performance abilities in movement.
Specialty Classes:
Hip-hop, Lyrical, Boys Only Classes, Leaps and Turns, Acro
Specialty classes are those outside the four core genres. Leaps and Turns, Lyrical, Hip hop, Acro, and Older Boys Only Hip hop are all forty-five minute long classes, meeting one time per week. When available, the Young Boys Only Hip hop and Boys Only Tap classes also meet one time per week and are thirty minutes long.