Creative Movement
Creative Movement classes are offered to children ages 3 to 7. These classes focus on developing spatial and rhythmic awareness, balance and co-ordination as well as cooperation, listening skills and expression. Developmentally appropriate activities, pre-ballet and pre-jazz, stories, songs, and poems encourage the imagination and capitalize on the young child’s natural love of movement, while preparing them for more technical forms of training.
Ballet
Ballet is offered to students age 5 to adult. Ballet training develops correct posture and flexibility. It gives dancers basic placement and a dance vocabulary that applies to all dance forms. ACDA Ballet classes follow the Russian Style Ballet Syllabus.
Jazz
Jazz classes are offered to students age 7 and older. Jazz is a fun, exciting and energetic stage dance form with African and Caribbean roots, which also incorporates ballet technique. Jazz develops flexibility, coordination and rhythm. Jazz is one of today’s most popular dance forms.
Lyrical
ACDA offers a combination jazz and lyrical to students age 13 and older. In Lyrical dance, the lyrics of the chosen song serve as inspiration for movements and expressions. Powerful, expressive songs are often used in lyrical dance to give dancers a chance to express a range of strong emotions through their dancing. Movements in lyrical dance are characterized by fluidity and grace.
Hip-Hop
Hip-Hop is offered to students age 7 and older. This athletic, urban dance form incorporates current dance trends to popular music.
Tap
Tap classes are offered to students age 6 to adult. Tap is an Ethnic American dance form made popular by Broadway musicals and currently a popular choice for recreational dancers of all ages. Broadway tap focuses as much on choreography as it does the percussive sound of the feet.
Step Dance
Step Dance is offered to students age 6 to adult. Quick, neat and close to the floor, traditional Cape Breton Step Dance involves intricate percussive footwork danced to Scottish strathspeys and reels. Acadian and Irish reels may also be used.
Modern Dance
Modern is offered to students age 12 to adult. Modern Dance encompasses theatrical dance forms distinct from ballet and stage dance. Modern Dance is based on dynamism, formulated from natural rhythms, and may be experimental and creative in nature.