Afro Caribbean

Through complex rhythms, vivid stories, and rich history, students develop dance fundamentals while exploring the artistry of Afro Caribbean traditions. Drawing from modern, contemporary, and Afrocentric dance practices, this class develops core dance principles such as balance and coordination while introducing students to intricate rhythms and vibrant expressivity. Afro Caribbean prepares students for ongoing studies in a wide range of dance forms including modern, contemporary, and African based styles.

Ballet

The ballet program encourages students to enjoy the challenges and practices of learning ballet technique. Students work with experienced teachers that focus on ballet fundamentals emphasizing placement, execution, precision, clarity of line, dynamic movement, musicality, and freedom of artistic expression. Students will feel a sense of accomplishment through the discipline and mastery of technical skills, while enjoying moving to music, all in an inclusive and nurturing environment.

Pre-Pointe/Pointe

Pre-Pointe/Pointe is for the beginner pointe dancer. This class will focus on strengthening the muscles of the legs, feet, ankles, and core in order to support pointe work. Dancers will continue to improve their overall alignment and the control necessary to dance on pointe. When the dancer is ready, they will start working on pointe, facing the barre. Students must have a solid foundation in ballet technique (intermediate level proficiency) and approval from the Program Advisor to register. For best results and advancement, Encuentros dancers are required to take the Tuesday Intermediate ballet class immediately prior and at least 1 additional ballet class per week to be on pointe. Students aspiring to go on pointe are highly encouraged to take this class in flat shoes for pre-pointe training.

DO NOT buy pointe shoes before the class begins. The instructor will work with each student to make sure they find the appropriate shoe and fit before making this big investment.

Please note that this class does not perform in the end of year recital.

Contemporary Dance

Contemporary dance centers self-expression, creative freedom, and the conveyance of emotion through movement. Literally meaning “dance of today,” this genre is inspired by all movement sources and the experiences the teacher and students bring to the class. As such, students will get to call upon genres they may have tried previously (such as ballet or jazz) as well as gain exposure to new genres or styles (such as hip-hop or floorwork) through the class material. Students may experience a variety of benefits from this class, including increased body awareness and reduced stress, as well as improved balance, flexibility, and core strength.

Flamenco

Spanish Dance has been the backbone of the School of Dance since its founding in the early 1970’s. Students in the Encuentros Program focus on flamenco, studying the roots and history of the art form, alongside the technique and artistry.

Hip-Hop

Explore the culture, history, and evolution of hip-hop! Students learn various styles, including locking, popping, house, breaking, and freestyle; building their strength, skill, and technique. Classes pay homage to the hip-hop pioneers, creating a safe learning space and a sense of community for students to engage in this social dance form.

Jazz

The fundamentals of jazz technique build strong body alignment, increased flexibility, and muscle awareness through its form and style. Students develop musicality and retention skills as they perform combinations and learn the artistry of various jazz repertoire. Stretch and conditioning is an important element of the class structure, along with the exploration of historical jazz roots.

Latin Rhythms & Salsa

Designed to teach students the history, culture, and social etiquette of Latin dances, these classes sharpen skills in musicality, dance terminology, footwork, body actions, arm styling, floor craft, and partnering. Classes increase in complexity throughout the year, with mucho sabor!

Modern Fundamentals

Modern Fundamentals introduces students to movement principles from modern dance masters such as José Limón and Martha Graham. Classes focus on developing core dance concepts, such as strength, balance, and coordination, while exploring diverse movement principles such as opposition, spiraling, fall & recovery. The curriculum includes work on spinal articulation, floorwork, dynamics, use of weight, and complex rhythms.

Tap

Students will learn tap fundamentals as they develop footwork precision, movement coordination, balance & weight shifts, and rhythmic accuracy. Emphasis is placed on developing the students’ artistry and improvisational skills alongside the history of the artform.