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JAZZ DANCE Jazz dance is a broad term for the social and stage type dancing of the theater. Jazz dance is most commonly seen on Broadway. Bob Fosse, a celebrated jazz dancer and choreographer, created such masterpieces as Chicago and Damn Yankees. This theatrical dance is set to modern, jazz-influenced music and is one of the fastest growing dance trends today. BALLET The roots of ballet go back over 500 years. It is a highly disciplined stage art, based on the centuries-old tradition of movement. Ballet began in the courts of Italian noblemen and soon spread to the French courts. Performers danced, sang, and recited poetry to entertain guests. Ballet is a mixture of several different types of art: Dance, Music, Drama, and Poetry. When these arts are combined and presented on the stage, you have a ballet that tells an enchanting story. TAP DANCE Tap dance is a style of American theatrical dance. It is distinguished by percussive footwork that marks out precise rhythmic patterns on the floor. Some descriptive terms are: brush, flap, shuffle, ball change, and cramp roll. The sources of tap dance include the Irish step dance and the English clog dancing. Tap dancers wear 'taps' on the bottom of their shoes which serve as the instruments for the beautiful rhythms that are so eloquently executed. PRIMITIVE DANCE Primitive dancing originates from the early African tribal dances. These dances were a vital part of life to the African people. They often performed these native, traditional dances as rituals, or prayers for items such as fertility, good harvest, or luck. Primitive dancing consists of extremely energetic movements, which are performed to loud drum beats and precise percussion. EAST INDIAN DANCE East Indian dancing is a very religious and spiritual experience for those who perform it. Each movement has a special meaning or message. The movements are more controlled and may take years to master. East Indian is very similar to that of Oriental dance. In most areas of the Far East, dance is taught to girls at a very young age. For example, the eyes have to be trained early to fully be able to execute the necessary expressions for the dance performance. In India, the training is similar. Indian dancers are trained in how to be flexible and to be able to hold beautiful, elaborate poses. East Indian is a beautiful dance style full of culture and tradition. CREATIVE Creative dance is the precursor to Modern Dance for pre-school age children. The focus is to strengthen gross motor skills, confidence, the ability to work with others, and to assist in the development of the child's creative expression. MODERN DANCE Modern dance is a performing art. Dancers move in and through space, creating shapes and patterns. Modern dancers use their bodies as instruments to express in a creative and striking way moods, feelings, and ideas. Through modern dance, children strengthen their muscles and become confident in the use of their bodies, at the same time learning concentration and self-discipline. They also become aware of line, movement, rhythm, spatial relationships, and other art forms. HIP HOP DANCE Hip hop is any type of club, street, or music video dance. The music is usually up beat, fun, and funky. It is a way for dancers to express themselves in a fresh new style. Hip Hop includes break dance, pop-n-lock, and a lot of funky new moves. Hip Hop dance began in the mid 1990s, with the introduction of Hip Hop music. The dancers wear sneakers and loose fitting clothes. This is the fastest growing dance style today. LYRICAL Lyrical dance combines jazz and ballet techniques making a slow, yet powerful movement that uses the words of the song to define the dance. Dancers in this technique usually dance barefoot or in lyrical sandals. Expression from the dancer is key to making this type of dance meaningful and enjoyable. DANCE TEAM PREP This class is designed to prepare the student for the dance team experience. We focus on precision, kick lines, jazz technique, as well as all other requirements necessary to prepare the dancer for dance team. CHEERNASTICS In this class, we learn the basics of cheer technique. We do hand and arm movements, and learn necessary jumps and kicks. We also work on the basic fundamentals of tumbling. YOGA BALLROOM DANCING |
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