Dancers can begin ballet at the age of 3 but with limitations as to what they can do. Ballet emphasizes proper alignment of the body focusing on turnout, center and fluid movement of the entire body at the same time. Ballet is the most regimen and focused form of dance demanding a lot of time and years to perfect. Class consists of barre warm up, center work, progressions across the floor and weekly combinations.

This is an advanced form of ballet and is what all serious ballet dancers strive to achieve and perfect. Pointe shoes or Toe shoe as they are often referred to are a blocked ballet slipper that allows the dancer to stand tall on her toes. We at XDA do not allow dancers to progress to this level until they are 12 years of age and have had several years of formal training in Ballet. Class for Pointe consists of the same kinds of warm up and center work just more advanced and with the toe shoes.

Lyrical and Modern are very interchangeable dance forms and often coincide with one another. They both focus on telling a story through dance and the movement of the body. Both tend to emphasize the lyrics and the music that they are being performed to. They also focus on such techniques as Fall and Recover, Contract and Release and the movement of your body through your breath. Class is begun with a center warm up and is followed by progressions across the floor, center work and combinations. Age 6-7 to begin with at least one year of jazz or ballet.

Jazz dance is linked to many forms of dance and requires great strength and agility. Its focus is purely performance driven and is often seen in most Broadway shows. Jazz requires the dancer to put emphasis on certain parts of the body called isolations. We also focus on a lot of amazing tricks, turns, leaps and jumps as well as flexibility. Your main goal is to bring the audience into your world and make them sit on the edge of their seat! Music styles for this dance form are a wide range from oldies to hard core rock and show tunes. Class begins with a warm up, progressions across the floor, center work that is focused on learning tricks and combinations. Age 5 to begin and up.

Tap dancing focuses on the exact counts of the music and is performed with shoes that come with or have metal taps added to the toe and heel. Tap class consists of learning to feel the music and the rhythm as well as speed and agility with the different steps in tap. Tap greats such as Gregory Hines pushed this art form to the next level putting it at the forefront of dance along with Ballet! Age 3 to begin and up.

This New Break Out form of dance focuses on such techniques as pop and lock and freestyle. This urban dance form stepped onto the dance seen in the 70’s and 80’s and was known as break dancing. Since then it has progressed into something that today is the widest dance form used. At times the dancers seem as though they very sharp (pop & lock) and at other times within the same dance they are so fluid their body seems to mesh and melt together. This dance form is often seen in music videos for pop music and rap and is very commercialized on TV today because it is SOOOO HOOOT!!! Age 7 to begin with/without experience.

Music Theatre is often seen in Broadway Shows. The performer incorporates all forms of performance in the same piece through dance, singing and acting. Students learn to break out of their shell and true become someone else or something else depending on the part. Class focuses on all three forms of performance and what it takes to put a show together. This included learning about staging, lighting, props and costumes as well as writing and staging their very on piece in class. Age 7 to begin with dance experience.

Tumble focuses on the floor aspect of gymnastics. In this the students learn the basics such as rolls and kart wheels to front and back handsprings. This class requires the students to remain very focused at all times due to the level of risk. Tumblers are conditioned throughout each class to build up their upper and lower body strength and flexibility. This allows them to control their movement better and hold themselves in the difficult tricks. This class often moves very slow allowing each student to progress at his/her own pace so that safety is always an issue!!! Ages 3 and up.

At XDA this is included in the tumble class because most students that come to us wanting to tumble so that they can be better cheerleaders. In this we teach them such things as arm motions, voice projection, cheers, chants and proper stunting techniques. We also go over what the students are to expect in their local middle and high school tryouts to give them the best chance to make the team.

This is an advanced team which requires each student to tryout for. This squad includes the basics from dance, tumble and cheer to create a powerful team. Students are pushed to their full potential and compete in local cheer and dance competitions.

This class focuses on mainly strengthen the dancers body and making him or her more flexible. We also focus on proper alignment of the body and getting the dancers more centered. Turns, Leaps, Jumps and Tricks are also focused on in this class. Age 7-up and you must be serious about dance!

Competitive teams are available for the more serious dancers and students wanting to take the art form to the next level. Competition exposes the children to so many new aspects of dance and pushes them to be the best! Students wishing to participate must understand that this requires a full commitment and a greater obligation to be at 100% all times not just for yourself but also for your team. Parents need to understand that with this come a greater financial obligation with tuition, convention fee’s and competition fee’s as well as costuming. Tryouts are held once a year in the spring and you are placed on a team according to your level not your age.