Embody Dance Classes

Dance Class Descriptions

Mini Movers

Age 1-3

30 mins

This class is an introduction to Ballet and basic movement for toddlers- parent involvement is optional! Students are encouraged to explore dance through free play and creative movement while learning the fundamentals of Ballet. Dancers in the Mini Movers class use musical instruments to aid in their understanding of musicality and rhythm. Dancers do not need prior experience to participate in this class! 

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Pre Ballet

Age 3-4

45 mins

Students in Pre Ballet will learn the basics of ballet while focusing on self-expression, creativity, and independence. This class is the first level in which parents are not invited into the classroom during instruction. Dancers experience ballet fundamentals while learning in a playful, supportive environment. Students develop coordination, musicality, and body awareness while learning classroom structure and core listening skills. Props are used often in Pre Ballet so dancers stay engaged with each activity! Scarves and ribbons help dancers learn how to properly position their fingers and hands in ballet.

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Ballet/Tap/Jazz Combo

Age 4-6

45 mins

This fun combo class introduces young dancers to ballet, tap, and jazz. Dancers build a strong foundation in coordination, rhythm, flexibility, and musicality while exploring the basics of each style. Students are taught in a positive, age-appropriate environment that emphasizes creativity, confidence, and a love for dance! This class allows dancers to build on the basic ballet technique that they may have already learned, while also introducing tap and jazz fundamentals. Dancers do not necessarily need prior experience to participate in this class, but it is useful to have a year of Pre Ballet!

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Intro Hip Hop

Age 4-6yr

45 mins

This high-energy class is great for students wanting to develop coordination, rhythm, and self-expression. Students learn beginner footwork, simple isolations, and age-appropriate combinations throughout the season. Through fun choreography and creative movement, dancers gain confidence in a supportive environment. This class is perfect for beginners!

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Intro Cuban Salsa

Age 5-8yr

45 mins

Dancers at this level learn fundamental salsa steps while learning about Cuban culture. Students also learn to count the music properly by dancing to the clave rhythm, executing steps on the first three beats and resting on the final beat. Our Intro Cuban Salsa class focuses on building confidence in solo choreography rather than partner-work. Students are challenged to retain choreography and build on to their existing knowledge of steps week to week. Dancers develop body-awareness through hip and shoulder isolations as well.

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Beginning Ballet

Age 6-8yr

45 mins

Beginning Ballet is ideal for students beginning their dance journey or dancers ready to move beyond introductory levels. This class emphasizes classical ballet technique in a supportive and nurturing environment. Dancers learn basic ballet terminology, proper body alignment, and coordination while developing musicality. Students in this class gain control, body awareness, and poise while learning the fundamentals of ballet.

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Beginning Lyrical

Age 6-8yr

45 mins

Lyrical is a genre of dance where all of the choreography is derived from the actual lyrics of a song while exhibiting flowy, smooth movements. In Beginning Lyrical, students use their creativity to choreograph dances as a group. Although lyrical is based in ballet technique, this intro level is for beginners and doesn’t require any previous dance experience. Students are encouraged to share ideas, express themselves, and work as a team.

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Beginning Jazz

Age 6-8yr

45 mins

This engaging class is perfect for beginning dancers that want to learn more about jazz technique while having fun! Students in Beginning Jazz practice isolations, jumps, and turns while building strength and coordination. We focus on rhythm, performance quality, and musicality while students develop a love for dance in this positive environment! Beginning Jazz dancers practice learning choreography to aid in their retention of technique.

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Beginning Tap

Age 6-8yr

45 mins

Beginning tappers learn how to articulate through the feet while exploring the percussive nature of tap dancing! Students are introduced to the fundamentals of tap technique in a fun environment. Dancers learn basic tap steps and practice different rhythmic patterns while developing musicality and coordination. Students also learn to recognize the sounds made by different areas of the foot through fundamental tap steps.

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Intermediate Ballet

Age 8-10yr

45 mins

This class is designed for students that have some prior ballet experience, but want to build on current technique. Dancers work on improving strength, flexibility, and coordination through age-appropriate exercises at the barre and at center. Our teachers use Vagonava and Cecchetti techniques and focus on developing artistry through consistent training. Students are encouraged in a welcoming, supportive environment that focuses on their individual learning styles to help them succeed.

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Intermediate Jazz

Age 8-10yr

45 mins

Intermediate Jazz is perfect for dancers who are ready to build on their jazz technique and continue their training. This age group learns the foundations of jazz through Giordano’s technique- clean lines and proper body alignment. Dancers work on strength, flexibility, and endurance while also learning the key elements of jazz. Students become more body-aware at this level and gain more control in their practice. Dancers learn about isolations, turns, and changing body directions through dynamic choreography.

