Children's Combination Classes

These one-hour classes feature a mix of ballet, tap, dance motion, and tumbling.

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Hip Hop Dance Classes

The history of hip hop is distinctly American, though, like other "distinctly American" forms of dance, its roots extend back through jazz to African dance. Some identifying elements of hip hop include:

• > Competitive nature: hip hop dancers challenge each other with dance moves isolations: dancers control and move specific parts of their bodies
• > Popping: quick contraction and release of a dancer's muscles to the beat of the music
• > Locking: performing a series of movements to "lock" parts of the body in different positions
• > Breaking: improvisational freestyle movements performed closely to the rhythm of a song, often including flips and tricks

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Musical Theatre Classes

Broadway dance is a unique fusion of jazz, ballet, and ethnic movement. Some identifying features include:

• > Story-focused and character-driven movement
• > Exaggeration
• > Quirkiness
• > Athleticism

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Tumbling

Tumbling within the world of dance teaches gymnastic maneuvers and highly athletic activities, however without using equipment. Tumbling is also often referred to as floor gymnastics. Our tumbling classes teach students how to improve their flexibility, strength, and stamina, while practicing proper form and technique to help ensure a dancer's safety. Tumbling classes extend beyond dance, and are very helpful to students interested in cheerleading tryouts or play sports at a higher level. For the dancer, tumbling classes are very beneficial for building arm, shoulder, back, and core strength, as well as improving overall flexibility and athleticism.

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Ballroom Dancing Classes

Ballroom dance typically involves two dancers, the leader and follower, who maintain upper or lower body contact throughout. However, this form has adapted to the classroom providing individuals to train in the movement. Some identifying elements of ballroom dance include:

• > Contact: the dancing couple maintains touch throughout the entire piece, or most of the piece
• > Frame: there is a correct way for partners to hold each other in closed dancing position — think of Patrick Swayze telling Baby, "This is my dance space" in Dirty Dancing
• > Poise: posture and poise are important in most dance styles, but a particular emphasis is placed on the stretch of the follower's upper body in ballroom
• > Lead/follow: regardless of which person is leading the dance, the follower should make following appear effortless

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Jazz Dance Classes

Jazz dance encompasses several different styles of dance that became popular in the early 20th century. Though jazz dance has mixed roots extending back through both African and European traditions, it's uniquely an American creation, which developed simultaneously with jazz music in New Orleans. Some identifying elements of jazz dance include:

• > Isolations: a dancer isolates one specific part of their body, such as the rib cage or wrist
• > Grounded movement: dancers keep a low center of gravity, and often bend their knees
• > Syncopation: accenting an offbeat or note of the musical accompaniment that may surprise the audience
• > Contractions: motivated by their breath, a dancer will make a C-shape with their core
• > Sensuality: there is an allure in jazz dance that is lacking in more traditional styles

Jazz Funk Classes

Jazz Funk takes elements from hip hop, jazz, and whacking while focusing on dancing with attitude and performance. Some identifying elements of jazz funk include:

• > Highly syncopated musicality
• > Intricate movements
• > Thrashing, hard-hitting movements

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Contemporary Dance Classes

Contemporary dance is an expressive style of dance that abandons the rigid, centered aspect of classical forms of dance, and utilizes unconventional movements from styles around the world. It incorporates certain elements of ballet, modern dance, and jazz. Some identifying elements of contemporary include:

• > Abstract: the emphasis is on movement rather than narrative
• > Unpredictability: dancers often use contrasting rhythms, directions, and postures
• > Breath: in many forms of contemporary and modern dance, performers use breathing as a centralpart of their dancing
• > Floor work: many contemporary students learn that the floor is their first partner
• > Non-standard movement: there isn't a set contemporary dance vocabulary, so performers are free to experiment and create new movements and positions

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Tap Dancing Classes

Today, tap dance is broadly divided into two categories: rhythm tap and theatre tap. Rhythm tap focuses more on musicality and improvisation. Theatre tap (also called Broadway or Show Tap) is a much more presentational style of dance, and concerns itself with the aesthetics of the entire dancing body. Some foundational tap vocabulary includes:

• > Time steps: a dancer keeps time, or the musical beat, with their feet
• > Isolations: a dancer isolates one part of their foot (heel, toe, ball) to make a sound
• > Brush: one foot remains stationary, the other strikes the ground moving forward or backwards
• > Shuffle: the combination of two or more brushes
• > Ball change: a two-count move that changes the body's weight from one foot to the other
• > Flap (pronounced FUH-lap): a quick brush followed by a step

Of course, in performance or practice, many of these foundational moves are combined into more advanced footwork and rhythm.

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Ballet Classes

Classical ballet is the foundation from which nearly all dance styles have developed. It requires strong technique, athleticism, and grace. Some identifying elements of ballet include:

• > Five positions: the basic positions of the feet and arms through which most ballet skills move through
• > Well-maintained posture, extension, and precision
• > Body alignment: the rotation of the legs from the hip so that the feet are facing outward (known as "turnout"), correctly placed arms, and centered upper-body
• > Complicated patterns of dance moves, challenging steps such as leaps and turns
• > Graceful athleticism: muscular, toned physique combined with elegant, fluid motions

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Dance Technique Classes

Technique classes focus on the fundamentals of dance, the basis of all styles. From keeping and holding your body correctly and well positioned while performing, to properly executing the individual skills within a routine. Regardless of the individual moves or routines, strong dance technique extends across all styles and all aspects of dance. Whether it’s contemporary, jazz, hip hop, or ballet, there is always some element of technique that can be practiced and improved upon.

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Performance Company

The performane company is the pinnacle of achievenment at Royal Dance Works, culminating after many years of dedicated practice, discipline, and hard work. Our performance company competes and wins at many regional and national events. Joining our performance company requires an audition.

Please contact Royal Dance Works for more information.