Class Descriptions

Mom & Me | Creative Dance | Pre Dance | Ballet | Hip Hop / Jazz | Tap | Cheer & Pom | Jazz | Contemporary Choreography | Teams and Company

INTRO TO DANCE CLASS - Age 2 and early 3s with Mommy or Caretaker. Maximum participants of 8 "couples". A 30 minute class that enhances motor skills, creativity and musicality.

CREATIVE DANCE - Fun and expressive movement for the 3 and early 4 year olds. A 30 minute class that increases rhythm, coordination and movement awareness.

PRE DANCE- Specifically for 4 and 5 year olds, dance class experience in a fun, yet structured atmosphere preparing dancers for ballet technique. Barre work and basic terminology included.

BALLET, PRE POINTE and POINTE - All ballet classes are set according to student's age and previous training by the teacher. All ballet classes include stretching, barre work, and center combinations set for class level.

Someone has said that the foundation of dance is Ballet. To excel in Ballet we encourage adding more classes as the years go on in training.

Levels 2 and 3 are strongly encouraged to come twice a week and level 4 / Pre-Pointe is required to come twice a week.

Pre Pointe: at least 2 years previous training is preferred and it is the prerequisite for any Pointe class.

Teacher placement required for Pre-Pointe and Pointe.

"Pointe dancing is an elite form of ballet, requiring years of training and dedication. While appearing light and ethereal, the dancer must be extremely strong. She has to have the technical skill to align her muscles and bones perfectly over the toes of one foot (about a square inch), while making it look effortless.
Only students with the proper strength and dedication should go on pointe.  A student will need to build up "muscle memory" by taking ballet classes several days a week. Muscle memory is achieved only by repetition. Improper alignment and lack of strength are the reasons that injuries can occur. Well trained, with properly fitted shoes, a pointe student  can progress from beginning pointe work, to an advanced level with no ill affects.
Pointe dancers are special and have reason to be proud!" Miss Jennifer Greene                              

HIP HOP / JAZZ - Technical Jazz Technique with a funky Hip Hop mix that keeps the dancer improving quickly and thinking on her feet. All music and choreography is current, tasteful, and age appropriate.

ADVANCED JAZZ TECHNIQUE - Previous Jazz training and teacher placement required. Jazz choreography, turns, jumps and floor work for the intermediate/advanced dancer.

LYRICAL JAZZ / MODERN / CONTEMPORARY - Fluid expression, using gravity pull and natural movement. This class is a fusion of Modern, Jazz and Ballet technique for the experienced dancer and the committed beginner.

Bare feet.

BROADWAY JAZZ - Teen and Adult Jazz technique with Broadway flair.

Work in heeled character shoes.

TAP BASIC and OPEN TAP- Rhythmic, fun drumming with the feet! Tap Basic is a 30 minute class for beginners and Open is for all ages working at an intermediate level.

CHEER & POM - Strong movement style routines to current music preparing the dancer for cheerleading and drill teams. Open age.

PILATES - This 60 minute Pilates mat class is aimed to help strengthen, stretch, and tone your whole being while gaining flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination. In this class we focus on the six basic principles of Pilates: control, concentration, center, precision, breath, and flow. Making a habit of participating in Pilates exercise each week will help provide great overall health.
Joseph Pilates’ famous (and true) promise is, “in 10 sessions you will feel a difference, in 20 sessions you will see a difference, and in 30 sessions you will have a whole new body!”

Pilates is beneficial for all individuals; dancers and non-dancers!
For the dancer, Pilates will help develop the meticulous postural alignment, dynamic balance skills, strength, flexibility, coordination, and core strength that is required in dancing.
Other benefits of Pilates for all individuals:

• Revitalizing mind-body workout
  By incorporating breath, proper spinal alignment, and flowing movement, you become in tune with your body and learn to control your movements. Pilates’ breathing can also help reduce stress.
• Development of a strong core

Pilates helps strengthen the core muscles (abdominals and back muscles close to the spine), which are essential to everyday life. You learn to use the core muscles in all of your daily movements in order to avoid injury or misuse of other areas of the body.

• Gaining long, lean muscles and flexibility

Pilates elongates and strengthens muscles, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. Having balanced strength and flexibility makes one’s body less likely to be injured.

• Creating an evenly conditioned body

Unlike many conventional workout methods, Pilates conditions the entire body. Instead of working the same muscles every time, causing weak muscles to get weaker and strong muscles to get stronger, Pilates works the whole body, creating an evenly conditioned musculature. This greatly decreases the chance of injury.

• Gentle yet challenging

Most of the Pilates exercises are performed in sitting or reclining positions, making it low impact. Pilates is frequently used to rehabilitate injured individuals. Although it is gentle, Pilates is also challenging. There are many modifications that can be made to the exercises to meet each individual’s needs in difficulty and intensity.

CLASS: Contemporary Choreography

FRIDAY 8:15-9:15PM
PREREQUISITE: MUST TAKE AT LEAST 1 TECHNIQUE CLASS
CLASS MIN. 7 STUDENTS

I feel very passionate this year about teaching a contemporary choreography class. Why contemporary choreography specifically? Simply because of this: while throughout my years of dance I have had many technique classes, I was never pushed mentally and physically to be able to quickly pick up and carry out choreography. I believe it is an invaluable skill that many overlook or take for granted.