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Intermediate Lyrical

Age 8-12yr

45 mins

Intermediate Lyrical encourages dancers to use their knowledge of ballet and apply it to the fluid choreography that often accompanies lyrical music. Students use their creativity to choreograph dances as a group and individually while allowing the words to a chosen song to inspire movement. Students are encouraged to share ideas! Lyrical is a class where dancers are invited to use their own self-expression to make choreographic choices and contribute directly to combinations during class time.

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Intermediate Tap

Age 8-12yr

45 mins

Dancers focus on footwork and clearly executing tap steps with confidence in Intermediate Tap. Musicality and rhythm are incredibly important elements of properly executing tap skills, so this is largely emphasized for the Intermediate level. Students build on prior tap knowledge by adding more complex steps to their repertoire while they’re introduced to more complex rhythms as well. 

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Intermediate Hip Hop

7-11yr

45 mins

Dancers at this level build on basic hip hop skills while learning choreography that encourages them to perform more difficult steps and execute sharp vs smooth movements. Students are supported in their self-expression while teachers provide a safe, welcoming environment for them to explore through high-energy movement. Performance quality, rhythm, and musicality are of the utmost importance in a hip hop class.

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Intermediate/Advanced Cuban Salsa

Age 11yr +

45 mins

Students continue to build on their knowledge of the clave rhythm and execute more complex steps. Dancers become more confident in their ability to isolate hips through salsa basics while still performing age-appropriate choreography. Salsa is also traditionally performed in heels; this in itself challenges dancers to soften their knees and allow for fluidity in their execution of choreography. Students apply their salsa knowledge week to week by continuously adding new steps and movements.

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Ballet 1

Recommended Age 10+yr

1 hr

This class requires prior ballet experience and teacher recommendation to join. Students execute barre and center exercises building on their knowledge of ballet technique. The main focus of Ballet 1 is to provide students with appropriate critiques during class time that they can apply consistently. Our teachers use Vagonava and Cecchetti techniques and focus on developing artistry through consistent training, realistic expectations, and class structure. Proper body alignment and posture are crucial for being successful in any ballet class. Students are trained in proper ballet terminology, postural cues, and ballet history to provide a well-rounded dance education.

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Pre Pointe/Beginning Pointe

Recommended Age 10yr+

45 mins

This class requires prior ballet experience and teacher recommendation to join. Dancers in pre pointe are students that have shown they are ready for the next step of their ballet education. This class is not a replacement for ballet, but a class to be taken in conjunction with their regular technique class. Pre pointe focuses on strengthening the muscles of the ankles and feet preparing dancers to dance en pointe. Dancers must be approved for pointe by their ballet teacher, pre pointe teacher, and studio owner before they are allowed to proceed with the next step.

Students new to pointe, or in need of a refresher course, are encouraged to take pre pointe in their pointe shoes. This can prove beneficial so students can learn the mechanics of going up over the box of their shoes safely. Going up en pointe requires extensive training! Pre pointe helps to develop good habits that become muscle memory for successful pointe dancers.

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Jazz 1

Recommended Age 10yr+

45 mins

Jazz 1 dancers have previous jazz experience and must be recommended by a teacher to join. This level continues to apply the foundational elements of Giodarno’s jazz technique while learning dynamic choreography. Clean lines, core engagement, flexibility, and strength are main focuses for this class level. Students will learn proper alignment for turns and the mechanics for executing multiple rotations.Floorwork is introduced at this level for dancers to apply more complex movements to their skillset.

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Ballet 2

Recommended Age 12yr+

1 hr

This class requires several years of prior ballet experience and teacher recommendation to join. Students execute barre and center exercises building on their knowledge of ballet technique. The main focus of Ballet 2 is to reinforce the teachings of Ballet 1 while introducing a new level of performance quality through technical precision and head coordination. Our teachers use Vagonava and Cecchetti techniques, but may begin to introduce elements of Balanchine technique. Another emphasis of this class is on the continued development of artistry through consistency of class structure, lesson plans with specific goals, and opportunities to apply critiques. Students are expected to apply previously learned postural cues while continuing to learn about anatomical structures that assist in executing a given movement. Dance history and kinesiology is also an important element of this level.

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Jazz 2

Recommended Age 12yr+

1 hr

Jazz 2 dancers have several years of previous jazz experience and must be recommended by a teacher to join. This level continues to apply the foundational elements of Giodarno’s jazz technique while also learning diverse choreography. This class begins to learn more commercial jazz choreographic elements to prepare them for auditions and a more advanced level of movement. The continuous application of clean lines, core engagement, flexibility, and strength are still main focuses for this class level. Students at this level will apply proper mechanics for pirouettes and begin to learn more complex types of turns. Floorwork is continued through the introduction of Modern movements, primarily with fall and recovery; dancers will build on their coordination and strength through their use of grounded movement. This level also begins to learn more complex jumps and leaps!

