The A Time To Dance Pre-Professional Dance program is designed for any gifted student who would like to prepare for a career as a professional or college dancer. Students must be at least at an intermediate level to participate. The diverse curriculum includes intensive training in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Strength Training, Improv and more. Students must comply with course requirements specific to each level. Attendance in all Pre-Professional classes is required.
All students must audition to be accepted into the program. Audition/Placement will be determined by an individual audition and/or performance in class. Both current and new applicants are evaluated and placement is determined for the following academic year during the summer. All applications are considered in the order received.
Ballet: Ballet sets the foundation for a strong technical ability and with strong ballet technique it is easier for a dancer to transition between all styles of dance. It requires discipline and dedication therefore, in the Pre-Professional Program, dancers will be expected to follow the dress code as well as follow ballet classroom etiquette. The dancer needs to be prepared to focus on their ballet training and technique. We will continue to work on strength, agility, balance, body alignment, posture and flexibility through a barre warm-up, center work and across the floor.
Jazz: In the pre-professional program, jazz classes will continue developing the dancer’s jazz technique with more complex progressions across the floor as well as more intricate dance combinations. The dancers will also continue to work on strength and endurance to keep in their best shape.
Hip Hop: Dancers will continue working on their isolations, rhythm, breaking, popping, locking, krumping and “house dancing” with more difficult and complex across the floor and center combinations.
Contemporary: In this class, the dancers will continue to learn and master the feeling of their bodies holding weight and staying grounded. This class will help the dancers to continue to develop a sense of individuality through improv and an all-around freedom of movement. They will continue to work on contractions, releases, falling, recovery and using their breath and space while dancing.
Lyrical: During this class, dancers will continue to develop a sense of feeling and emotion. They will work on hearing the music and lyrics and portraying those emotions through their dancing. We will try to dig deeper and the dancers will learn to express their own emotions through their movement and be able to use dance as an outlet.
Tap: In this fast-paced challenging class, students will be working on tap steps with a very high degree of difficulty. The student will continue to master intricate tap steps and rhythms as well as continue to develop their coordination and rhythmic skills.