Our Pre-Dance class is incredibly sweet and fun. This class focuses on Pre-Ballet technique and basic Tap with an introduction to basic Ballet and Tap terminology. In this class, children will work on fine motor skills such as balancing on one foot and moving multiple body parts at one time. In addition, the class uses props and contains delightful music for children. ISDC Pre-Dance class is the perfect balance of fun, making friends and learning while having fun!

Please click to view our Pre-Dance Welcome Letter from our director here for more details.
View Pre-Dance Guide.

Jazz class features a combination of unique moves, intricate footwork, leaps and quick turns. This class enhances a dancer’s grace and balance. Key characteristics include isolations and rhythmic layering. In addition, students learn how to build muscle strength, increase their body flexibility, develop their own movement style, and familiarize themselves with the concept of ‘body awareness’. It also focuses on clean lines, extensions, turns, jumps, and tricks.

Children are introduced to creative movement and encouraged to discover the unique ways in which the body may express itself.  Techniques for enhancing flexibility and building strength are systematically introduced within a nurturing environment suitable for children of this age. Modern class will incorporate many of the foundations of modern dance technique, including suspension and release, fall and recovery, the use of momentum and connecting breath with movement. Dancers will explore new ways of moving in combinations, floor work and partnering, and also in various methods of improvisation. Our various levels of Modern placement is by age and teacher recommendation. The fundamentals and a glimpse into curriculum are as follows:

• Modern Level I: Dancers begin to explore basic elements of Martha Graham technique, including use of breath, shift of weight and concepts of spiral. Emphasis is on expanding the possibilities of movement through focus on proper alignment and development of technical skills within a creative environment.

• Modern Level II: Dancers are introduced formally to basic Martha Graham vocabulary, including physical contraction and release, use of spiral and shift of weight. Learning about the relationship of Martha Graham technique to other art forms such as music, art, and literature helps students experience the power of dance and the process of creative collaboration. Children create their own short dance studies and perform them for their peers.

• Modern Level III: Dancers learn the classic exercises level I-II  of the Martha Graham technique, including floor work, center work, and combinations across the floor.  In addition, they are introduced to the formal elements of the creative process through study of composition and repertory.  Works suitable to their age and development are choreographed specifically for them.

Our Hip-Hop classes are a smooth, organic blend of urban/hip-hop, contemporary jazz, modern, Latin, techno, and even some lyrical dance with emphasis on staging, presentation and good ol’ fashion style. This eclectic interpretation of Hip-Hop and R&B music encourages students to shed their inhibitions, express themselves and to exercise the biggest challenge of all, TO HAVE FUN! ISDC Hip-Hop class, regardless of level, is a high-energy class that infuses the latest styles of street dancing, breaking, popping, and locking.

The class begins with a warm-up focusing on strength, stretch, isolations, and breathing. Then moves on to a variety of movements across the floor which prepares them to dance. Our instructors provide combinations and choreography that are always energetic and fun.

ISDC provides excellence in multi levels of ballet. Ballet exposes each dancer to the skills of dance that create a solid foundation for all styles of dance. In-Step Dance Center is proud to offer several ballet techniques such as Russian (Vaganova), R.A.D. Bournonville & Cecchetti. Our advanced upper level ballet classes incorporate Pointe (Pointe is by invitation only), character & Pas de deux. We are confident that our ballet classes allow a dancer to maintain and increase their ballet performance in areas such as body alignment, technique, musicality and purity of line and grace.

Each class begins with a proper warm up to prevent injury. Throughout their ballet journey with ISDC, dancers will learn classical ballet technique and terminology through level appropriate barre, center, and across-the-floor progressions. Dancers will develop grace, elegance, technique, discipline, flexibility, stamina, endurance and more!

Pointe is a thrilling way to take your ballet training to the next level. It can be intimidating. With the right guidance and encouragement from our knowledgeable teachers, dancing on Pointe can be the adventure of a lifetime. If a student does not fully understand how to work correctly in ballet slippers, the student is not ready for pointe. He/she must have mastered essential leg and ankle strength and proper body alignment.  Students must also demonstrate the commitment and maturity necessary to handle the demands of pointe work. Did you know the bones of a child’s foot start to become harder at ages 9-11 years? For this reason,it is recommended that dancers should not go on pointe until this time.

