Ballet incorporates grace, athleticism, & coordination into one captivating dance style. Today, ballet dancers practice daily to remain skilled and to stay in top physical condition. This dance form has a beauty and grace all its own, and is the foundation for other dance styles. It is also stylized dancing, meaning that in order to perform it, dancers must learn a very specific technique. This technique was established centuries ago in the courts of Europe, and it has been evolving ever since as great teachers and dancers refine and add to the vocabulary of steps and movements that are unique to this discipline.

Why do I have to take ballet?

Ballet is not only for dancers who want to be ballerinas. Ballet is the first structured dance form. It has become a basic to any performing dance field.
Ballet gives a dancer grace, presence and the technical expertise to turn out ones legs, to point feet, to extend legs higher and with ease, to dance with correct posture ( resulting in less injury) and more. Exercises learned in ballet class build coordination and muscle development that is needed in so many different styles.


A good dancer is one who has good ballet basics and can duplicate any other style of dance she or he wishes to. When you apply your ballet technique to your jazz dancing you will notice a big improvement. The best dancers always take classical ballet instruction in addition to their jazz and other dance classes.

What about pointe?

Pointework is an exaggeration of regular ballet technique, and you have to be well placed, strong and have a good understanding of classical technique before committing to pointework. Your teacher will tell you when you can do pointe.

Tap dancers use their feet like drums to create rhythmic patterns and timely beats. The term "tap dancing" is derived from the tapping sound produced when the small metal plates on the dancer's shoes touch a hard floor or surface.

Tap Dance, style of American theatrical dance, distinguished by percussive footwork, that marks out precise rhythmic patterns on the floor. Some descriptive step names are brush, flap, shuffle, ball change, and cramp roll.

Tap dancing is based on the arrangement of several basic steps. Once you master the steps, you can learn and create tap dances and step combinations, which can be creatively put together at any tempo or rhythm. Tap dancing is a great form of exercise and entertainment.

Knowing the basics of tap dance can be helpful in theatrical auditions. The director will most likely ask you to perform the Triple Time step, which you can learn by reading the following series of steps. Any step can be done as slowly or as quickly as you wish. Generally, the steps appear more effective and appealing if performed quickly, but remember to start out slowly as to really understand the step.

This American-style of dancing focuses on the strength,power, control, and flexibility of the dancer. Jazz dance also emphasizes individual expression.

The key elements of jazz music are syncopation, individual style, and improvisation. The original jazz dancing carried these same elements. Syncopation is what gives jazz music and dancing its edge and excitement. It is not monotonous and dry. Changes happen often and are unexpected. Sudden.

The various styles of jazz dance have grown from the emphasis on individual style and improvisation. As seen in the hip-hop dancers of today, jazz dance emphasizes individual expression. Each teacher, dancer, and choreographer brings a unique style into the mix. Conformity is frowned upon

What about Hip Hop?

The dancing represents body movements that go with the beat and rhythm of hip hop music. There is breaking, popping, locking, and free styling in hip hop dances. The jumps, breakages, and rotations in the movements are combined in such a way that the dance style becomes an informal and explosive one.

 

This style incorporates movement with freedom and meaning, usually for a serious artistic purpose. Modern dance stresses expressive individuality over conformity.

 

Modern dance is a form where emotions, feelings and ideas could be readily expressed, and were more important than tricks and technical virtuosity. New and abstract forms in the worlds of music, theatre and visual art have always influenced modern dancers.
Modern dance has continued to grow and develop over the past 100 years, and many names have been added to the list of modern dance greats: Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Katharine Dunham, Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp, to name a few. Although these artists are diverse in their approaches and aesthetic, the common thread that ties them all together is the creative and individual way in which they approach art.

You only need a small amount of experience – come along and experience the Jazz and Ballet styles from our professional instructors. Classes are a fun way to get fit while gaining experience. At Dancenter adult students can experience moving to music in ballet and jazz styles while building lean muscle tone.
Taking dance classes can be seen as a healthy and creative fountain of youth for many adults. The benefits are the same as for the young. In addition to creativity, expressiveness, and musicality, dance also affects physical coordination and the coordination between the brain and body.

Classes are run on a casual basis – you can join a class at any time.