Classes

Al Gilbert Dance Syllabus and Dance Examinations

The Al Gilbert examination system has been the most widely used technique and testing program in North America for the last thirty-five years.  The technique has become an accepted standard of systemized dance training throughout the world.

The Al Gilbert program provides a foundation in tap and jazz dance upon which any style in either genre may be built.  All too often people (this of course includes parents and teachers!) would like to see a child perform contemporary and complex routines well before the student is ready to do so.  We all know of the adage, which advises that one must “crawl” before “walking” and “walk” before “running”.  Some dance systems exist which involve much “running” from those who can barely “crawl”.  It is neither fair nor responsible to delude students and parents with such lofty ideals, especially when the ideals cannot be realized until the child is two or three years older.  The Gilbert system wholeheartedly embraces the notion that immeasurable satisfaction is gained from a simple thing done well, and that only frustration results from a complex thing done poorly.

Each examination level is specifically geared towards both the psychological and physiological capabilities of dancers at every age level.  The physical and mental stages of maturation were the two most crucial criteria used to govern the demand of the syllabus and to ensure that each student would acquire a sound and proper education in dance.

In essence, the Al Gilbert system can guarantee that virtually every student can progress through the “crawl-walk-run” evolution with relative ease and can emerge with a complete knowledge and a healthy respect for the art of dance.

Luigi Jazz Technique

After twenty years of acrobatics, singing and dancing experience as a child entertainer, Luigi woke up one day in a hospital bed, unable to move.  “You’re paralyzed: you’ll never walk again,” his doctor said.

Luigi’s desire to dance again left him no alternative but to create his own ideas of learning to move the body correctly - all the time.  He discovered, the hard way, that movement must come totally from the inside out.

Two years after Luigi’s accident, a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio talent scout spotted him in a Falcon Studios recital.  He was brought to Gene Kelly who hired him for the musical, “On the Town.”  Amazingly, Luigi was working the paralyzed side of his body so well that he began an eight-year career as a chorus dancer in such films as “Annie Get Your Gun”, “An American in Paris”, “Singing in the Rain”, “The Band Wagon”, and “White Christmas” to name a few.

The Luigi technique is a profoundly rich system that Luigi developed over nearly a half-century with the following goals:

1 part    To train the dancer to stand, balance, and move out into space

1 part    To heal and protect the dancer’s body from injury

1 part  To help the dancer dance to and with jazz music

Luigi’s technique is timeless.  His floor patterns are as intricate and precise as those of a Renaissance dance.  Though you can learn the technique and work the exercises at your own pace, it is not an easy technique.  It will take time for you to develop the stamina necessary to perform all the exercises with the focused attention that is the goal.  The physical, psychological, and spiritual rewards of mastering these exercises are worth the effort.

“Technique is like tuning an instrument: Learn to tune your body just right so that when you go to play, it’s beautiful.” - Luigi

CREATIVE DANCE

In this class children are introduced to the classroom setting by using fun games and activities. Your child will be learning the basics of ballet through movement and song. Throughout the year your child will be introduced to jazz, acro and ballet, so that at the end of the year your child can get a better understanding of the many discipline that dance has to offer.
Required:

• Hair should be tied back in to a pony tail and out of their faces
• Nothing baggy
• Body suit and tights

ACROBATICS

Acrobatics is a dance form which combines traditional artistic gymnastics with rhythmic gymnastics and stunt work. It requires balance, strength, power and flexibility. Students learn the fundamentals of contortion and tumbling, and combining these skills with partnering and group stunts. The use of apparatus such as boxes, balls, hoops, platforms, trapeze, trampolines, exotic props and sets may accompany acrobatic displays.
Required:

• Hair should be in two French braids you can do forward roll stunts most easily with this hair style, braided pony tail or low braided pigs tails are acceptable.
• Nothing baggy
• Bare Feet
• Bodysuit and footless tights
• Older children: bodysuit, tight capri pants or shorts

BALLET

In this class students will focus on posture, body alignment, co-ordination, and flexibility. Children will learn self discipline, self motivation, and grace, through the movement of ballet. Each class will consist of a barre center, practice, and stretch.
Required:

• Hair should be tied in a bun
• Black leotards, pink ballet tights, and pink leather ballet shoes
• Black or colored bodysuits and ballet pink tights

TAP DANCE

In this class, children focus on developing rhythm, musicality, and co-ordination by using their feet as percussion. With jazz shoes that have metal taps on the balls and heels on the foot, perfection is necessary to get the right sound. This class also develops expression and performance, as well as endurance.
Required:

• Hair should be in either a bun or a ponytail
• Tank tops or bodysuits. Fitted clothing or dance pants, jazz attire, NO jeans

HIP HOP

All aspects of hiphop will be coverd, Oldskool styles such as locking and popping, as well as commercial hiphop such as street jazz and video dance will be done.
Required:

• Wear anything comfortable and nothing too tight
• Proper shoes, NOT street shoes. Clean runners, are good
• No jeans please!

