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engage. enhance. empower.
Dance Classes For Children
Children's Dance Division at Lake Shore Dance
When your child is little, you want to give him or her opportunities to find their passion. It could be dance! Our children's classes are designed to teach our smallest dancers to be creative thinkers, develop musicality, and have a strong body-mind connection. Through creative activities, songs, and structured exercises, your little learns how to dance correctly, safely, and learns the proper dance terminology. You are guaranteed that if your little one finds dance as her/his passion, she/he is prepared to take her studies to the next level.
Our team of children's class instructors are passionate educators specifically trained to work with each age group. The children's team understands that small children learn through play and exploration and balance this play with a class structure that engages and encourages your child. Watch your child's eyes light up with joy as these gifted teachers guide your child through their lessons every week!
As the leader in children's dance in our area, we know that your child's success starts with their first steps in the dance studio! Our children's program develops confidence, independence, coordination, and creativity through interactive, creative activities and exercises.
Children's Dance Curriculum Highlights
- Each program is structured around milestones for social, physical, and intellectual development.
- Creativity combined with structure to engage and inspire for maximum progression.
- Progressive curriculum ensures solid technical foundations.
- Lessons in Ballet, tap, and jazz covering not only steps, but gross motor concepts to establish a strong technical base from the first days.
Children have a full-time occupation - it is called play. Let them be occupied by it from their early years until their twilight years.
Children's Class Descriptions
Tots 1
Ages 15 Months* +
Ages 15 Months* +
Our littlest dancers eyes sparkle with excitement as they independently explore music, dance and independence through creative movement. You will be amazed by what your child's growth in this class every week!
A Lake Shore Dance exclusive program.
25 minute class
Class meets 1 time per week
Dress Requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
*Children must be able to walk on their own to participate. This is a "by myseslf" class.
Tots 2
Ages 3+
Ages 3+
Does your toddler love to sing and dance around the house? Time for our Tots 2 class! We embrace your child's natural love of music and movement to teach basic tap fundamentals and gross motor skills through structured and fun creative activities.
40 minute class
Class meets 1 time per week
Dress requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Black Patent Leather Tap Shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black Tie Tap shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
Pre-Ballet and Tap
Ages 4+
Ages 4+
Your child's creativity and energy is in full swing and we know how channel both into an fulfilling and educational class session your child will love! Children learn basic tap patterning, musicality and combinations during the tap portion, fundamental ballet steps with the correct French Terminology and basic alignment during the ballet segment, and explore movement creatively to develop their artistry during the creative movement portion.
55 minute class
Class meets 1 time per week
Dress requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Black Patent Leather Tap Shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black Tie Tap shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
Dance Basics
Ages 5+
Ages 5+
Kindergarten has started and your child is so excited to learn! After a full day of school, your child will love having this creative outlet to look forward to each week! Dance Basics builds the ballet and tap fundamentals from Pre-Ballet and Tap, advancing terminology and skills while building confidence, patterning, and logic. Our Dance Basics class is the perfect partner for school!
55 minute class
Class meets 1 time per week
Dress requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Black Patent Leather Tap Shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black Tie Tap shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
Level I
Ages 6-8
Ages 6-8
Amazing things happen during our first full curricular level! Discipline, flexibility, and skills develop rapidly in Level I. Children study ballet and tap and have the option to add jazz to their training. Level I students learn to love the challenge presented to them in each class! Classes are taught with proper progression as the number one focus while encouraging confidence and artistry in every lesson. All dancers ages 6-8 start at Level I and must complete Level I to move on into Level II.
85 Minutes, Once per week
Dress requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Black Patent Leather Tap Shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black Tie Tap shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
Level II
Placement Only
Placement Only
Level II progresses on the curriculum and standards taught in Level I. Dancers must pass the Level I standards to be placed into Level II. Transfer students and new students age 6-8, please start at Level I. Level II dancers continue to study Ballet and Tap progressing the material learned in Level I. Students in Level II have the option of adding jazz class to their studies.
85 Minutes, Once per week
Dress requirements:
Girls - Pink Ballet shoes, Black Patent Leather Tap Shoes, Pink Tights, and Black Leos (or dance dresses/dance skirts)
Boys - Black Ballet Shoes, Black Tie Tap shoes, Black pants/shorts, White Shirt
Training Division Dance Lessons at Lake Shore Dance
Success is in the Training!
Classes begin at 8 Years Old
Progressive Curriculum Variety of Dance Styles Technique, Not Tricks
Our program uniquely focuses on training first. We believe that the most versatile and dynamic dancers study a full spectrum of dance types. In addition to ballet, Lake Shore Dance offers cutting edge classes in the classical forms: Jazz, Tap, Modern/Lyrical/Contemporary, as well as supplementary classes in acrobatics, pointe training, Hip Hop, and our exclusive AMP program which teaches dancers performance skills and musical theater elements.
