Class Descriptions for PTDW Child / Teen / Adult Classes 

 Modern

What began as an artistic revolution against the dance of its era, has come to influence both jazz and ballet and become an integral part of a dancer’s training. Modern, often called Contemporary or “Post-Modern” incorporates a technical base of alignment, vocabulary that includes outward rotation and parallel work, contraction and release, fall and recovery, and the use of three movement levels. Contemporary modern dance also recognizes the importance of the idiosyncratic movement of the individual. Our emphasis is on expanding the strength, flexibility, and agility of the dancer’s body, while cultivating the personal vision, expressiveness, and musicality that each individual brings to movement.

Improvisation

Discover the art of creating dance without prior rehearsal or preparation. Improvisation allows the dancer/mover to explore his/her own personal impulses for movement, movement vocabulary, and sense of aesthetics. An excellent class for both new and trained dancers, participants have found an increased comfort with moving their bodies in space, a sense of creativity that extends into other areas of their lives, and a sharpened ability to think and respond to new situations quickly and effectively.

No previous dance experience is required. Because performance opportunities are possible for those interested in the Improv Company,  the class also focuses on making choices and creating structures that appeal not only to the individual dancers but also to the audience’s perspective.

Jazz and Pop Jazz

Born out of the African dance that was brought to this country during the slave period, jazz evolved into a theatrical style in post-slavery America.  Through its history of minstrel shows, vaudeville and burlesque, its interaction with other dance styles, and its relationship to the music that came to be called jazz, it has made its mark as a “made in America” dance form. It is characterized by the use of isolations, syncopated rhythms, polyrhythmic patterns, and the use of movement that “ripples” out from the center of the dancer’s body. Our jazz classes also include a ballet component, allowing dancers to become fluent in technique that utilizes outward rotation as well as parallel work. Choreography in this style may range from dance for musical theater, to street funk or hip hop, to lyrical or old style jazz. Pop Jazz emphasizes the use of the dance form as a tool of the performing artist (think ‘N Sync or Michael Jackson) combining moves that fit lyric and attitude as well as beat.

Tap

Tap is the offspring of African ethnic dance and Irish step dancing… another “made in America” dance style. Classes focus on learning tap combinations, building foot coordination, a sense of rhythm, patterning skills, muscle strength in the feet and legs, and learning choreography.                                     

 Contemporary Ballet

Let every dancer discover the beauty and passion within the discipline of a rigorous ballet technique, a technique that can help a dancer of any age or background acquire agility and precision! Beginning I concentrates on body alignment and a careful introduction to the basics of ballet. Subsequent classes expand on this foundation. All classes consist of barre work, center work, and learning dance sequences. Our emphasis is on understanding and learning technique from the “ inside, out,” on combining the forms of the classical with contemporary themes, music, and influences, and on developing the musicality and expressiveness within each dancer. Please remember: we need to see body lines to give appropriate feedback…Dress codes are firmly enforced!                                          

 Pointe

This class focuses on point technique and may be taken only with the instructor’s permission, and only by teen/adult students who are currently enrolled in a minimum of three intermediate technique classes a week at the Dance Workshop. It may not be done as a drop-in. We not only require students to possess the correct technical level, alignment, and physical strength for this work, but also that the student’s physical development (bone and muscle) is sufficiently advanced. We want you to dance for a lifetime…not just until you’re 40!

 Hip Hop

Blending traditional African, the “stepping” of black fraternities, and break dancing, students are taught the original street-funk moves and dances consisting of various street styles. Dancers are not only challenged to form their own style within the movement, but also to adhere to the discipline of choreography and the aerobics of street dance.

 Dance Team Prep

Focuses on all the elements of great dance team performance: building a vocabulary of Jazz and Hip Hop to create exciting dances, developing and enhancing musicality, crisp presentation, performance skills and sequential movement memory.

 Earth Rhythms

Incorporating the three primary purposes of all ethnic dance forms and a strong base in African dance, this class emphasizes a sense of community and reconnection to self, others, and the world. Working with live drummers, we explore the symbols and archetypes of the ancestors, the seasons of planting and harvesting, and the times for gain and release, based on the cycles of the moon. Each class includes a thorough warm up, an aerobic section, stretches, across-the-floor work, and choreography.

Dance for Health

Experience the benefits of movement; a finer sense of balance, strength, and increased flexibility. It’s also a good intro to basic dance exercises that can lead to more challenging dance training as the student progresses.

Specialty

This class focuses on leaps, turns, and jumps. After a brief warm-up (some dancers may wish to arrive early and stretch in the dressing room), students engage in building and refining their vocabulary in leaps, turns, and jumps both utilizing outward rotation and parallel placement. Excellent for Beginning III level and higher in ballet, jazz, and modern.

 Second Wind

The Second Wind classes are designed for 40 – 90+ year olds who have had little or no dance experience or have had a significant vacation from their previous training. The “survey class” format covers technical work in ballet, modern, jazz, and improvisation. Classes include a warm-up, center floor work, across the floor movement, and learning choreographed sequences. Funded by the PTDT and The Third Stage, Second Wind classes are free to seniors 65 and older

Movement for Health

This class combines yoga, modern and contemporary dance, and the elements of chi kung to develop strength and flexibility while balancing the energetic systems of the body. The focus is on enhancement of the Body/Mind connection and not on dance technique or performance.                                                  

Yoga for Health

Our yoga class focuses on bringing the mind’s awareness deep within the body as we explore the physical postures which develop strength, flexibility, and fullness of breath. By developing an internal sense of alignment, we seek to unite, through movement, body, awareness and breath.

 Belly Dance

Called “raks sharki” (hip dance) in Arabic, “la danse du ventre” (dance of the abdomen) in French, or just belly dance, this ancient form of celebration is one of the world’s oldest dance forms. Belly dance brings forth the natural movement of a woman’s body, from hip shimmies to flowing tummy rolls to intense muscle isolation. Belly dance will tone the body, awaken energy, and empower the spirit.

 Dance Ritual

Using movement as a primary tool for self-exploration, participants develop and refine their sense of conscious action versus unconscious reaction, clarify personal symbols, and examine how they want to move in both their own lives and the world. Participants must sign up for the session, this class may not be done on a drop in basis. Interested students should speak with Pamela.