Classes
ABDC offers a wide variety of dance styles for any age and experience level. We have beginning classes for young ones (starting at age three), kids, teens, and adults. We also create classes that cater to dancers with every level of commitment, from recreational dancers who take one or two classes a week, to dancers who take as many classes as they can possibly cram into their schedules.
PRE-BALLET — This class introduces 3-to-5-year-olds to beginning ballet steps and basic ballet technique. It class encourages creative and expressive movement and improves gross motor skills, flexibility, and musicality. Pre-ballet introduces the structure and discipline of classical ballet with a playful and creative approach.
KINDERGARTEN COMBO
— A unique class for 5- and 6-year-olds, it combines 30 minutes of pre-ballet with 30 minutes of tap. The class offers a class structure that introduces young dancers to different dance styles while accommodating most kindergarten schedules.
CLASSICAL BALLET — Classical ballet is available to children aged 6 through adult. Careful training in ballet will instill grace and strength that will be valuable assets throughout life. Pointe work is available through invitation only; to ensure that this strenuous work is not detrimental to a growing body and to prevent injury, a child must be physically and technically ready for pointe.
LYRICAL BALLET — This class is designed for the intermediate-to-advanced ballet dancer who wants to develop the artistic, creative, and expressive side of ballet. It is a choreography-driven class that encourages the interpretation of music and lyrics through dance. Students must be currently placed and enrolled in a classical ballet class to participate in lyrical ballet.
TAP
— Offered to those age 6 through adulthood, tap is a dance style that develops quickness of step and mind, as well as precision in movement, and enhances both rhythm and musicality.
JAZZ — This class is available to students starting in the 4th grade. Jazz is a style of dance that continues to evolve, as does our popular culture, and can encompass such varied styles as classical, swing, hip hop, and funk.
JAZZ HOP — This class is newly offered at ABDC this year, and is specifically designed for our enthusiastic 3rd grade dancers. Jazz hop is a class built to allow younger students to broaden their dance horizons and be introduced to both jazz and hip hop. The class will build off of the basics of classical ballet technique, and combine it with upbeat music and some jazz and hip hop fundamentals.
HIP HOP — For students age 10 and up, hip hop is a vibrant, energetic urban dance technique that has become widespread over the last decade and allows students to dance to popular music.
MODERN — This class uses impulse, dynamics, shape, and design to explore and develop new movement language. Graham, Horton, and Limon techniques will be utilized. Students must be currently placed and enrolled in a classical ballet or jazz class in order to take modern.
BALLET, TAP & JAZZ COMPANIES — These classes are offered by invitation only to students with prior dance experience who demonstrate exceptional ability, maturity, and commitment. Company classes offer students the opportunity to dance with other students who are extremely passionate about their dance education, and who want to be encouraged and challenged on a serious level. Students must be recommended by their current instructor in order to be invited to participate in company classes.
COMPETITION TEAM — This class is offered to all students currently placed and enrolled in (at least) a ballet, a tap, and a jazz class. The competition team presents an opportunity for dancers to work on their performance and precision with dancers from the 5th through the 12th grades. The competition team learns and rehearses routines weekly to compete in three local dance competitions throughout the year.
BALLET PERFORMING COMPANY — This class is offered by invitation only to students who have been recommended for a company ballet class, and who demonstrate both strong technical aptitude and maturity. This course emphasizes choreography, combining dancers of varying experience (ages 11–18) with the goal of performing a mini-ballet in the annual recital. Ballet Performing Company MUST be taken in addition to an appropriate-level classical ballet class.
