Class descriptions (Sept- May) Season 6

Acrobatics/tumbling is centered on fundamental technique to increase flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, endurance, timing, body awareness, self-discipline, and confidence.

Students will learn basic tumbling skills such as forward & backward rolls, straddle rolls, backbends, cartwheels, round-offs and handstands.  With progression, students will move on to more difficult skills such as back & front walkovers, aerials and handsprings, just to name a few. As each student progresses, contortion elements will be incorporated as well. 

Every class will have a rigorous, full-body stretch, at the beginning and end of each class.  Strength and conditioning exercises will also end each class.  We will mix tumbling skills with basic dance movements to create a fun and energizing acrobatic routine for the year end recital!

What dancers learn:

• Forward & backward rolls
• Tripod balance (intro to headstands)
• Bridges (from the floor)
• Cartwheels
• Handstand preps (against wall or with spot)
• Basic strength & flexibility conditioning

👉 Goal of Acro 1: Build strength, flexibility, and confidence with beginner tumbling.

Skills needed to start:

• Strong bridge (pushing up independently)
• Controlled cartwheel (not just “tossing over”)
• Handstand hold against wall or brief balance
• Forward/backward roll with control

What dancers learn in Acro 2:

• Back bends from standing
• Kick-over from bridge
• One-hand cartwheels & variations
• Handstands (longer balance, entry/exit control)
• Front & back limbers
• Walkovers (front and back, with spot as needed)
• Intro to partner balances and connecting tricks to dance

👉 Goal of Acro 2: Progress foundational tricks into traveling skills and connect acro to choreography.

Skills needed to start:

• Front & back walkover (with confidence)
• Solid handstand (holding balance)
• Kick-over from bridge without spot
• One-hand cartwheel / side aerial prep

What dancers learn in Acro 3:

• Aerials (side, front)
• Back handsprings (intro with spot)
• Valdez (from sitting into handstand)
• Advanced balances (elbow stands, scorpions, chest stands)
• Connecting multiple skills (e.g., walkover → aerial, cartwheel → back handspring)
• Higher-level partner/group tricks

👉 Goal of Acro 3: Build advanced tumbling, powerful tricks, and seamless transitions for performance and competition.

It is teacher’s discretion to place students in classes that are appropriate for his/her skill level.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-4G8ROSRMU

This session is designed to nurture the whole dancer by exploring artistry beyond technique. Each week, students dive into a different style that expands their creativity, expression, and performance skills.

Dancers will explore:

• Improvisation – learning to trust movement instincts and dance with freedom.
• Contemporary – blending technique with emotion to tell powerful stories through dance.
• Composition – experimenting with creating original choreography, both solo and in groups.
• Performance Storytelling – developing stage presence and confidence while using movement to connect with an audience.
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Through this series, dancers strengthen not only their technical foundation but also their ability to express themselves as unique, creative artists.

Ballet is the foundation of all dance training and will maximize technique in all genres of dance.  Ballet classes help dancers with posture, flexibility, fitness, balance, self-discipline, and self-confidence.

All classes will work on the barre, in the center and across the floor.  Each student will focus on the skills and technique within the grade class they are in.

It is teacher’s discretion to place students in classes that are appropriate for his/her skill level.

An introduction to ballet through creative movement, rhythm, and imagination. Focus is on musicality, balance, and classroom etiquette.
Basics to enter: Ability to follow directions, participate independently, and show emerging coordination and rhythm.

Students learn foundational ballet positions, simple barre and center work, and develop strength, posture, and musicality.
Basics to enter: Knowledge of 1st and 2nd positions, ability to plié and tendu with control, and basic balance skills.

A bridge between beginning and intermediate, adding more barre combinations, traveling steps, and preparation for turns and jumps.
Basics to enter: Strong understanding of Ballet 1 skills, ability to hold turnout, execute tendu and plié with proper alignment, and familiarity with balance in relevé.

Dancers expand their ballet vocabulary with more complex barre work, turns, jumps, and coordination between arms and legs. Musicality and artistry begin to play a larger role.
Basics to enter: Solid barre technique, controlled relevé, correct body placement, ability to execute chassés, balances, and preparation for pirouettes.

Higher-level ballet emphasizing precision, stamina, advanced pirouettes, petite and grande allegro, and expressive artistry. Students build the strength and consistency needed for pointe work and performance.
Basics to enter: Mastery of Ballet 2 skills, clean execution of turns, control in adagio, ability to demonstrate leaps and jumps with pointed feet and turnout.

