Tumbling classes incorporate gymnastic basic training that can be utilized in dance choreography. This class builds strength, control, flexibility, and body awareness.
An introduction to African dance technique rooted in both traditional and contemporary styles. Students will learn steps from numerous African styles that reflect cultural lifestyles of the people of Africa and the African diaspora. Emphasis will be placed on style and increased sensitivity to music.
Afrobeats is a rhythmically upbeat style of dance derived from traditional West African and Jazz influences. This expressive dance style inspires free range movements in the body, mind, and soul.
All ballet classes are designed to build a strong classical foundation for each dancer. Students will learn proper alignment, coordination, conditioning, and access to turnout while exploring the vocabulary of classical ballet. This class enforces a structured environment which mimics the structure of the ballet class format and curriculum. It develops strong work ethics and discipline in a positive atmosphere. We recommend Ballet for every dancer.
Contemporary classes fuse ballet, jazz, lyrical, and modern dance styles. This style of dance is very interpretive to the music and challenges dancers to grow as artists through movement. Contemporary classes are designed for intermediate and advanced level dancers.
Floor Barre is designed to mimic the structure of the classical ballet barre while exploring different connecting to the floor (laying down, seated, or kneeling) By changing the dancers relationship to gravity, the class challenges dancers sense of body awareness, control, and placement, along with their access to their strength and range of motion.
This class explores movement that is a reflection of urban hip hop art and culture. It is a high energy class that includes a focus on urban movement vocabulary, body control and strength, movement dynamics, performance quality, and choreography. Hip Hop choreography and class work is most often done to popular music.
Jazz focuses on rhythmic movements, body isolations, musicality, and weight transfers both stationary and locomotive. Classes incorporate basic jazz warm up and body articulations. stretching and conditioning, across the floor combinations and progressions, as well as choreography. Our jazz classes emphasize the importance of energy, dynamics, and performance quality.
Modern class will incorporate many of the foundations of modern dance technique, including suspension and release, fall and recovery, the use of momentum and connecting breath with movement. Horton Technique is the primary modern technique explored in our modern curriculum which is reputed to fortify, stretch, and strengthen the body in preparation for its use as an instrument of expressive dance. Inside of this technique, sequences and studies are used to isolate each much to shape it for progressive body awareness and accessibility. Dancers will explore new ways of moving in combinations, floor work and partnering, and also in various methods of improvisation across the full trajectory of the modern curriculum.
Part of the classical ballet technique that concerns pointe work, in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet. This class is intended for those dancers who have shown adequate physical strength, accurate technique and necessary mental awareness.
Pointe classes are based on student readiness and approval of the Artistic Director. Students who take pointe must also be registered in at least two other ballet classes.
Pre pointe is a class dedicated to the strength and conditioning of the entire body in preparation for pointe work. The class will emphasize the flexibility, articulation, and strength of the feet and ankles while being supported by the connection of the entire chain of the leg, strength of abdominals, as well as upper body engagement and alignment.
The Tap program concentrates on both rhythmic and classical tap methods. Students learn vocabulary, rhythmic timing and improvisation and choreography.
60 minutes of sheer fun and movement for our 3-5 year olds.
Class consists of 17 min - Tap, 17 min - Ballet/Creative Movement, 17 min - Acro/Tumbling with a few minutes in between to switch shoes. This class is designed to introduce body movement, stimulating the “brain/body” communication, while introducing fundamental movements of each discipline.
This class is a space to explore how all of the training in the above classes is translated into choreography and used as a tool for self expression. Inside of these designated rehearsal times students will learn pieces of repertoire that will be used throughout the performance season.
*Class is only available to students inside of the BYPP program.