Ballet is a classical form of dance that can be studied and mastered by itself or used as the technical foundation of all dance forms. Class will focus on overall body alignment, technical execution, terminology and knowledge of proper usage of the feet, legs and execution of turnout. Posture and placement of the upper torso and arms are also emphasized, using traditional barre work, across the floor progressions, and choreography.  Dancers serious about their dance training should take as much ballet as your schedule will allow and stick with it throughout your dance training.

Jazz is an energetic form of dance focusing on technique, rhythm, isolations, lines, and movement.  Class begins with a jazz warm-up developing flexibility, strength, and proper placement.  Dancers will then work on jazz technique with various combinations of extensions, turns, and leaps across the floor before combining these technical elements with intricate movement and style in choreography.   Jazz class focuses on proper jazz technique, terminology, and movement while exploring the numerous and varying styles of jazz from Classical to Contemporary Jazz.

Contemporary and Lyrical combine the many technical elements of classical ballet with the style, fluidity, and expression of Jazz.  Lyrical encourages dancers to connect to the lyrics, musicality, and emotion of each song while learning and executing proper technique.  Contemporary offers all that a Lyrical class will but with more freedom and exploration of movement since it does not have to adhere to the specific rules of Lyrical, Jazz, or Ballet technique.  Class will begin with a warm-up emphasizing the flexibility and strength needed for the proper technical execution of movements.  Dancers will then use these skills in progressions across the floor as well as in the choreographed combinations taught during the last portion of each class.

Hip Hop refers to dance styles normally performed to hip hop and pop music or that have evolved as part of the hip-hop culture.  Originating in the 1970s, hip hop was made famous through the decades by street dancing, breakdancing, dance crews, music videos, and the media.  Dancers will begin with a basic warm up, followed by both choreographed and free-styled progressions across the floor, and ending with the break down of hip hop choreography focusing on the basic fundamentals of street movement, style and musicality.

Jazz Funk is a hybrid of both Jazz technique and Hip Hop style.  It is the style of dance most similar to the Commercial dance world that can be seen in music videos, tour choreography, television, and film.  Jazz Funk choreography combines basic jazz terminology and technique with the grooves and attitude of hip hop in order to create a super fun, sassy, and clean dance style of its own.  Dancers will begin class with a jazz warm up that integrates some footwork and grooves before progressing to movement-based across the floor exercises and ending with a choreographed combination in each class.

Our Combination classes give young dancers an introduction to multiple styles of dance in a very positive and stimulating hour-long class.  Dancers will learn the basic technique, movement, and terminology for ballet and tap in a way that promotes their own creativity and expression.  The class will begin with dancers in ballet shoes stretching in a warm-up circle before moving to the ballet barre, ballet progressions, and choreography to learn proper technique, terminology, and movement.  Half way through the class, dancers will then change into their tap shoes to work on rhythm, coordination, and basic tap steps and technique.  Our Ballet & Tap combo classes are a perfect ‘first dance class’ for any and all young dancers.

This super fun, dance-based class is designed to help young dancers improve coordination, motor skills, agility, rhythm, music awareness, and creative movement and expression.  Tumbling & Hip Hop combines the flexibility and strength of Acro with the grooves, style, and movement of Hip Hop.  It’s the best of both worlds!  Dancers will learn basic skills such as back bends, cartwheels, forward rolls, and handstands and learn hip hop and jazz funk choreography in each class all to your dancer’s favorite upbeat music!

Tap is a combination of intricate footwork, rhythm, and sound.  Classes emphasize the development of tap technique and terminology with coordination, syncopation, musicality, and control.  Our tap classes provide dancers with a balance of Broadway or classical tap with hoofing or rhythmic tap.  Dancers will begin class with warm-up exercises to strengthen and isolate muscles specifically used for controlled tap movement.  The class will then learn rhythmic phrases and exercises across the floor and in the center in order to improve tap technique, dynamics, musicality, and sound clarity.

