Class Descriptions

Essential Movement

Essential Movement is a class for our youngest dancers ages 2-3 years old. This class is ballet based, with an emphasis on further development of motor skills. The purpose of this class is to introduce movement, introduce a classroom atmosphere, and develop a passion for dance that will last a lifetime. 

Tiny Tots Combo

Tiny Tots is a class for dancers ages 3-5. This class is a combination of ballet and tap. The purpose of this class is to introduce movement fundamentals and to build basic skills in these two genres. At the same time these little ones are working on coordination and focus.

Tiny Tots Acro Gym

Tiny Tots is a class for dancers ages 3-5. This class is a beginning tumbling class that focuses on fundamentals. The purpose of this class is to introduce the building blocks of tumbling and develop a strong foundation of different skills. 

Hippity Hoppers

Hippity Hoppers is a class for dancers ages 3-5. This class is an intro to hip hop that focuses on fundamentals. The purpose of this class is to introduce the building blocks of hip hop, coordination, groove, and develop a strong foundation of different skills.

Toddler Time

Toddler Time is a class designed for you and your little one ages 12 (walking)- 24 months. Spend some quality time with your child in a safe and positive atmosphere. This class provides structured activities to stimulate senses and introduce music, movement, and other performing and visual art exploration. Your child will build strength, self esteem, keep and build muscles, and increase stability.

Ballet

Ballet is a classical dance form demanding grace and precision while performing formalized steps and gestures. It is a form of intricate technical skill in order to create expression through movement. It is the foundation of every dance style and teaches discipline and focus. Depending on age/level, dancers will learn barrework, adagio, allegro, pirouettes, etc. Dancers may also progress to pre-pointe with sufficient training and a minimum of two ballet technique classes per week.

Pointe and Pre-Pointe

Pointe is open to dancers who have mastered the necessary level of ballet and are ready for a more intense study. This class uses pointe shoes. Dancers taking this class must be both technically and physically ready to begin pointe work, as determined by the ballet faculty. Dancers on pointe must be taking, at a minimum, two ballet technique classes per week to take pointe.

Pre-pointe is a one to two year long class that precedes actual pointe training and allows the dancer to further refine their alignment and strength, focusing on posture and the strengthening of knees, ankles, and toes, and is open to dancers who have mastered the necessary level of ballet, as determined by the ballet faculty. Successful completion of the pre-pointe program allows the dancers to begin pointe training. Dancers must be taking, at a minimum, two ballet classes per week in order to take pre-pointe.

Jazz

Jazz is an energetic style that focuses on a variety of moves, steps, leaps, and turns.   Students will focus on flexibility and technical skill while performing across the floor and center combinations.

Tap

Tap uses different rhythms and syncopations to add style and sound to movement. Exercises in this class focus on building flexibility of the knees and ankles, in addition to coordination and speed of movement. The class emphasis is on developing proper tap technique, producing clear tap sounds, and having fun.

Lyrical

Lyrical emphasizes interpretation of music and lyrics while telling a story with movement that can be fluid or abstract. You must be taking ballet simultaneously with this class in order to register.

Contemporary

This class focuses on letting go and stepping out of your comfort zone. A mixture of all dance styles it fuses together technique and passion. This dance style asks dancers to tell a story and to express deep emotions.

Hip-Hop

This class includes a wide range of styles primarily breaking, locking, popping, and contemporary hip hop.  Hip-Hop is an enthusiastic and energetic class that is one of the most popular dance styles. Hip-hop dance requires students to have the strength and stamina to successfully perform moves.

Acro

Acrobatics is gymnastics for dance. Students will use dance techniques mixed with precision acrobatic elements. Students will learn such skills as handstands, chin stands, elbow stands, cartwheels, back bends, walkovers, balance, & contortion tricks. Acro is not the typical tumbling or gymnastics class. This class is great for students looking to enhance their agility, flexibility, & strength. MATS: Diamond Dance Works utilizes what is called a sprung dance floor. This surface is made up of foam, plywood, and vinyl ensuring the necessary cushion for the dancer's safety. Initially when classes start in the beginning of the year, you may see the use of some mats that you would recognize from a gymnastics gym. Gymnastics gyms use these for 'power tumbling, barre, and beam', which is different than the 'dance acro' in which we are teaching at the studio. As instructors see improvement in the class they will slowly remove the use of the mats. Once the mats are removed it is common to see some small bruising from practicing their acro skills. This is common to this type of dance and nothing to be worried about. Our dancer's safety is the number one priority in every single class that we offer, which is why we require specific equipment for certain classes. We must remember the dancers are using their bodies to jump, leap, roll, stretch, and move in new ways, and the inherent physicality of dance does pose the potential for injury, just like any other sport like football or soccer, etc. 

Cheer Skills

This class is designed for anyone that wants to be or is a cheerleader. It will focus on jump height and form, sharp motions, choreography, and stunts at the half level. This class is taught by former cheerleaders and pommies. 

Musical Theatre

This class focuses on basic dance skills and acting in a musical theatre atmosphere.  It combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance to portray emotional content of a musical.