BREAK DANCING

Focus is all on breaking. Will cover all aspects of breaking. Top and up rocks, freezes and power moves. Skill needed to free style will be taught as well.
Required:

• Light flexible shoes.
• No jeans, sweat pants are best. Stay away from shorts to avoid floor burns on your legs!
• Wrists bands are a good idea to bring as well

LYRICAL JAZZ

In this class students will focus on rhythm, co-ordination, balance and flexibility. Students will learn how to use emotion to express themselves through the art of dance. Each class will focus on developing technique, learn a variety of combinations and to wrap up with a routine.
Required:

• Hair - pulled back and out of the face
• Clothing - fitted (i.e. bodysuit and shorts or tights)

OLDSKOOL

Locking, popping, house, and old skool hiphop styles will be taught. Video dance and street jazz will not be taught in this class, this is strictly an early 90s style hiphop class.

Polynesian/ Hula

Introduced to a various types of dance which include ancient Hawaiian hula to modern hula. Focus will be on technique and coordination. We will also be exploring different instruments used in the Hawaiian culture. Hula is much more than just dance. It is an expression of history, religion and the human spirit.
Required:

• Hair should be out of face
• Sarong (can be bought at Hangers in Royal City Mall)
• Shorts (to be worn under sarong)

Break Dance  (b-boying/b-girling)

Breaking is a unique dance style that started in the Bronx, New York in the 70’s. Learn basic foundation steps in footwork, uprock & toprock, freezes and   power moves. This class focuses on the funky style and dance aspect of breaking.

Pussycat Dolls

A girly feminine style of hip-hop. This dance class has a hip-hop underlining groove but feminine style dance moves.  Strong female hip hop music video inspired.  Play on words and musicality incorporated.  Stylish, sassy, but classy only.

Indian Dance Fusion

Indian Dance Fusion is a new program designed to explore the artistic culture of India in Dance. Students will deeply explore dance movements in the ancient classical form of Bharata Natyam.

Each class begins with a warm up, combining yoga postures and classical pilates techniques. Students will learn about different muscle groups and the importance of core strength in balance.

The next part of the class is classical conditioning. Students will learn full body positioning, from the head, arms, legs and feet. They will learn different types of spins, with legs in full sitting, standing and floor spins. Kneepads may be needed after about 8 weeks. In addition, students will also train in 9 different facial expressions that focus on head and eye movements and hand gestures that incorporate creative story telling.

The final component of the class is Indian Dance Fusion choreography, where the traditional elements of Indian dance are combined and set on different rhythmic patterns. Some of the pieces are set on original scores.

The class will be creative, imaginative and interactive! No dance experience needed.

Musical Theater Classes

Pretending Class: Drama and Musical Theater for Tykes

Ages 5-7
A fun and energetic look at theatre! The first semester follows a workshop style series that introduces children to warming up, theatre games, important terms and etiquette, storytelling, song and dance, and most importantly, pretending to be things we’re not with our bodies and voices! In the second semester we put our new tools to work: making up our own stories to act out, learning a musical number and even memorizing a few lines! Class will perform for a parent-watching-day audience.

Basics in Theater: Junior Recreational Drama

Ages 8-11
A perfect place for the enthusiastic beginner and intrigued intermediate. First semester uses a workshop style series to try out all the many styles of theatre. Warming up the body and voice for work is always a focus to launch us into improvisation, building characters, melodrama, miming, connecting with other actors, deciphering Shakespeare and telling our own stories. The second semester uses these skills to dive into scene work and monologues! Students will perform in the year-end show.

Theater Performance Troupe

Ages 11-18
For the experienced student who wants to focus and create! An auditioned class, members must be taking another theatre course simultaneously. A workshop series heads the year off with in-depth looks at different styles of acting, generating theatre pieces as we go that augment the one-act play that is the heart of the second semester. Focus is on teamwork and real connection between actors, and individual creation including monologues, character library and self-composed material. The work will culminate in a final performance showcase. Students may perform at other events through the year.

Musical Theater: Junior Recreational

Ages 11-18
For beginner and intermediate students who love to dance, sing and act! Come join in the fun as in the first semester we learn some basic moves and postures in tap, ballet and jazz, work vocally to learn skills of projection, safe character singing and simple harmony, as will as exploring the major era-driven styles of Broadway shows. The second semester challenges us to use our new knowledge and put together a smokin’number! Class will perform in the year-end show.

Musical Theater: Senior Recreational

Ages 12-18
For teens and preteens who love to sing, dance and act! Whether you’re new to it all or a song-and- dance veteran, you’ll expand your ’showperson’ horizons as we follow a workshop series in the first semester taking us though tap, ballet and jazz fundamentals, singing techniques, vocal characterization, Broadway show styles, and above all, how to shine onstage with attention to acting while doing. The second semester puts our knowledge into action as we create a showstopper of a musical number! Class will perform in the year-end show.

Musical Theater: Performance Troupe

Ages 11-18
For dancers who sing and singers who dance that are ready to put it together and create magic! An auditioned class, students must have two years of dance experience and a confidence in singing, and must be taking at least one jazz or ballet class simultaneously. Students should arrive early to warm their bodies up; we will warm up vocally together to ensure a solid foundation in vocal technique. A workshop series takes an in=depth look at the foundation and feel of many different styles of dance, song, eras and styles of Broadway show, generating numbers as we go. Emphasis is always on the “Theatre” in Musical Theatre: acting, personality and telling a story. The second semester will see us build a script which merges these numbers and more into an original, cohesive performance piece. The work will culminate in a final showcase. Students may perform at other events through the year.