Our Classes
Academy of Dance is a non-competitive dance studio promoting technique, self-expression, self-confidence, performance, and FUN! All students are given equal opportunity to grow and shine in a healthy environment. Not sure which class to choose?
Contact us and we will be happy to help. Trial classes are offered to all interested students.
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
The Early Childhood Program is specially designed to provide children between the ages of 2 and 6 with a strong foundation in dance and movement.
The program teaches the young dancer the basic elements of movement and dance:
Space and how we relate to it, both as an individual and as a member of a group;
The basic locomotor movements;
Music, rhythm, beats, and time;
Opposites and directions;
Some elementary positions of ballet, tap, jazz, and acro.
Integrated within these physical concepts are the intellectual concepts of self-awareness, creative expression, imagination, teamwork, and basic body/health awareness.
Through participation in these classes, students also learn the basics of classroom manners and behavior, which remain the same throughout their dancing years. These concepts include learning how to take turns, following another dancer or leading the way, waiting patiently, working together with others, and having a positive attitude.
Earth Angels
Open to children who are 18 months old, but not yet 2 as of August 1st
This 30-minute class is a great introduction for the tiny dancer to class. Sing-a-longs and creative movement are taught in an energized and fun environment.
Students in Earth Angels will have one costume to purchase and will perform one routine at the year-end production.
Baby Dolls
Open to children turning 2 by August 1st
This 30-minute class is a great introduction for the tiny dancer to class. Sing-a-longs and creative movement are taught in an energized and fun environment. Basic tap and ballet routines are also learned. Proper classroom behavior and age-appropriate classroom discipline are introduced.
Students in Baby Dolls will have one costume and will perform a ballet and tap routine at the year-end production.
Dancing Dolls
Open to children who will turn 3 by August 1st
This 45-minute class is designed with age-appropriate music and movement in mind. Emphasis is placed on proper classroom behavior and attitude. Pre-ballet and tap are explored with fun, energetic songs. Proper ballet and tap terminology will be learned.
Students in Dancing Dolls will have one costume to purchase and will perform a ballet and tap routine at the year-end production.
Erin R. |
Darling Divas
Open to children who will turn 4 by August 1st
This 45-minute class is designed with age-appropriate music and movement in mind. Emphasis is placed on proper classroom behavior and attitude. Pre-ballet and tap are explored with fun, energetic songs. Proper ballet and tap terminology will be learned.
Students in Darling Divas will have one costume to purchase and will perform a ballet and tap routine at the year-end production.
Rising Stars (Kinder Combo)
Open to children entering kindergarten in the fall
This 1-hour class is designed with age-appropriate music and movement in mind. Emphasis is placed on proper classroom behavior and attitude. Pre-ballet, tap, jazz, and acro are explored with fun, energetic songs. Proper terminology will be learned. Students will have completed the Primary level of acro by the end of the year and will have an excellent foundation in ballet, tap, and jazz to build on.
Students in Rising Stars will have 2 costumes to purchase and will perform a ballet and tap routine at the year-end production.
Ballet
Open to children turning 2 by August 1st
Ballet is the foundation of dance technique and is carried over to most other dance styles. Ballet helps to improve strength, agility, flexibility, and balance, all while increasing the dancer's focus and body awareness. Students will be taught proper ballet technique with barre exercises, center floor work, and across-the-floor combinations.
Ballet classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Jazz
Jazz classes will focus on learning proper dance techniques such as isolations of the body, improving performance quality, and developing complex rhythms and patterns. Students will learn traditional jazz. The class curriculum is based on a ballet technique layered with traditional jazz movement and includes a proper warm-up, stretches, isolations, across-the-floor progressions, and combinations. As students progress through each level curriculum will become increasingly more complex and intricate.
Jazz classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Julie Jacques |
Tap
Tap classes are designed to develop rhythm, style, and sound. Students will learn traditional tap styles which would be seen on Broadway. Exercises focus on building flexibility of the knee and ankles, coordination, and speed of movement. The class emphasis is on developing proper tap technique, producing clear tap sounds, and having fun. As students progress through each level curriculum will become increasingly more complex and intricate.
Tap classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Hip Hop
The term "Hip Hop" greatly limits the scope of a typical Hip Hop class. From R&B and House to Club and Pop, Hip Hop classes utilize upbeat music from various genres, in addition to the latest Hip Hop hits. This class is high-energy and fun for students who want to learn the latest moves and choreography.
Classes include conditioning and warm-up, simplified break down of each dance step, skill combinations, and choreography. All moves and music are age-appropriate and level-specific with no suggestive lyrics/movements. Students love learning these upbeat dance steps while moving to their favorite songs. In this fast-paced and fun class, students will use hip-hop to develop their coordination, rhythm, flexibility, and self-expression.
Hip Hop classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Contemporary
Contemporary dance is a creative dance style that is full of free and fluid movements. In this class, we will be focusing less on formal techniques, instead, putting more emphasis on the dancer's emotional and physical expression. Contemporary dance is all about versatility and improvisation. Improving their ability to memorize and improvise choreography quickly as students will be learning new choreography and performance techniques every week. Contemporary is perfect for students who do not have previous formal dance training, but who want to explore movement.
Contemporary classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Acrobatic Arts
Acrobatics is a blend of acrobatics and gymnastics. Acrobatic Dance, or Acro as it is commonly referred to by dancers and dance professionals, is the beautiful fusion of classical dance technique and the precision and athleticism of acrobatic elements. Often defined by unique choreography, acro dancers seamlessly blend musicality, emotional expression, lines, and extension with acrobatic movements in a dance context. Students work on flexibility, strength, balance, limbering, and tumbling skills in a progression based format. Two teachers on staff are Acrobatic Arts Certified.
Acro classes perform one routine at the year-end production.
Lyra
Come hang with us! Lyra, also known as aerial hoop, is a metal hoop that is suspended in the air.
In this class, students will learn how to perform in and around this unique apparatus. Lyra classes focus on technique, building endurance, and creating beautiful sequences in the air.
Lyra does not have a performance at the end of the year recital. Other performance opportunities are available.
"My daughter loves taking classes here. So much that I drive 30 mins to get here. There are closer places but none offer the classes they do and none of them offer the instructors that care for the kids like family the way they do.!"
Heather Williams