Acro is a dance-based gymnastics class geared towards those who wish to improve their flexibility, strength, agility, balance, and control.  Dancers will learn the basics or work on advanced acrobatic elements in a safe environment catered to each individual’s level of experience and comfort.  Acro class is taught by an experienced acro instructor dedicated to teaching fundamental acrobatic technique such as cartwheels, handstands, walkovers, back bends, chin stands, balance and contortion tricks, aerials, handsprings, limbers, tumbling, and much more.  For those serious about their dance training, Acro is a wonderful class to take to enhance your technique and tricks in any style.  With classes offered in a variety of levels and age groups, we have an Acro class for everyone!

Pointe is an advanced Ballet class performed in special shoes allowing dancers to balance and move on a wooden box on the tips of their toes.  Dancing on pointe requires a great deal of strength, technique, and skill so dancers must be enrolled in at least level 2 or higher Ballet classes and be approved by both an ADWV faculty member AND their doctor before they can enroll in a Pointe class.  Pre-Pointe allows for those not quite ready for the pointe shoes to develop the skills they will need once they are strong enough for Pointe.  Class will focus balance and control, the strength and lengthening of the legs while dancing, the agility, strength, and flexibility of the feet and ankles, as well as the overall technique and placement of each dancer.

Our Technique classes are a combination of Stretch & Strength, Leaps & Turns, Ballet, and Jazz!  Dancers will work on flexibility and strength in order to be able to properly execute extensions, turns, and jumps in all genres of dance. Geared towards those dancers who want to accelerate their progress and develop more strength and control, Technique class is perfect for anyone hoping to review or learn the foundation of proper dance technique.

This technique class is designed to help dancers develop the proper technique, strength, extension, and coordination essential to all forms of dance.  The warm-up will combine deep stretching to optimize flexibility and conditioning to improve body placement, core strength, control, and overall technique.  Dancers will then learn various turns, leaps, and progressions in basic patterns as well as more complicated and advanced combinations.

Improv classes allow dancers to explore movement, music, and energy through numerous directed and self-motivated exercises.  Dancers will learn to let go of the fear or insecurity of free movement in order to discover their own voices as artists.  Class will consist of individual, partner, and group improv exercises geared towards developing spatial awareness, intention and storytelling, artistry, and an overall broader movement vocabulary.  In more advanced improv classes, dancers will also learn how to freestyle/improv for professional auditions and convention settings.

Our Musical Theater class is designed to help dancers become “triple-threat” performers!  With a combination of acting, singing, AND dancing, our Musical Theater class enables dancers to learn the lyrics and melodies of both classical and modern Broadway shows, work on fun acting exercises and character development, and discover proper jazz technique and terminology.   This dance-based class is ideal for all children; whether they have experience in one, two, three, or even none of the performing arts!

Choreography classes are designed to teach dancers how to develop their own style of movement, create pieces of choreography, and learn the ins-and-outs of what it means to be a professional choreographer.  Dancers will be given numerous exercises and assignments in all of the styles of dance in order to obtain a better understanding of dance as a whole.  Being a choreographer is SO much more than just making up dance steps and dancers will be given a better understanding of a profession so crucial to our industry.  In our Choreography class, dancers will be taught to understand the complexity of storylines, learn to breakdown and analyze pieces of music, how to translate emotion into movement, how to teach choreography to others, how to use formations and space to enhance choreography, in order to create a full concept piece from beginning to end.  Given the level of understanding, skill, and maturity needed to choreograph, our Choreography classes are open to intermediate/advanced dancers ages 10 and up.

This open class combines deep stretching to optimize flexibility and conditioning to improve body placement, core strength, control, and overall technique.   Dancers can use this class to help supplement their dance training in other styles or simply as a great workout!  The exercises and drills in this class are designed to enhance dance technique, flexibility, strength, and placement in a way that protects dancers’ bodies for a long and healthy dance career.