Jazz Dance

Jazz is an uniquly American art form with roots in the African Diaspora. It combines many styles and techniques from street styles and contemporary dance to ballet. Rhythm, upon which all dance forms depend, is particularly integral to jazz dance. The first half of the class consists of exercises to stretch and tone muscles and develop support for proper stress-free alignment of the skeletal structure. Using a broad range of musical genres, jazz classes are a great workout and a fun way to release tension while attaining a body awareness that can be applied to everyday activities.

Tap Dance

Tap is an exciting rhythmic exercise and dance form which is enjoyable to both kids and adults. With African-American and Irish roots, tap has become an original American art form that offers a variety of styles and techniques. Introductory and beginner level classes stress the basics of tap and build into Broadway Style combinations which are great to watch and delightful to hear! Intermediate and advanced level classes progress appropriately with more challenging material which is seen in the traditional Rhythm Tap style of the great masters Honi Coles, Leon Collins and Lady Dianne Walker.

Hip Hop

Hip hop is a fun and upbeat stylized class that focuses on personal style and expression. In this class, dancers are encouraged to let go and be free while developing their ability to groove to hip hop music. The movement style is a blend of hip hop’s foundation: poppin’, lockin’, breakin’, housing combined with newer contemporary styles that you may see on popular TV shows. Each teacher possesses their own unique flavorful style and you can expect something fresh, new, and exciting in each class. No technical training is required.

Freestyle

Freestyle is a collaborative class setting where dancers share their personal strengths with each other through freestyle dancing. You will work individually on personal expression and defining your own sense of style and in groups to create choreography. Together we explore the variety of hip hop’s social and foundational dance styles in an effort to provide a wider vocabulary for individual freestyle. This is a great class for dancers that might not excel at learning choreography but have a natural ability to freestyle or for those that want to be well-rounded hip hop dancers.

Ballet

Ballet classes are designed to expose the student to the grace and beauty of classical dance. Each class will start with a warm up and stretch at the barre before progressing to center floor work. Emphasis will be on the basic positions of the feet and arms as they relate to proper body alignment and balance. Ballet training gives a dancer the strength and control to execute any style of dance well.

Pre-Ballet

The elements of creative movement will be augmented by more coordination and sequence-related exercises; floor formations that teach children spatial awareness; movement exercises that emphasize straight legs and pointed feet, posture, placement, stretches, and comportment of classical ballet. Basic ballet concepts such as 1st and 2nd positions, plié, and relevé will be introduced. Fun, creative elements such as stories, games, and other imaginative activities will keep the pace of the class lively and engaging.

Contemporary Dance

Contemporary dance uses vocabularies from ballet, jazz, modern and other dance idioms to create a fluid expressive dance style that presents new and unpredictable movement. Dancers must be ready to work at a full intermediate level and pace.

Modern

Modern consists of an eclectic mix of modern, post-modern,  and contemporary forms. The class format will start with a warm-up that stresses technique, freedom of movement and full expression, then progressing to adagio and ending with movement across the floor.

Dance Imagination

Dance Imagination introduces dance basics and inspires young dancers to express themselves through movement, developing their understanding of the art and technique of dance in an atmosphere of fun and purpose. Using concepts that are familiar to the child, movement is introduced which invites them to apply imagination, energy, and coordination. Through creative play and imitation, children strengthen basic motor skills and self-esteem by learning what they can do. By exploring dance, music, and language, the child’s many facilities of self-expression are nurtured. Memorization improves because the elements of dance are identified and used in many interesting ways. Focus on form, technique, and composition increases with age and ability within the curriculum. Training young dancers in this in-depth method develops body awareness, agility, rhythm, improvisation skills, and creative thinking of a permanent nature while preparing for the more regimented study of ballet, jazz, modern, and other related theater arts. More on our Young Dancers Program.

Dance Imagination Sampler

Dance Imagination introduces dance basics and inspires young dancers to express themselves through movement, developing their understanding of the art and technique of dance in an atmosphere of fun and purpose. Using concepts which are familiar to the child, movement is introduced which invites them to apply imagination, energy, and coordination. Through creative play and imitation, children strengthen basic motor skills and self-esteem by learning what they can do. By exploring dance, music, and language, the child’s many facilities of self-expression are nurtured. Memorization improves because the elements of dance are identified and used in many interesting ways. Focus on form, technique, and composition increases with age and ability within the curriculum. Training young dancers in this in-depth method develop body awareness, agility, rhythm, improvisation skills, and creative thinking of a permanent nature while preparing for the more regimented study of ballet, jazz, modern, and other related theater arts. More on our Young Dancers Program.  This class is a mini-session version of our Dance Imagination Program that does not perform in the Spring Concert.   

Repertory Classes

Repertory is for intermediate and advanced adult students with a desire to perform and who have the ability to count music and learn movement and phrases quickly.

Kids Jazz, Tap & Hip Hop

Kids’ classes are designed to help children develop confidence, muscle strength, coordination, musicality, and self-expression. We are committed to dance education and to respond to each child’s needs, abilities, and rate of assimilation. Taking into consideration the experience and maturity of the individual we are flexible in regards to placement according to age. Our work is based on the idea of dance as an additional resource to general education. We provide a non-competitive and supportive environment from which children and teenagers can feel secure to explore the world of dance. Although our principal focus is not on recitals, we do feel that performing in a theatrical environment is a valuable part of a student’s dance experience. We present a performance every June, typically at Westbrook Performing Arts Center.