CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

COMBINATION CLASSES: 

These classes offer a combination of tap, ballet, jazz, tumbling and creative dance with the time split up each lesson to cover these subjects.  Generally, two dance subjects each week will be covered, but by the end of the dance season, dancers have a very good understanding of the basic principles in each of the disciplines.  The classes place much emphasis on flexibility, endurance, dance etiquette, poise, grace and balance.  Also taught in this class are the basic dance elements, including shape, time, energy and space with the addition of discipline, technique, and performance skills and opportunity.  Combination classes are offered according to age and ability, and this is where most beginning students should begin.

JAZZ CLASSES: 

These classes are offered to older students at the beginning level; younger students interested in jazz should take the combination class.  Jazz class will emphasize timing, flexibility, endurance and technique.  Jazz styles taught will include traditional jazz, lyrical jazz, and modern jazz.  Performance opportunities are also offered.

BALLET CLASSES: 

Ballet is considered to be the basis for all types and styles of dance and is absolutely required of anyone interested in any sort of future in dance.  These classes offer ballet technique at the barre, across the floor work and combinations, terminology, and lyrical ballet.  New beginning students interested in ballet should enroll in a combination class, and these classes are primarily offered to Shaw Dance Team dancers.  These technique classes will not perform.

BEGINNING POWER TAP/CLOGGING: 

Clogging is now called power tap and will emphasize clogging history, technique tap skills, Irish step dance, and performance opportunities.  This style of dance teaches endurance, rhythm and timing skills, and will also teach the dance to learn quickly.  Children and adults can participate in power tap, and this is the class for new beginning power tappers.  These classes do offer performance opportunities.

HIP HOP CLASSES: 

This class will teach students the latest movement in street dance, funk, and hip-hop.  This is a great movement class that involves a great deal of energy, but students interested in more technical dance should enroll in a jazz class.  Most students studying hip-hop also study more traditional forms of dance.  This class does offer performance opportunities and no previous experience of any kind is required to take the hip- hop class.  Boys and girls are welcome!!!  This class is extremely fun and fills quickly.

TUMBLING:  

This class will place emphasis on flexibility, strength, endurance and basic conditioning.  Students will be challenged and coached on an individual basis starting with the beginning level and building up, as each student is ready.  This class is HIGHLY recommended for competition dancers and will not perform.  Many students at Shaw Dance Studio take this class in addition to regular dance classes.  (Tumblers should try to enroll in the class of their ability level, but if a competitive dancer has a major conflict with another dance class, the teacher will work progressively with that tumbler in the class time in which he/she can enroll.)

Preschool Beginning Tumbling- This class is for three to five year olds to learn basic tumbling skills.
Beginning Tumbling- New beginning tumblers at the elementary age will learn forward and backward rolls, head stands, hand stands, cart wheels, back bends, round-offs, etc.
Intermediate Tumbling- This is for the tumbler who can execute cartwheels, round-offs and backbends, etc.  This class will teach backhand springs, aerials, walk-overs, etc.
Advanced Tumbling- This class is for the tumbler who can execute backhand springs and aerials with basically no spot.  This class will further develop these skills and will emphasize tucks, whips, layouts and even more advanced tumbling passes and dance specific tumbling tricks.

INTERMEDIATE POWER TAP CLASS: 

This is a pre-competition class for cloggers with about one to three years of clogging experience.  This class will perform on the beginning or intermediate level and will continue to refine and advance in skills and technique.  A possible spring competition may be involved.

BEGINNING PREPTEAM: 

This team is for the dancer with at least one year of dance experience and a placement class is required.  This team will learn jazz technique, ballet technique, and teamwork and will compete on the beginning or novice level.  Tuition prices include extra practices held throughout the year.  Prepteam classes will begin in August.

INTERMEDIATE PREPTEAM: 

This intermediate level dance team is for students with at least two years of dance experience and a placement class is required.  Students will study jazz, ballet technique, hip-hop and teamwork.  Students age nine and older are required to take the additional ballet class, which is scheduled into the listed practice times, and tuition prices include extra practices held throughout the year.  These teams will compete on the beginning and intermediate level.  Prepteam classes will begin in August.

SHOWTEAM: 

Showteam members audition for class placement each August.  Dancers are placed according to age and ability, and dancers study jazz in all of its disciplines, ballet technique, and hip-hop.  These teams will compete and perform on the high intermediate and advanced level.  Showteam members are also required to enroll in ballet technique and Showteam Hip Hop Teams, and this group will have some extra practices.  All tuition for jazz dances, hip-hop, ballet technique and any necessary extra practices is included in the listed monthly tuition.  Showteam Dynamites will not take Showteam Hip Hop.  Showteam classes will begin in August.

ELITE SHOWTEAM: 

These dancers are chosen form the highest scores at Showteam auditions.  This is an extra class for Showteam members and will require some extra practices.  These dancers will be challenged on the advanced and professional levels, and these dancers will study jazz, lyrical jazz and modern dance.

POINTE: 

This ballet class is offered through invitation only for high intermediate and advanced ballet students wishing to further pursue the study of ballet.  Pointe students must concurrently enroll in a ballet technique class.  This class will further develop ballet technique, terminology, turnout, proper body alignment, and flexibility.

HIP HOP TEAMS: 

Shaw Dance offers three hip hop teams: Showteam Hip Hop teams for Showteam members- required, Intermediate Boys Hip Hop team, and the regular Hip Hop Team for intermediate to advanced hip hop students not enrolled in Showteam.  These teams will emphasize the latest is street dance, funk, popping and breaking, and will improve the versatility of all dancers.  These teams will perform and compete.

FITNESS: 

A fun and challenging fitness class will be offered to adults and teens.  This class will feature exercises in stretching and will focus on cardio and target-toning.  This is open to adults and teens.  Focus will be on cardio as well as strength training with hand weights, an exercise ball, and steps.

CHEERLEADING/CHEER DANCE:

This class is open to children six to nine years of age, and will emphasize arm angles, cheer jumps, chants, performance cheers, basic stunting, cheer dance and rallying.  This class will perform in our recitals and requires no previous experience

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