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Ballet 3

Recommended Age 14yr+

1.25 hr

This class requires extensive prior ballet experience and teacher recommendation to join. Students execute barre and center exercises building on their knowledge of ballet technique. The main focus of Ballet 3 is to reinforce the teachings of Ballet 1 & 2; dancers are also expected to apply their knowledge of kinesiology, anatomy, and body alignment to break down the mechanics of movements. This level is meant to prepare students for a professional or collegiate-level of dance. Our teachers use Vagonava and Cecchetti techniques, while continuing to introduce elements of Balanchine technique.Dancers in Ballet 3 are not only expected to apply given critiques real-time during class, but also to provide critiques to solve common dance mistakes when prompted. Dance history, kinesiology, and the study of anatomy are areas of continued education at this level as well.

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Jazz 3

Recommended Age 14yr+

1 hr

Jazz 3 dancers have extensive previous jazz experience and must be recommended by a teacher to join. This level continues to apply the learned techniques introduced in both Jazz 1 & 2, while also developing an elevated performance quality. Commercial jazz and musical theatre jazz choreography is also included in the curriculum for this level, giving them the opportunity to be as well-rounded as possible before graduation. Dancers in Jazz 3 are expected to perform with technical precision and apply learned concepts to each exercise. Students will be able to execute multiple rotations in various turns, while maintaining proper technique and alignment. The continuous application of clean lines, core engagement, flexibility, endurance, and strength are still main focuses for this class level.

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Advanced Lyrical

Ages 12yr+

1 hr

Advanced Lyrical students have prior ballet experience and must be recommended by a teacher to join. Lyrical is a flowy style of dance in which dancers use lyrics of a song to directly inspire and initiate choreography choices. In Advanced Lyrical, students are encouraged to work together in small groups and create routines that embody the lyrics of a piece of music. While lyrical is a genre that is based in ballet technique, elements of Modern are utilized in floorwork and transitional steps.

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Advanced Contemporary

Ages 12yr+

45 mins

Advanced Contemporary students have prior jazz experience and must be recommended by a teacher to join. While lyrical choreography is inspired by lyrics, contemporary choreography is derived from pure emotion. Dancers are challenged to create choreographic sequences with their peers in a quest for others to guess their assigned emotion or concept. Partnering, weight transfers, and improvisation are major elements of any contemporary class. Students are kept on their toes with varying music styles, rhythms, and choreographic challenges.

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Advanced Tap

Recommended Ages 12yr+

45 mins

Students in Advanced Tap must have tap experience and be recommended by a teacher to join. Dancers learn complex rhythms, apply learned tap techniques, and enjoy a fast-paced learning environment focused on technical precision. Tap is really beneficial for dancers hoping to continue dancing in a commercial or Broadway setting- most theatre companies look for well-versed dancers at auditions! Dancers with tap experience are typically students that can pick up choreography quickly, articulate through their feet with ease, and exude energy that is performance-quality.

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Teen/Adult Hip Hop

Ages 13yr+

45 mins

This energetic class is for teens and adults of all experience levels that want to dance and feel empowered and encouraged! Hip hop is a great way to stay active, dance to music that you know/love, and learn musicality. Self-expression, style, and confidence are game changers in the world of dance! Dancers in hip hop learn footwork, different grooves, and isolations through fun choreography each week.

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Adult Ballet

Ages 18yr+

45 mins

Adult Ballet is for anyone and everyone! Whether you have dance experience or are a true beginner, our adult program is flexible and can be adapted to best suit your needs. This class is structured like any other ballet class- we begin at the barre, progress across the floor, and continue exercises at center. While ballet is obviously a great workout, this class is also a chance for you to feel the magic of performance and participate in something that is truly rewarding. Your mental and physical health will thank you!

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Adult Jazz Strut

Ages 18yr+

45 mins

This class is designed as a commercial jazz class with a rotating weekly schedule. Dancers alternate between doing contemporary jazz, sassy jazz, and musical theatre jazz routines. This class is open to beginners or dancers with prior experience! Adult Jazz Strut is a chance for students to let loose, dance to some of their favorite tunes, and learn new combos weekly. With an element of cardio and conditioning, this class is also an excellent workout! There’s zero pressure to be perfect- we’ve created a very welcoming and encouraging adult program that is open for everyone.