The prerequisite for pointe is approximately 3 years of formal ballet training to develop adequate strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Barre’ and center work should be performed easily. The dancer must be able to go onto the center floor and be able to releve and passé position. This means that the dancer must be able to stand balanced up on one foot with minimal shaking for a period of 15 seconds. If this is not possible, then the dancer is probably not strong enough to support the body’s weight.

*Approval from our Director or your ballet teacher is required to start pointe.

As a beginner tap dancer, the student will learn the basic fundamental tap sounds and steps leading to advanced rhythms and syncopation. Students will progress to tap combinations of various paces. Eventually, our classes will provide challenging routines that’ll have him/her focusing and learning even more quickly using cognitive abilities from both sides of the brain, increasing muscle memory and mental memory. Our routines incorporate many tap styles such as Broadway, Hoofin, Rhythm Tap & Stomp. We dedicate emphasis to proper body placement, positioning, weight shifts, clarity of tap sound, and rhythms. While we have several options for Tap, classes are taught on a skill level basis. We begin with basic technique and rhythm in kindergarten, then move on to expand technique skills and incorporate combinations, time steps, and proper attention to rhythm. Without prior experience, students could find tap classes too challenging.

Our Turns & Elevations classes provide proper body alignment, enhance the student’s strength safely and increase their knowledge and vocabulary in technique. Each student will be encouraged to explore their ability to move the center of gravity (elevation) efficiently between levels with control. Elevation allows a dancer to explore and extend their range. In addition, these classes introduce a variety of turns, leaps, and the methods and mechanics to stronger dancing.

Lyrical dance is a style that combines ballet, modern techniques, and jazz dancing techniques. It is performed to music with lyrics so that it inspires the expression of strong emotions the choreographer feels from the lyrics of the song. This style concentrates on an individual approach and expressiveness of such emotions as love, joy, hurt, or anger. It does not concentrate on the dancer’s precision of movement rather the focus is on the fluidity of movement while nurturing the dancer to explore his/her inner passion for dance through lyrical interpretation.

Our Musical Theatre class combines the best of both worlds, singing, and dancing. The class will be a combination of original and sometimes zany choreography; often combining ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance with singing. Music of all genres will be used and interpreted providing a truly theatrical experience. It is a great workshop for students who aim to use their dance in local theater productions.

In this triple combination class, students will learn basic acting and musical theater performance techniques. As they progress over the season, each student will grow in self-confidence, poise and stage presence. The focus and emphasis in this class will be vocal projection, character development, memorization, stage directions, and audition techniques.

Our Drill Team Prep class is ideal for dancers who aspire to be on a drill or dance team. Dancers are ready to focus on flexibility and jazz technique including leaps, jumps, turns, tricks, and picking up combinations. Our goal is not only to improve precision, poise, and performance quality but to prepare dancers in every angle for High School or Collegiate Drill Team tryouts.

ISDC follows the Acrobatic Arts Syllabus. This incredible program is based on safe and effective progressions with proven results in five divisions of AcroDance: Flexibility, Strength, Balancing, Limbering, and Tumbling. Our Acro & Tumbling classes are for the dancer who likes to spend time up-side-down! Acrobatics teaches technique, flexibility, balance, strength, muscle control, discipline & concentration. Each level in this class category will contain level and age-appropriate skills with hands-on corrections, encouragement, and successful achievements. These achievements are, but not limited to, handstands, chin stands, elbow stands, cartwheels, backbends, walkovers, balance contortion tricks. As the student grows in each level, they will lead to fulfillment of aerials, front and back handsprings, and back tucks.  

For more information about Acrobatics Arts Syllabus, visit their website at https://www.acrobaticarts.com.

The In-Step Dance Center “Jeweled Program” is for all levels of ballet class and is assessed with Ballet Class Examinations. The aim of Ballet Class Examinations is to provide an assessment scheme for dance, which gives the basis for the measurement of the dancer’s progress and development. The earned jewel color will determine the color of hip alignment belt the dancer will wear during class.

In addition, the Jeweled Ballet Program educates dancers by providing a progressive awareness of the culture and technique of Classical Ballet through a graded program of training and assessment. The program provides a structured examination system that can be followed by children who are studying Classical Ballet as recreation or for the child who wishes to progress to vocational training in Classical Ballet or another theatrical dance form.  The Ballet Class Exams will be graded by visiting professional examiners twice a year; once a semester the week before Thanksgiving and the week before Spring Break. 

Check back soon for more information!