Wallingford Academy Of Dance & Music

Musical Theater Classes bring together elements of singing, acting, and dancing to create a powerful theatrical experience. Offering an active, joyful exploration of the dramatic arts while honing in on the proper technique needed for dynamic execution.

Lyrical is a series of dance movements characterized or expressed by spontaneous direct feeling. It is a combination of ballet, contemporary and jazz to create a technical yet eloquent dance style. Modern classes are for students ages 8 & up with jazz experience. This class combines warm-up exercises, floor stretches, center floor isolations, progressions, and a choreographed routine. Emphasizing style, rhythm, and dance technique. Focusing on Graham and Horton technique, our highly trained instructors present a challenging yet historic, classic modern dance style.

Modern classes are for students ages 8 & up with jazz experience. This class combines warm-up exercises, floor stretches, center floor isolations, progressions, and a choreographed routine. Emphasizing style, rhythm, and dance technique. Focusing on Graham and Horton technique, our highly trained instructors present a challenging yet historic, classic modern dance style.

Our adult dance program has something for everyone ages 18 & up. We have introductory level classes for those with no experience who want to try something new, as well as intermediate/advanced classes for those who want to get back into it after a break, or those who never stopped. All adult classes provide high energy music, technique and ofcourse a positive/encouraging environment for all. Adult Tap: Style, rhythm, and strong technique are emphasized for all levels. Classes consist of a warm-up, center floor work, across the floor combinations, & choreographed routines. Adult Hiphop: This class combines warm-up exercises, floor stretches, center floor isolations, progressions, and choreographed routines. Leaving you with the ultimate full body workout and energy needed to take on your week.

Pointe, a technical, highly structured extension of Ballet, is offered to students 11 years and older. Students must be technically sound in their Ballet progress, have the proper strength from which to support the body, have the appropriate ankle development, and be physically developed to avoid physical injury. With such a list of prerequisite criteria, students are only allowed to participate when recommended by a faculty member.

Contemporary is a popular style that draws movement from ballet, jazz and modern dance. Unlike other more structured forms of dance, contemporary movements are generally intended to be performed with breath and a release of the body’s core. It also includes strong extensions, jumps, floor work, and improvisation. Contemporary often expresses strong emotions, like love, joy or anger. It can be graceful, seamlessly telling a story or it can be abstract in form. Contemporary is offered to students ages 8-18 and has a prerequisite of ballet.

Hip Hop is a fast, high energy style of dance seen in music videos and commercials. We take pride that our Hip Hop program is always age appropriate in regards to choreography, music selection and costuming. Hip Hop is offered to students ages 5 to Adult and has a prerequisite of Jazz.

Jazz is a style of dance seen in many Broadway shows. It is more structured than styles like hip hop. Jazz features a combination of unique moves, intricate footwork, leaps and quick turns making it very entertaining to watch. With our diverse faculty and vast experience, the Academy consciously presents all forms of Jazz to our classes. Jazz is offered to students 5 and older. Students learn the necessary elements of Jazz which are crucial to success in Hip Hop.

50 minute or 1 hour classes in tap are offered to students 8 years old through Adult. Our expertise in Tap instruction offers all aspects of traditional Tap, from Broadway to Coastal and everything in between.

Our Ballet program is based on a number of different ballet methods, but most closely resembles the traditional Russian style known as Vaganova. Our highly trained faculty follows a devised, specified curriculum that progresses from year to year. Beginning in the preschool program, students learn the tools necessary to succeed and excel in later years through the Ballet program. At 8 years of age, students participate in 50 minute classes where the format includes barre, center floor, petit and grande allegro, adagio, turning, choreography and more. Our office staff can assist in selecting the proper classes for all students.

This energetic combination class is for children who are ages 3 to 7. It is 60 minutes in length and offers a ½ hour of ballet, ½ hour of tap and every other week we intermingle tumbling. The children expand their repertoire through an age appropriate developmental curriculum. Vocabulary is reviewed and expanded from the preschool program. By the end of the year, students can dance choreographed work independently, memorize simple exercises and sequences, and begin understanding musical interpretation. A ½ hour jazz class is also offered to students of this age, and is often scheduled before or after the combination class.

This wonderful class is open to babies from 15 months to age 3 along with Mom or Dad. This is a great introduction to dance for children just developing their coordination. The instructor guides the parent/tot team in a way that makes discovering movement, balance, and listening skills easy and fun. This class is an excellent first group activity. Age appropriate music along with repetition encompass the ½ hour lesson. The Academy designed the Diaper Darling program 18 years ago to promote early learning skills and stimulate young ones to develop a love of dance through the art of movement.