Student placement and class overviews:

 

Students are placed in classes based on age and years of experience as well as on skill level, coordination, musicality, concentration and maturity in accepting corrections. Dancers under age 7 generally attend combination tap and ballet classes, while those age 7 and older attend individual classes as listed below. The curriculum stresses an understanding of the basic steps, combinations and techniques needed to develop a competency in each dance form. All students are invited to perform in our annual recital in June along with local performances throughout the year.

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Class Levels:

 

Beginner:

These classes are designed for those students with limited to no experience in the art of dance. For the younger dancer, we offer pre-dance and kinder dance lessons, where the students begin to understand movement, and learn basic steps and concepts in dance.

 

Intermediate:

The intermediate level is where students of some experience begin to focus on their technique and mastery of higher level steps. Students spend most of their dance experience at this level before moving onto the advanced levels (which occurs after mastering the technique at the intermediate level).

 

Advanced:

Students that have progressed to the advanced level have mastered the basic skills taught at the intermediate level. Many of these dancers become members of the MSSOD company, and go on to compete at regional and national competitions.

 

Adult Classes:

Jazz and Tap classes are offered for men and women ages 18 and older. These hour long classes serve as a time for getting in shape and having fun! Proper technique is taught in all adult classes. Performing a recital routine at the end of the year is optional, and sometimes the students even choose to compete at a regional competition.

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Dance Styles:

 

Acro:

Time is divided between warm-up, exercise and perfection of tumbling skills, which are integrated with basic dance movement.

 

Ballet:

Ballet is the foundation of all dancing. It provides the grace, poise and technique needed to be proficient in other areas of dance and gymnastics. Students may go on to pointe only with permission of the ballet instructor.

 

Contemporary:

A modern concert dance genre. It is not a specific dance technique but a collection of methods developed from modern and post-modern dance and can take on many forms including dance fusion, emergent dance and revisionism.

 

Hip-Hop:

This class starts with a conditioning warm-up and teaches contemporary street dance.

 

Jazz:

Class includes isolations, stretches and footwork.  The entire body gets a workout as students are exposed to contemporary and theatrical jazz styles.  Students must be enrolled in a ballet technique class in order to take jazz classes.

 

Kinder dance:

The 3rd and final level of our popular combination classes for our little ones.   Each class consists on learning new steps and fun routines in tap dancing and also practicing the essential fundamentals of ballet training including the French terminology,  This class is fun filled and age appropriate from start to finish.

 

Lyrical:

Class is offered to students with a ballet and jazz background who are studying ballet concurrently. It encompasses balance, control, flexibility and interpretation of music with dance.

 

Musical Theater:

Dance movements are combined with acting skills and character interpretation.

 

Pointe:

Intermediate and advanced students may continue their ballet training in hard shoes (pointe shoes).  Placement in this class is based on an audition and needs to be taken in additon to ballet classes which they must take year round.

 

Pre Dance 1:

This is out first class in our combination classes.  The class combines the basics of tap, pre-ballet, and tumbling skills. It is split by ability level for ages 4-6 and emphasizes creative movement, rhythm and coordination.

 

Pre Dance 2:

This is a continuation of our combination classes designed exclusively for out little ones.  It includes the continuation of learning pre-ballet, tap and tumbling.  Students also sing in their routines which encourages self expression.

 

Stretch & Strength:

This class gives students a class to condition their facility.  Students given a strong sense of center and placement will allow them greater success in dance classes.

 

Tap:

All ages can enjoy the rhythms and movements of tap. In addition to interpreting the mood of the music, students also develop coordination of mind and body and a more perceptive sense of rhythm, timing, and phrasing.

 

We also have a annual Father-Daughter & Mother-Son Dance which is followed by the annual Father-Daughter & Mother-Son dance at our June recital!  This is always a high point of the recital.

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Class Sizes:

 

Groups:

Class sizes hold between 4 and 15 students. Dancers learn their basic technique for that discipline, as well as the art of working together and dancing with others. It is very important to learn the importance of synchronization. All classes are one hour long.

 

Duets/Trios:

Students may sign up for semi-private lessons with two or three students per half hour. This gives the student the opportunity to obtain more personal and individualized feedback from an instructor, while still learning the importance of dancing well with others.

 

Solos:

Students may place their name on a waiting list to obtain private lessons (one on one with an instructor). This type of lesson is significant to those looking to receive a more individualized lesson with more attention on that dancer from the instructor. The length of the waiting list varies from year to year. Each solo lesson lasts for half an hour.