Curriculum - Youth Programs

All classes offered at the studio are limited in size, so please sign up early.

Creative Movement I & II (Ages 3 & 4)

This ballet-based class is a natural way for children to explore the basic elements of movement: space, time, energy, and body awareness. Students also gain strength through large locomotor movement such as hopping, jumping, and leaping. Through dance games, improvisation, music, props, and their imagination, children develop lifelong lessons through listening skills and discipline needed in and out of the classroom. Class size: 10 students.

Preschool Enrichment (Ages 3 & 4)

This program for 3 and 4 year olds will allow for children to experience movement, music, language and art.

Primary Levels I – IV (Ages 5 to 9)

Class size:  10 - 14 students.

Primary Level I

Basic Intro Level with little to no experience needed.

Primary Level II*

Emphasizes further development and mastering of skills learned in primary level I.
Prerequisite: Completion of a minimum of one year of training at primary level I in dance form.

Primary Level III & IV*

The basic building blocks are being mastered and dancers have a knowledge of terminology as well as the muscle strength to execute movements with ease. Advancement to primary level IV is with the permission of the instructor.  Primary IV Ballet students are required to take two classes per week.

Levels I – V (Ages 8 to 18)

Classes are geared for the intermediate and advanced dancers and continue to emphasize technique as well as nurture your child’s love for dance. Combinations and movements get more complex and challenging for the older dancer. Advancement through these levels is not to be rushed and will only be allowed through the recommendation again, by the instructor. Consistency is the key in training at this level for any sport, especially dance.

Twice-Weekly Policy for Ballet

In order to carefully nurture and instill the proper fundamentals of dance in a young mind and body, it is necessary for the students in primary IV and higher to take at least two technique classes a week. Anything less does not afford the student the opportunity to assimilate the information and practice the movement with the guidance of the teacher. Pointe class begins at level III with the recommendation of the teacher only. Many factors must be evaluated before a student is ready to go on pointe. Each student progresses at her own rate and must be in a minimum of 2 ballet classes per week for at least 3 years.

* - Placement class or discussion with the director is required prior to enrolling in this level. More than one year of training in any given level may be required prior to advancement.

Classical Ballet

Ballet is the fundamental foundation of all dance, especially jazz and modern. Primary level I through level I lay the beginning groundwork for classical ballet technique, beginning with center barre, floor stretches, and progressions across the floor. Students also explore movement through improvisation and mime. The use of props also helps cultivate the student’s creativity and love of dance. As the ballet student becomes more advanced, the frequency of training must increase as well as the difficulty once the basics are mastered. Through a program coordinating knowledge of the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance), Vaganova, and Cechetti methods of ballet, dancers in levels II-V will continue to prepare for a professional track program, if desired.

Jazz

Jazz class begins with primary level IV at our school for many reasons. Jazz is based on strong ballet technique. Once students reach the age of 7 and 8 their muscles are better prepared to perform the exercises required in jazz class and they understand the way their bodies move by this age. These classes stress the importance of solid jazz technique, along with proper body alignment and isolations. Class begins in the center warming up the largest muscle groups first. Floor stretches and strengthening are also integral to this class. Additional technique will be taught in traveling progressions, as well as center combinations. Choreography will focus on the roots of jazz through today’s popular trends. It is beneficial for the dancer to be cross training in ballet and/or modern dance class, especially in the more advanced levels.

Tap

Tap technique is emphasized through tap barre, center work, and progressions across the floor. Students also learn through “call and response” as well as improvisation. Basic tap rhythms, musicality, and vocabulary are covered as important building blocks for the more advanced levels. In levels II-V, technique will focus on placement, precision, musicality, weight change and speed. Classes emphasize clean technique and precision, incorporating free body movement. Traveling work, center combinations, choreography and improvisation are used to increase ones own technical ability and confidence.

Hip-Hop

This is a high-energy class starting with basic center warm-up, floor stretches, progressions across the floor, and a center combination. It incorporates current street trends and popular age appropriate music. The beginning levels explore simple rhythms and isolations and eventually progress to more complicated and intricate patterns in the intermediate and advanced levels.

Modern

The modern dance class will involve an exploration of the basic principles of modern dance including weight shift and transfer (i.e. finding balance “on” and “off” center), spatial awareness, spiral motion, sequential movement, contraction-release, and fall-rebound. Laban/Bartenieff fundamental movement patterns will be used as a foundation for deepening the student’s body awareness & movement skills as well as for the development of more complex movement sequences. Emphasis will be placed on expanding the student’s ability to move more fully in the space with an appropriate sense of weight/force and control of the movement quality.

Acrobatics

This non-performance class concentrates on flexibility, strengthening, and basic tumbling skills. Prerequisites are required to advance to each level. This is a great class for those who wish to pursue cheerleading, dance team, or to lay the groundwork for further gymnastics training.

Cheer

This non-performance class will allow students to work on their cheerleading and tumbling skills.

Teen Dance

These non-performance classes allow teens to explore ballet, tap and jazz dance without any previous training.

Musical Theatre

During this workshop, students in the 3rd through 8th grades will have the opportunity to develop their acting, dancing and singing skills by learning and performing in a full-scale musical at the end of the semester.