From a 3-year-old’s first ballet and tap class to pointe, contemporary and hip hop, every class is leveled so your dancer learns alongside students at the same stage.
Preschool classes (ages 3–6)
Preschool dance is about tapping into imagination and expressing yourself, not just learning steps (though students do learn the basics). Don’t worry if your child isn’t pirouetting around the house right away.
- Rhythm & Rhyme 1 A combination ballet and tap class for 3-year-olds with no previous dance experience.
- Rhythm & Rhyme 2 A combination ballet and tap class for 4-year-olds with little or no previous experience.
- Intro to Dance A combination ballet and tap class for 5- and 6-year-olds with little or no previous experience.
- Tiny Tumblers Acrobatics for ages 4–6. Builds large motor skills, strength and coordination while teaching basic tumbling.
- Intro to Hip Hop A “funky and fun” class for ages 4–6 using popular moves like the ones on TV and in movies. One year of dance is recommended first.
Ballet and pointe
- Ballet A classical form built on grace, precision and formal positions, and the basis for every other style. Ballet is highly structured, with levels from Elementary 1 through Advanced so each age and skill level gets the right attention.
- Pre-Pointe Strengthens the feet, ankles and turnout in specially designed shoes to prepare for pointe. Students must pass a pre-pointe test to enroll.
- Pointe Dancing on the tips of fully extended feet in pointe shoes. Requires several years of ballet, completing pre-pointe and passing a pointe test. Because the bones of the foot and ankle are still developing, most students begin around age 11 or 12.
Tap, jazz and contemporary
- Tap Rhythms and rhythm variations, made with metal taps on special shoes. We also teach music theory so dancers understand music and counting.
- Jazz Strongly influenced by ballet, with a solid technical base, set to popular music. We encourage students to take ballet alongside jazz.
- Contemporary A freer style drawn from ballet, jazz, lyrical and modern. Requires at least three years of ballet and jazz.
- Fusion A Dancers Inc. original that mixes hip hop and jazz. Somewhat technical; requires at least three years of ballet and jazz.
Hip hop, acro and cheer
- Hip Hop A street dance style with many sub-styles, usually set to hip hop or popular music. Very little experience is needed to start.
- Boys Hip Hop The same skills as our regular hip hop class in a boys-only setting, for ages 6 and up.
- Acrobatics Combines tumbling with dance, like gymnastics floor work without the equipment. Builds tumbling, strength, balance and flexibility.
- Cheer/Stunt Tumbling, stunting and cheerleading technique for students who want cheer skills.
For teens and adults
- R.I.P.P.E.D. High-energy conditioning. Required for Teen and Senior Performance Team members and open to adults.
- Classes for parents Parents of current students receive 50% off tuition (R.I.P.P.E.D. not included).
- Teaching assistants and apprentices Older students can help teach our preschool and elementary classes. Learn about the program.
How we place students
Our faculty meets regularly to discuss each student’s progress and placement. Placement decisions draw on many years of teaching experience. Often a child is placed where they will feel confident, because dancers placed too high can get discouraged and lose their love of dance, while others thrive on the challenge. Placement is individual, and the factors behind it are complex.
Questions about placement? Please call the office to set up a conference with your child’s teacher or the director.
Next: see what to wear on the dress code page.