Dance In The US

Dance In The US: California Dance Arts

February 6, 2010 by 4dancers

Dance in the US continues with sunny California…

Location: Foothill School Complex, 4490 Cornishon Ave. #6, La Canada, CA 91011

About: Associated with the California Contemporary Ballet, the Academy has been around since 1987. The studios are top-notch, featuring 20-foot ceilings, sprung floors, air conditioning and state-of-the-art theatre lighting. Students from the school have gone on to dance at places such as American Ballet Theater, Pittsburg Ballet and Atlanta Ballet, among others.

The site for the school offers a very informative article, titled, “Six Things To Consider Before Choosing A Dance School” that is a terrific read for any parent who is thinking about dance lessons for their child. The faculty there have good credentials, and the founder and school director, Erin Holt has a pretty impressive background as well–especially in Modern dance.

Learn more about this school by checking out their blog.

Dance In The US: Arkansas Academy Of Dance

February 3, 2010 by 4dancers

Our second featured studio from Arkansas is…

Name: Arkansas Academy Of Dance

Location: 10301 N. Rodney Parham Rd., Brackenridge Village, Little Rock, AR, 72227

About: This school has a typical lineup of classes, including creative movement, ballet, jazz and modern. It also offers Pilates. There is a scholarship program for boys and a cash-based referral program for those who get a new student to sign up and take some classes.

What really caught my eye was the creative way that they peppered mini-events into the dance class schedule. I noticed that they have a “bring a friend week”, a “parent participation week” and even a “costume week” to help keep things interesting. Just enough to prevent classes from getting boring–but not so much that there is no sense of routine.

The school is also affiliated with the Arkansas Festival Ballet.

Dance In The US: Shuffles & Ballet II, The Official School Of Ballet Arkansas

January 30, 2010 by 4dancers

Next on the list we have Arkansas for our series on Dance in the US…

Name: Shuffles & Ballet II, The Official School Of Ballet Arkansas

Location: 1521 Merril Dr., Market & Merrill Shopping Center, Little Rock, AR 72211

About: This school opened in 1987 and it offers a wide range of classes in addition to ballet, including hip hop, jazz dance, tap and modern. They have a pre-professional program for serious dance students as well. Ballet Arkansas is affiliated with the school, and has been since 2001.

I found it interesting that many of the faculty members have a lot of experience in musical theater, which is also offered through the school. Make no mistake, however, there is some serious ballet background there as well, including faculty member Arleen Sugano, who once taught at the Joffrey Ballet School.

Dance In The US: Arizona School Of Classical Ballet

January 25, 2010 by 4dancers

More about ballet in Arizona….

Name: Arizona School of Classical Ballet

Location: 20820 N. 25th Place, Suite # 110 – 112, Phoenix, AZ, 85050

About: The Arizona School of Classical Ballet teaches the Russian Method of Classical Ballet and also offers a recreational program of dance, and an adult ballet program for those who are looking for something less demanding. There is a four-year program for students ages 3 to 7 that prepares them for serious study.

The more advanced study of ballet begins at ages 8/9, and after some time girls are exposed to pointe work as they are ready. Other dance styles offered here include character dance, flamenco, modern and jazz.

School director Nadya Zubkov has served in many different capacities in her career, including the Artistic Director of the Ballet Department of the Children’s School for the Arts in Moscow and as a full-time faculty member for the School of Ballet Arizona prior to her current position.

The faculty at Arizona School of Classical Ballet all have strong backgrounds, and it is clear that they all have a great deal of experience in their respective fields. I found it very interesting that they also have a music instructor on staff who teaches piano and music theory.

Dance In The US: Yuma Ballet Academy

January 23, 2010 by 4dancers

Continuing in our new series, Dance in the US, lets take a closer look at ballet in Arizona…

Name: Yuma Ballet Academy

Location: 3942 S. Avenue 4 1/2 E, Yuma, AZ 85365

About: This school has an Early Childhood Dance Program for children ages 3 to 6, as well as the regular Ballet Program for those ages 7 and up. There is also a Contemporary Dance Program and a Teen/Adult program offered through the academy. The school offers performance opportunities for students that range from a year-end recital to performances with the company, Ballet Yuma.

The company is directed by Jon Cristofori and Kathleen Sinclair, and the school has had graduates that have gone on to places such as San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company, Boston Ballet, Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo and Atlanta Ballet, among others.

As always, if you are from the company or the school and you would like to tell 4dancers readers something about your organization, please feel free to leave a comment…

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