When participating in conventions, workshops, and especially auditions; dancers are expected to be able to learn, remember, and impressively execute choreography in a very short amount of time. When discussing the class idea with my sister, she referred to it as “study-skills” for dancers. I believe this really sums it up in a nutshell; and also believe it would be an extremely valuable class to offer the girls.

Goals:

My goal in teaching this class is to exercise, enhance, and accelerate each student's ability to learn, comprehend, and exceptionally perform choreography in a short period of time. I like to think of it as a “study-skills” class of sorts for dancers.

Outline:

The class itself will be run in the following manner: A short warm-up, followed by delving straight into complex choreography. The students will be given new combinations every week (or possibly every other week depending on the complexity) in an attempt to stretch and eventually annihilate any boundaries holding them back, and to mentally equip each student for situations where difficult choreography must be learned and executed within a small window of time.

S.W.

TEAMS and DANCE COMPANY – By Audition Only:
"EMERGE DANCE COMPANY” - A professional and training group for intermediate/advanced dancers using styles and choreography carefully selected to reflect those characteristic to the Christian lifestyle. For approximate ages 14 - College. These students gain leadership training, performance opportunities, involvement in the creative choreographic process and the option of taking part in the Company trip & Outreach.

1. Dunamis Team (approximate 8-12 years) rehearsing Fridays 4:45-6:15
2. Revolution Team (approximate 12-14 yrs.) rehearsing Thursdays 6:00-7:30
3. Reflections Dance Company (High School & College Young Adult) rehearsing Thursdays 6:00-7:30 & 2nd & 4th Sundays 6-9 PM.

OPEN 12-13 AUDITIONS - Sat Aug. 25, 2-5 PM Please contact us to email you more info or click links below.
AUDITION NOTICE

Email us for NEW: AUDITION QUESTIONAIRE APPLICATION
for Revolution / Dunamis
for Emerge Dance Company

Audition Schedule:
2-3 PM - Dunamis Crew
3-5 PM - Revolution Team & Reflections Dance Company

Prepare a 1 min. solo and participate in the group combination.

Teachers Instructing what classes: See Individual Instructors section for listing of each.

• Teachers Instructing what classes: See Individual Instructors section for listing of each.

• Classes require a minimum of 7 students. Classes and times are subject to change.

• Ages are approximate and depend upon experience and level ability.

• Age minimum for classes should be student's age by September 1st of that year.

• Early Registration on a 1st come basis will guarantee placement and as classes fill up we will be adding names to a waiting list for when space opens, more classes are added or you are recommended to another class.

• Ballet is the foundation of Dance. Multiple classes in various forms are encouraged for individuals to enhance training and achieve excellence.

• Note: “Emerge Dance Company” meets Sun 6-9 PM twice a month.

• Ask about Private Classes & Birthday Parties.

• Email or call if you have any other questions.

The following notations Refer to Class schedule chart pdf 10-11 schedule.

¨ + 90 min class, “ 30 min class, ~ 45 min class,  all others are 60 min classes.
¨ * Requires Teacher placement and Level Dance Experience. / # Performance Teams require at least 1 other technique class.
¨ ** Ballet / Pointe Class require both Tues. 7-9 & Thurs. 7:30-9, Ballet 4 / Pre Pointe require both Tues 5-7 & Thu 5-6 & have teacher placement

Aug. 25, 2012 10AM-2PM Registration Open House / Open Team Auditions 2-5 PM

CLASS PLACEMENT:

To help you choose the right class for your child’s age and level we would suggest you refer to the ages printed on the schedule and your teacher’s recommendation. You will find that generally a student will stay in one particular level for an average of 2 years. (Pre-Dance age 4, 5/ Level 1 age 6, 7/ Level 2 age 8, 9/ Level 3 age 10, 11/ Level 4 age 12+/Teen and Adult classes)  
If you are not sure about your child’s placement, ask your teacher or email or call Miss Debbie. Some students should be able to advance to the next level and / or add more classes to increase in technique and performance. Advancing to higher levels of difficulty in dance is not like advancing grades in school. It may take 2, 3, or more years for a student to advance from one level to the next. There are guide-lines for uniformity of teaching, and specific advancement requirements. Recommendations may be made by the instructor when any student signs up for any classes at a higher level than those in which they are now enrolled. A student’s dedication, work ethic, and behavior in class... along with their adherence to dress codes & studio rules may also be taken into consideration. Multiple classes in various forms are encouraged to enhance training & achieve excellence.

Please Note: BALLET Continuum: “the Foundation of Dance” - Ballet is first encouraged then all other forms of Dance can build upon it. The old adage holds true – the more practice (classes) – the better you get. We understand that some take dance as a recreational activity but in order to be an accomplished strong dancer you need to come to class several hours a week. It generally takes years of strength training and technique guided by a professional to go on Pointe. Regarding Ballet there can be a few exceptions to the rule but generally:

• Jr. Ballet Level 2/3 students are Strongly Encouraged to take class 2 times per week (this is a prerequisite for going on to Ballet 4).

• Ballet 4 / Pre-Pointe students are required to take class twice a week (3 hours total). *

• Ballet / Pointe students are required to take class twice a week (3 ½ hours total). *

* Requires Teacher Placement