Specialized training for dancers preparing for pointe work. Focuses on ankle strength, alignment, and safe progression while also exploring classical variations to develop artistry.
Basics to enter: Strong core and ankle strength, ability to hold turnout and balance consistently in relevé, clean ballet vocabulary from previous levels, and teacher recommendation.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sacZwIhZ9co

This class challenges dancers to expand their contemporary technique by exploring movement across the floor and working with a partner. Students will learn to roll, slide, invert, and safely transition in and out of the floor with fluidity and strength. Partnering introduces weight-sharing, lifts, counterbalance, and trust-based exercises that build teamwork and artistry.

By combining floor work and partnering, dancers gain power, control, and creative expression while developing skills essential for advanced contemporary choreography and performance.

In these combination classes, we will focus on technique and fundamentals of Ballet and Tap. Classes will begin with a warm-up/stretch, center & across the floor work and progressions of level appropriate fundamentals. 

In ballet, each student will focus on the skills and technique within the grade class they are in.

In jazz, students will focus on isolations of the body, turns, jumps, leaps and kicks.  They will work on improving performance quality through age-appropriate choreographed combinations.

In lyrical/ modern, students will learn lyrical technique along with how to express emotion through movement. 

In tap, we will combine the study of rhythm, precision and fluidity of movement & style while using our feet!

We highly recommend all students always take a ballet class to gain and strengthen proper dance fundamentals.

This class is designed especially for our  toddlers and younger dancers!

Our youngest dancers are introduced to the joy of movement through play, music, and imagination. Using colors, shapes, and letters, children connect early learning with dance while exploring rhythm, coordination, and self-expression. Storytelling is woven into every class, helping dancers build confidence, creativity, and a love for the art of dance in a nurturing environment.

For older beginners, this class blends creativity with more structure to prepare dancers for formal training. Students use colors, letters, and storytelling to bring movement to life while practicing balance, jumps, turns, and beginning ballet and acro skills. Through joyful exploration, they develop discipline, teamwork, and a deeper appreciation for the artistry of dance.

This class may require the participation of a parent/guardian

Entry Skills:

• No prior experience needed
• Ability to follow directions and keep rhythm with music
• Comfort moving with energy and trying new steps

This class takes young dancers beyond Creative Hip Hop by introducing more structure and focus while keeping the energy fun and age-appropriate. Students learn foundational hip hop grooves, basic footwork, and beginner-level choreography that builds memory, coordination, and confidence. The vibe is still upbeat and playful, but with an extra layer of discipline and skill development to prepare dancers for higher-level hip hop classes.

Should be able to execute:

• Basic bounce and step touch with groove
• Simple slides and turns (¼–½ turn)
• Basic isolations (head, shoulders, hips)
• Ability to freestyle with 2–3 simple moves
• Comfort remembering short 4–8 count combos

Should be able to execute:

• All Beginner skills above, plus:
• Clean 2-step and running man
• Basic floorwork entry (e.g., squat down, knee drop)
• Crossover step (heel-toe or grapevine-style)
• Coordination of arms + footwork together
• Ability to retain choreography of 16 counts

Should be able to execute:

• All Beginner/Intermediate skills, plus:
• Sharp isolations (control chest pops, body rolls)
• Kick-ball-change and other syncopated footwork
• Basic stalls/freeze positions (baby freeze, knee freeze)
• Beginning floorwork (coffee grinder, simple sweeps)
• Comfort switching levels (standing → floor → back up)
• Ability to freestyle with confidence for 30+ seconds

Should be able to execute:

• All previous skills, plus:
• Clean 8-count choreography with precision and dynamics
• Intermediate floorwork (windmill prep, kip-up prep, continuous coffee grinder)
• Advanced isolations (layering arms, chest, and footwork at the same time)
• Basic footwork patterns from breaking (6-step, CCs)
• Fast-paced direction changes and transitions
• Strong performance quality and musicality (hitting accents, textures, tempo changes)

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20yOGNQOhqc

A dynamic style blending ballet technique with sharp, energetic movement. Dancers learn kicks, turns, leaps, and expressive performance skills in choreography that spans Broadway to commercial styles.

A fusion of jazz technique and hip hop grooves, focusing on sharp, sassy, and stylized choreography often seen in music videos.
Needed to enter: Strong foundation in jazz (clean turns, kicks, and leaps) and confidence with hip hop grooves and rhythm.

We highly recommend all students also take a separate Ballet class to gain and strengthen proper dance fundamentals.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0gcDFDJNdM

An introduction to modern dance, exploring floor work, spirals, contractions, and expressive movement. Dancers develop body awareness, strength, and storytelling through improvisation and choreography.

More complex combinations and movement phrases with deeper focus on floor work, weight shifts, partnering, and musicality. Dancers explore emotion-driven choreography and more advanced improvisation.
Needed to enter: Mastery of Modern 1 basics (contractions, spirals, triplets, rolls, and simple floor-to-standing transitions) plus confidence in picking up choreography quickly.

We highly recommend all students also take a separate Ballet class to gain and strengthen proper dance fundamentals.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0gcDFDJNdM