Dance Lab

Overview

Lab 1 (February 5) - "Transition Steps" Transitions can be challenging and require deliberate practice!  In this lab, instruction will focus on foundational steps that may look simple but are actually a bit more complex and are often skipped over in rehearsal and class settings because teachers have an expectation that they are already known.  This lab will give students time and practice with these steps.  The lab will also include combinations that will help a dancer in auditions and in musical theater productions. 

Lab 2 (March 5) - "Turns and Pivots"

Turns are so important in dance and yet they can be some of the most challenging steps to master! This lab will help students with their understanding of direction and weight challenges in turns. Instruction will include exercises for strength in balance, and application of turns in simple combinations.  The lab will include simple dance combos to apply the turns that are learned.

Lab 3 (April 9) - "Stretching Exercises"

'What is a good stretch for....' is a question we are often asked as dance teachers. This lab will focus on the best stretches for specific areas of dance. The students will receive a comprehensive dive into stretches that will effectively help them in all forms of dance and performance. Some of the areas the lab will focus on include hamstrings, inner thighs, and back flexibility.  These areas of flexibility relate directly to splits, second splits, arabesque, etc. The students will leave knowing specific stretches they can do on their own so they can see the results in a fast, efficient, and safe way.

Lab 4 (May 7) - "Leaps and Jumps"

Leaps are impressive but they take time and skill to be proficient!  Leaping and jumping are basic locomotor movements in dance, which involve transferring weight from one leg to another in the air. This lab will cover the basic skills needed for leaps and jumps including coordination, body position, arm placement, takeoff and landing, and strength drills.  The lab will focus on specific leaps and jumps and then put them into simple combinations for the student to safely understand the entrance and exit of every leap and jump they execute.