Class Descriptions

The Dance Company offers dance classes to students age 3 and up. Age levels are used as a developmental guide; however, there will be adjustments made for students with previous training and/or increasing ability. Our main goal is for students to have fun while learning the art of dance. Below is a description of the classes we offer. Click here for a complete schedule of all our classes for the upcoming dance season.

At The Dance Company we are especially proud of our Pre-Ballet Program. The program is designed with fun in mind and to guide children naturally through the pre-ballet stage using movement basics, creativity, and ballet basics in a structured class that prepares for and leads into classical ballet. Children enjoy our classes because the work feels comfortable to young muscles and developing minds. It’s fun for children to do what they know how to do and can do well.

Ballet
“Ballet” is the fundamental, technical form from which all other dance styles stem. All the names (derived from the French) of basic dance steps and related terminology arise from “Ballet”. The most classic and often serious dance form, “Ballet” teaches young dancers the most rudimentary terms and techniques and is monumentally important for all dancers to establish and maintain proper form. Our “Ballet” classes include intensive barre work, center exercises, patterns in movement across the floor, both allegro and adagio combinations and our students will be fluent in the terminology they have learned.

Tap
“Tap” is a percussive style of dance. Special shoes are worn by tap dancers to create various rhythms on the floor. While the rest of the body is still crucial to this art form, and general balance and grace are important, the fundamental characteristic of “Tap” is the sound it creates. There are different styles of this dance form, from the more classical form associated with the Rockettes, to a more modern, aggressive style called “hoofing”. Our “Tap” classes include tap-barre, center exercises, tap-turns both center and across the floor, and extensive rhythmic combination training. Our students will have an overall comprehension of rhythm, tap technique and terminology which will greatly enhance their coordination skills. “Tap” students ages 4 to 6 are known as Miss Niki’s “Tapperinas”!

Jazz
The “Jazz” dance style covers perhaps the most territory of all. It encompasses a wide variety of other styles. Not to be confused with the musical genre of “Jazz”, this style of dance is not always performed to “Jazz” music, but can often use the popular music of today. Combining the basic techniques of ballet with the more modern steps found in Pop and Broadway, “Jazz” is an upbeat, stylish, and versatile dance form. Our “Jazz” classes include intensive strengthening warm ups, stretching techniques to elongate and encourage muscle strength, across the floor movements, leaps, turns and center combination work to fun and upbeat, recognizable music. Our student will have great knowledge of their terminology, a visual change in strength and flexibility, and a great appreciation for the dance form.

Mini and Beginner Jazz
This class is offered to younger students who are not yet prepared to experience an actual “Jazz” class, but are ready to enjoy the fun and upbeat atmosphere of this energetic dance form. “Mini Jazz” is to prepare the dancers for the next levels of “Jazz” and the class is done to fun, recognizable music. Our “Mini Jazz” class includes age-appropriate strengthening warm-ups as well as stretching techniques to encourage young muscles, across the floor movements, center combination work, beginner level leaps and turns, as well as combination using multiple prop work.

Hip-Hop
Any type of dance that is done to modern, popular music could be considered “Hip-Hop”. Also a musical genre itself, “Hip-Hop” is derived from an urban, “street” type of movement and is generally performed to funky, upbeat music heard on MTV and today’s radio. However, we do censor our music and in this class there will be NO vulgar music or inappropriate songs played. This style is known for fast, athletic movements and lots of popping and jolting, as opposed to the fluid balletic types of dance. “Hip-Hop” is extremely popular these days and can be seen virtually everywhere, from commercials to artists in concerts. Our “Hip-Hop” classes include extensive strength training, coordination skill exercises, flexibility activities, leaps, turns and combinations in the center to recognizable, age-appropriate music. This class can only enhance coordination needed for cheer leading and any athletic activity.

Pointe
“Pointe” is the most advanced form of Ballet and can therefore only be taught to and performed by the more advanced dancers. The distinguishing characteristic of this style is that the dancers perform all the steps completely on the tops of their toes, which can be painful for the performer, but appears lovely and graceful from the audience. Our “Pointe” class includes intensive, large amounts of barre work, ankle strengthening, center turn preparations, and patterns across the floor, both allegro and adagio combinations, and an extensive knowledge of the terminology they have learned.

Lyrical
This beautiful, expressive style if often performed to slower, gentler music. It is called “Lyrical” because its movements are meant to tell audiences a kind of story through dance. The form combines Ballet techniques with the Jazz and Modern styles influencing the movements. An emotionally driven dance form, “Lyrical” depends greatly on the passion and interpretation of the performer, and not just the movements themselves. “Lyrical” is added to some advanced Ballet and Jazz classes.

Musical Theater
The most dramatic of them all, “Musical Theater” offer our students a variety of skills. Our class consists of monologues, skits, acting, commercials, improvisation, pantomiming, and Broadway style dance. The students enjoy interacting with each other and seeking reactions from their fellow peers. The students perform an “Evening of Monologues” in December and demonstrate a Broadway style production number in the Year End Production.

Adult Ballroom Dancing
Ballroom dance is a style of partner dance which originated in the western world and is now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the globe. Its performance and entertainment aspects are also widely enjoyed on stage, in film, and on television. Two types of ballroom dance classes are offered for couples. The classes are offered every six weeks.