In all levels of dance, we incorporate education, fun, and discipline. Our goals are to build the cultural awareness of dance, and to cultivate in each student a love and appreciation for the art form.
These dance levels help our instructors place students in the classes that will provide the best educational experience. The levels also serve as useful guidelines for parents and guardians.
Preschool (ages 3-4)
Focuses on gross motor skills and developing rhythm through marching. It encourages the student to develop skills in following simple directions, exhibiting good behavior, and listening.
Kinder (ages 4-6)
Continues the development of gross motor skills, finding the downbeat, continuing the development of simple rhythm. The classes start to incorporate simple combinations (4-8 counts) and formulating a “step.”
Introductory/Beginner
Is for students who have minimal exposure to dance, usually no experience up to two years. In this level, the student is introduced to gross locomotor skills, simple rhythms, counting, and basic positions.
Level 1
Is for students who usually have 2-3 years experience. The student should know basic ballet positions and simple steps, be able to perform simple single and double sound tap steps (quarter note and eighth note rhythms), and recognize where the “downbeat” falls. Jazz will include warm-up, stretches, isolations, simple steps and progressions, and the introduction to balance and simple turns.
Level 2
Is for students who usually have 4-5 years experience. In all dance genres the student builds upon previously introduced techniques. The student should know placement and alignment. Steps, progressions, variations, turns, leaps, and rhythm patterns have increased and other time signatures are introduced in this level.
Level 3
Is for students who usually have 6-7 years experience. Emphasis is placed on the understanding and correct implementation of placement, alignment, turn-out, focus, and projection. There is more advancement in all the dance genres with a higher difficulty level.
Advanced Level
Is for students who usually have 8 or more years experience. The nuance of dance and the artistry start to evolve. This is a more advanced dancer who has an understanding and awareness of self in respect to knowing and being “ABLE” to implement Level 3. There is a maturity and understanding of port de bras, projection, and the performance aspects of dance.