Curriculum

Little Dancers – age 3

Our Little Dancers class introduces children to the structure and discipline of a dance class, while engaging them with fun and imaginative ballet-inspired exercises and games. Children learn valuable self-control skills: standing on their designated spaces, waiting to take turns across the floor, following general directions, and improving their listening abilities. Our aim is to provide a positive and joyous experience with their first year in a dance studio and to inspire a love for dance!

Pre-K Ballet and Tap – age 4

This enjoyable and energetic class for pre-schoolers emphasizes coordination and rhythm while building on the Little Dancers curriculum. Children continue to grow comfortable with the dance class structure while expanding their knowledge of simple ballet exercises and being introduced to tap dance.

Pre-Ballet 1 with Tap – age 5

Students continue to progress with their ballet and tap basics. Exercises will continue to stimulate the imagination while helping children to increase coordination and improve posture. Simple barre exercises are introduced in ballet while lively music inspires children in both tap and ballet. Proper behavior and listening skills are still a primary focus. Appropriate for kindergarten-aged children.

Pre-Ballet 2 with Tap – ages 6-7

Our progression from Pre-Ballet 1 appropriately expands students’ ballet and tap vocabulary. Proper ballet posture and technique are introduced and tap combinations are increasingly more intricate. Appropriate for 1st or 2nd graders.

Intro to Cecchetti Ballet I with Tap – ages 7-8

A more rigorous pre-ballet class which introduces students to the theory and exercises of Cecchetti Ballet I. Proper ballet posture and technique is emphasized. Tap technique advances from Pre-Ballet 2. Appropriate for 2nd or 3rd graders.

Cecchetti Ballet – ages 8 and up

The Cecchetti Method provides a well-balanced system of theory and movement from Level I through Level VIII. Proper ballet technique is highlighted as students practice the set syllabus for each level in their Cecchetti work. Students are encouraged to take class at least twice per week upon entering Cecchetti Ballet I in order to truly hone their ballet technique. Students may qualify for graded examinations in the Cecchetti Method of ballet, although exams are not mandatory.

Pointe

Students are placed in classes offering ballet instruction in both soft slippers and pointe shoes pending the director’s approval. For their safety, pointe students must attend class at least twice a week to continue building the additional foot and body strength that pointe work requires.

NEW STUDENTS BEGINNING POINTE SHOULD NOT PURCHASE POINTE SHOES UNTIL YOUR TEACHER INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SO!

Tap

Tap classes are offered in conjunction with ballet or jazz classes. Much like learning a musical instrument, students learn how to count music and keep time using their feet and brain as the instrument. Students learn creativity while keeping to the rules of music such as synchronization, sound, and strict adherence to keeping time.

Jazz

Jazz dance traces its roots to African American vernacular dance and traditional Caribbean dance, and later to the New Orleans genre of jazz music. Today, jazz dance encompasses the styles of show jazz (Broadway) as well as the more contemporary arena that reflects different decades of popular music (rock, hip-hop, etc). Jazz is usually offered to students at the age of ten and after one or two years of ballet training, which gives them the strength and poise to grasp the technique that is uniquely jazz.