In addition to our core programming, Lake Shore Dance brings in a wide variety of Master and Guest teachers to keep the classroom fresh for our dancers. Our summer intensive series has included guest instructors from around the region teaching jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theater. Our students are inspired and motivated by these guests. Lake Shore Dance offers a variety of dance styles with the overall goal of a well-rounded dance education. We root our proven curriculum in technique influenced by the styles and theories passed down through generations of dance master. Our methods gives dancers the edge in performance, master classes, and auditions, while developing a respect for the amazing history of dance. Learn to dance with correct foundations and reduce the risk of injury that results from improper, non-progressive training!
Ballet
Ballet has been called the fundamental base of all classical dance forms. We believe firmly in the importance of Ballet for every dancer as the technique teaches the terminology used throughout the different genre, the sense of body alignment and movement mechanics, mannerisms and etiquette, and gives our dancers the foundations they need to be successful in dance. Our curriculum progresses dancers properly through 7 additional levels, establishing the foundations of technique and building to advanced artistry. Ballet meets twice per week beginning at Level V with the option of two days beginning at Level I.
Dress Code:
Girls - Black Leo (Seniors in High School may wear any color leo), Pink Tights, Pink Canvas Ballet Shoes. A sheer ballet skirt may be worn. Hair must be in a tight bun. The only acceptable jewelry is stud earrings.
Boys - Black form fitting pants or shorts, White form fitting shirt, black ballet shoes.
Pointe
When one pictures a ballet dancer, often an image of a graceful female standing on the tips of her toes with ribbons tied around the ankles comes to mind. Pointe is a beautiful extension of ballet for females. Lake Shore Dance has an exceptional training system that builds strength and confidence in our dancers as they pursue dancing "en Pointe".
Dancers must pass a pointe exam to pursue pointe dancing at Lake Shore Dance and meet certain age, physical, and training criteria to train en pointe.
Dress Code: Same as ballet class.
Tap
One of the original American dance forms is tap dance. It's percussive nature captures our natural rhythm as we make music with our feet.
Dress Code:
Dancers may wear comfortable clothing that does not cover the feet. As dancers progress, we recommend tie tap shoes with a firm, full sole.
Jazz
Another classic dance genre with roots in America is jazz dance. This high energy class builds strength, endurance, performance skills, flexibility, precision, and musicality. Through classical jazz theories and modern fusion styles, our jazz program pushes our dancers to achieve more than they could imagine!
Jazz fundamentals begin in our children's classes and build in intensity through the training division in ways that are truly unique to our program and jazz is an important facet of our dancers' success.
Dress Code:
Girls: Black Leo, form fitting athletic tank, and /or sports bras, dance shorts or leggings. Dark Tan jazz shoes. Dancers may wear tights but should be able to dance barefoot if requested by the teacher. Hair must be pulled back out of the face.
Boys: Loose or form fitting dance attire. Black jazz shoes.
Lyrical/Modern/ Contemporary
While unique in their own way, these three techniques commonly evolved from the desire to break the mold on dance training; embracing artistry, personal expression, and freedom in movement. At Lake Shore Dance, we embrace all three techniques, intertwining their methods to challenge and motivate our students to dance in new ways and explore their own artistry.
In these classes, dancers will explore concepts from different modern techniques to develop technique and body awareness, explore improvisation and partnering, and learn combinations to develop performance skills.
Dress Code:
Girls: Black Leo, form fitting athletic tank, and /or sports bras, dance shorts or leggings. Dancers may wear tights but should be able to dance barefoot if requested by the teacher. Hair must be pulled back out of the face.
Boys: Loose or form fitting dance attire.
Elective Workshops
Supplement your child's experience with workshop classes in exciting elective techniques.
Musical Theater (AMP): This program is exclusively offered at Lake Shore Dance. With a focus on Musical Theater, our AMP program teaches dancers essential performance skills through acting exercises.
*Dancers may need heels based on instructor preference.
Hip Hop: Hip Hop is an ever evolving form of dance. We believe in preserving authenticity while keeping on top of current trends in our Hip Hop program. Through a rotating staff of amazing faculty that continually train and perform, our dancers have a unique opportunity to explore this technique.
Dress Code: Loose
Acrobatics, skills, and conditioning: A dancer's body is their instrument and maintaining flexibility and strength are essential to a dancer's development. Lake Shore Dance offers classes and workshops designed to address this necessity for the serious dancer.
Dress Code: form fitting top, shorts, no tights, bare feet. shoes may be requested for skills classes.
Ready to Enroll?
Enrollment Intakes at Lake Shore Dance occur at the following times:
January: Register for the Winter Interim Mini-Session - 6 week session
April: Register for the Summer Jumpstart Program - 6 week session
July - December: Register for the Full Term -9 months of classes starting in September
Steps to Enroll:
1. Fill out the Registration Form by clicking "Enroll Now".
2. Select your child's class by their current age.
3. Submit your registration and payment
You are all set!
I'm obviously always interested in the dancer who's an athlete and vice versa. I expect dancers to be in condition like an athlete is and to challenge themselves in the same way, to the same physical degree.