Our classical jazz classes are influenced by many jazz elements such as Broadway, street jazz, and commercial jazz. These classes focus on clean, strong lines of the body that promotes self-expression. It is suitable for all ages although we recommend some ballet training. “To excel in jazz, dancers need a strong background in ballet, as it encourages grace and balance.” (Treva Bedinghaus, 2017)
Learning jazz technique requires a lot of practice. Our six levels concentrate on core strengthening that enables dancers to move with more control. Levels six through four are our beginner levels that deal with learning the proper alignment and technique needed for more difficult movements. As dancers move up in levels, they will continue to be appropriately challenged while working more and more to perfect the skills learned. Our level one dancers need to be able to move quickly while maintaining proper technique and control of their bodies. All levels learn musicality as music is a big influence with this style and can be very different according to what the instructor chooses to do. Our jazz classes are high in energy and a lot of fun!
A typical jazz class will start with a warm up of isolations from head to toe. We do a lot of stretching that leads into crunches and push-ups. Dancers will then go across the floor to do kicks, turns and leaps. Class ends with small combinations in the center. The instructor will use some class time for choreography for our recital.