Dance Classes
Ballet
Classes will consist of the following activities:
Choreographed Warm up
Basic Stretches
Posture Exercises
Choreographed and Non-Choreographed Technique Exercises
Performance Preparation
Classes will be focused on core skills required for large muscle control and dexterity, age-appropriate techniques that are foundational for further study of technique in ballet and other disciplines, fostering a positive attitude towards exercise and active living, as well as practicing and preparing for the year-end performance.
Tap
Classes will consist of the following activities:
Choreographed Warm up
Choreographed Rhythm Exercises
Technique
Performance Preparation
Classes will be focused on developing rhythm, fine motor skills in the feet, and age-appropriate techniques that are foundational to the discipline of tap dance, as well as fostering a positive attitude towards exercise and active living, and preparing for the year end performance.
Jazz
Classes will consist of the following activities:
Choreographed Warm up
Choreographed Stretch
Choreographed and Non-Choreographed Technique Exercises
Performance Preparation
Classes will be focused on developing skills around learning and applying choreography, building on existing foundations of dance discipline and posture, practicing age-appropriate dance techniques, fostering a positive attitude towards exercise and active living as well as preparing for the year end performance.
Lyrical
Classes will consist of the following activities:
Choreographed Warm up
Choreographed Stretch
Choreographed and Non-Choreographed Technique Exercises
Performance Preparation
Classes will be focused on developing skills around learning and applying choreography, building on existing foundations of dance discipline and posture, practicing age-appropriate dance techniques, interpreting music and fostering a positive attitude towards exercise and active living as well as preparing for the year end performance.
Lyrical students will also place a heavy focus on strength building and conditioning the body as this form of dance typically includes learning lift elements that are not used in other forms of dance. Students participating in lyrical are encouraged to engage in strength building exercises at home.
Musical Theatre
Classes will consist of the following activities:
Choreographed Warm up
Choreographed Stretch
Choreographed and Non-Choreographed Technique Exercises
Performance Preparation
Classes will be focused on developing skills around learning and applying choreography, developing expressiveness, applying dance technique in story telling, practicing age-appropriate dance techniques, fostering a positive attitude towards exercise and active living as well as preparing for the year end performance.
Kinder Dance
Kinder dance lessons are offered for children between the ages of 4 and 6, and consist of a maximum of three years of classes. Classes are 30 minutes each. Focus of kinder dance classes are on spatial awareness, large muscle control and foundations of dance such as posture, arm and leg positions, and movements in place and across the stage. Classes typically consist of two choreographed components - warm up and the culminating dance - while the rest of the class includes technique exercises geared towards a younger age group including rhyming, imagery and imagination exercises to help solidify technique as well as foster a love of dance.
Kinder dance classes offered:
Kinder Ballet
Kinder Tap
Kinder Theatre
Boys’ Dance Classes
Boys dance classes are offered for boys at the same ages as girls, beginning at age 4. Classes will focus on developing skills for boys within the framework of the same curriculum of skills learned in the discipline of their choice. Currently boys classes are offered in:
Tap
Musical Theatre
Dancing Tots
Dancing Tots are classes offered to children aged 2 and 3. It is not focused on any discipline in particular, and only one dancing tots class is offered per year for all students of this age group. Classes are 30 minutes each. The focus of dancing tots is getting familiar with rhythm, movement and muscle control, using the imagination to link movement to songs and themes as well as gaining comfort and confidence on stage. Classes will consist of two choreographed components - warm up and the culminating dance - while the rest of the class includes exercises and games geared towards a younger age group including rhyming, imagery and imagination exercises to help lay the foundations to learn technique as well as foster a love of dance.
Private Lessons
Private lessons are offered in any discipline and at any experience level, subject to availability of the facility and instructor. Students receiving private lessons may elect to participate in the year end performance as soloists in addition to any group classes they attend. Private lessons are not eligible to have registration fees waived.
If you are interested in private lessons, please indicate your interest on the registration form and you will be contacted to follow up on your specific interests, needs and availability.
Fees
Group classes will be offered at a rate of $50/month per class* (30 and 45 minute classes charged the same). Private lessons may be booked for times the church space is available at a rate of $50/hour in any discipline.
There are no penalties, fees etc… for missing scheduled classes, however children are encouraged to attend as many classes as possible. Confident participation in the end of year performance is dependent on regular repetition and practice, and dancers will get more out of the year if they are able to attend all of their classes. Private lessons that are missed may be rescheduled at the agreement of the instructor and the dancer’s family. Please call ahead to inform your instructor if you will miss a private lesson.
All students will be required to purchase dance attire from a suitable retailer, and parents will be asked to pay the material cost for costumes. Costume purchase is mandatory for all students wishing to participate in the end of year performance. For more details on attire and costuming, please see our pages related to class requirements and the year end performance.
* We are a community-based dance school. St. Mary's Catholic Church in Linwood sponsors our dance education program. The church graciously allows us use of their hall for classes, and members of the congregation donate their time to sew and teach, as such members of the congregation, as well as any of their family will have their registration fees waived for group classes. As we are a community-based dance school, volunteers (e.g. seamstresses/tailors, recital volunteers, picture day volunteers etc…) will also have class fees waived for group classes.
Trial Weeks
The first four weeks of class are trial weeks, where dancers are invited to try out different styles they may not have otherwise registered for, or registered for but are not sure they want to pursue for the full year of classes.
During these weeks, parents may not want to buy additional footwear for dancers who are not decided on whether or not they like a particular class.
Dancers who are trying ballet, jazz or musical theatre may wear either ballet shoes or jazz boots for the trial period for any of these classes
Dancers who are trying tap may borrow tap shoes from our “borrow bin” of used shoes
Dancing in socks or just tights is strictly not allowed as dancers may slip and fall
Dancing in bare feet is strictly not allowed as dancers may injure their toes
Dancers who decide to commit to the full year of classes are required to purchase their own pair of class-appropriate shoes. It is recommended that footwear be purchased as soon as possible for optimal practice, but by January at the latest.
Class Schedule 2024/2025
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Registration
The 2024/2025 class schedule is now available. In an effort to accommodate the needs of our community, we will create a schedule based around the expressed interests of dancers and their families.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out a registration form and indicate your discipline(s) of interest as well as your level of experience.
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