Dance Styles

Dance Styles

Ballet  ''Ballet is a dance executed by the human soul.'' Alexander Pushkin

Ballet is a highly formal, disciplined and classic dance form with specific terminology, technique and choreography.  It forms the basis for all other types of dance as it helps develop strength, posture, grace, co-ordination, technique and musical awareness. Class consists of Barre, Centre Floor, Adage, Petite Allegro, Grand Allegro and Choreography. 

 

Tap  "If you play a tune and a person don't tap their feet, don't play the tune."  Count Basie

Tap is a rhythmical stimulating style of dance. Dancers practise a series of basic steps. As the dancer becomes proficient more difficult combinations are mastered. Classical tappers use their arms and upper bodies to blend movements of ballet and jazz in to their routines. Class consists of Barre, Centre work and Choreography.

 

Modern''What is modern about modern dance is its resistance to the past, its response to the present, it's constant redefining of the idea of dance.'' Marcia B. Siegel                        

Modern dance is a genre that is related to both ballet and jazz and can be lyrical/contempoary in nature. Dancers learn how to create "lines" and to dance with breadth, freedom of movement and emotion. The work is based upon the use of contraction and relaxation. Dancers gradually build up strength and suppleness to gain a sound technique that can work hand in hand with other dance genres, and help form an all round dancer. Class work consists of Barre, Floor, Centre and Creative movement.   

 

Jazz "Learning to dance gives you the greatest freedom of all: to express with your whole self the person you are.'' Melissa Hayde

Jazz technique borrows from classical ballet, modern dance and other varied techniques such as contemporary, lyrical, folk, african traditional, blues, funk and musical styles to name but a few. It combines technique with a dancer's individual style and originality. It is energetic and consists of fancy footwork, big leaps and quick turns. Class work comprises Barre, Centre, Floor, Isolations, Creative movement and Choreography. Lyrical Jazz is an off shoot of Jazz dance. 

Freestyle (Contemporary/Lyrical) " The dance is an animate composition in space. Dancing is movement made significant; technique used to express spiritual context in intelligent form (endpapers of Martha Graham by Merle Armitage) 

Contemporary dance is an expressive style of dance. Dance technique tends to combine the strong and controlled legwork of ballet with modern dance's stress on the torso, and also employs contract-release, floor work, fall and recovery and improvisation. Routines will be performed in class using such techniques. 

Lyrical dance is a style which blends ballet and jazz. Movements are characterized by fluidity and grace, with the dancer flowing seamlessly from one move to another. Leaps are high and soaring, and turns fluid and continuous. Routines will be performed to music with lyrics, often powerful expressive songs to give the dancer a chance to express a range of strong emotions. 

 

Starlite Level (3-5yrs)  "Dance is just discovery, discovery, discovery." Martha Graham

Students have opportunity to experience Ballet, Tap & Modern within each half hour class.