Dance & Music Academy

At DMA, we value the importance of honing technical skills in dance education, which is why we offer a variety of supplemental classes to help students excel in their training. These classes are designed to complement the core curriculum by providing additional opportunities for students to deepen their understanding and proficiency in areas such as Leaps/Turns/Tricks, Conditioning and Floorwork, Ballet Variations, and Pointe Prep. These supplemental classes not only enhance students' technical abilities but also provide a supportive and nurturing environment for them to grow and develop as dancers. By offering these classes, we aim to empower our students to reach their full potential and achieve success in their dance training.

The program combines the elegance of dance with the strength and flexibility of aerial silks training, designed specifically for the DMA population. Students advance through the training by incorporating texture, artistry, and expression into their skills. In addition to aerial silks training, students also have the opportunity to develop their skills on the Lyra apparatus, further enhancing their strength, flexibility, and artistry.

DMA is Acrobatic Arts Certified and implements this curriculum within our programming. The curriculum includes instruction on anatomy, technique, and progressions. This program has been meticulously developed with feedback from over 100 experts in relevant fields, making it one of the most extensively researched programs in the industry.

The partnership between DMA Poms Company and GBS Titans is a progressive journey that spans from elementary to high school, seamlessly transitioning into high school poms while promoting growth and improvement at every stage. The curriculum provides an emphasis on technique, precision, and performance skills to ensure a solid foundation for high school poms team auditions.

The DMA Hip Hop program, in collaboration with Infinity Collective, provides a progressive journey for students from elementary school through high school and beyond, seamlessly integrating into pre-professional programs to nurture growth and refinement at every stage. In elementary school, students will learn basic movements, rhythms, and foundational hip hop dance techniques, developing a sense of musicality. Moving into middle school, students will explore more complex choreography, styles, and techniques in the hip hop genre to enhance their skills and creativity. By high school, students who have continued their training will have a strong foundation in various hip hop styles, such as popping, locking, and breaking, with opportunities to showcase their talents through performances, competitions, and advanced training in hip hop dance.

The DMA jazz technique program is carefully designed to prioritize the development of core strength and precise isolations while exposing to a diverse range of jazz dance styles including Broadway, Contemporary style, Jazz Funk, and Classical Jazz. This exposure enables students to explore and appreciate different genres of dance, broadening their skills and understanding of the art form. As students progress through the program, the curriculum is structured to gradually challenge and expand their technical abilities, ensuring they develop a strong foundation in jazz dance technique.

This curriculum provides students with the chance to learn tap dancing in a challenging and progressive environment. The classes will cover various styles and techniques, such as Broadway techniques, tap history, Hoofing, and Rhythmic styles. Classes will focus on building strength, coordination, and musicality to create a strong foundation for future growth.

The Trifecta Youth Company at DMA, in partnership with Trifecta Dance Collective, offers a comprehensive training program from elementary to high school and into professional training. Students are taught the fundamentals of modern dance, building strength, flexibility, coordination, and musicality. As they progress, they explore more complex choreography and develop technical proficiency and artistic maturity. The curriculum includes classes in contemporary dance, modern, improvisation, conditioning, nutrition, dance history, and injury prevention.

The Advanced Division is designed for all high school dancers, providing unparalleled access and opportunity thanks to DMA's extensive and strategic partnerships. Beyond the focused instruction in dance conditioning and athleticism, this level is dedicated to cultivating the unique artistry of each dancer. Students will develop into goal-oriented, adaptable, and versatile individuals, prepared to navigate the multitude of pathways these partnerships make available.

The Prelude Division is intentionally structured to not only solidify the technical foundations of a dancer's training and initiate the exploration of their individual artistic voices, but also to foster the emergence of community-minded leaders who leverage their unique talents to become strong, independent, and technically sound dancers.

The Intermediate Division is for older elementary students who are ready to receive nuanced instruction in any type of dance technique as well as complex musical concepts. The learning environment at this level encourages a student’s increased effort and thoughtful risk-taking.

The Fundamental Division is for early elementary-aged children who are proficient in basic physical coordination and are now ready to learn dance-specific technique and musical concepts. The learning environment emphasizes curiosity, exploration, and personal responsibility.

The Premiere Division is a program specifically designed for preschool learners, in an environment suited to their current abilities. Our research-based program will use dance vocabulary to develop students’ gross motor skills, physical coordination, musicality, and emotional maturity, all while laying the groundwork for fundamental dance technique. Dancers will use their creativity and imagination in every class to support their physical, cognitive, and emotional growth!

We offer private lessons for all styles of dance, as well as piano, voice, and guitar to continue to educate and empower young artists.

A dancer's visual resume, known as a dance reel, is crucial for auditions and skill showcases. Private Lessons can be arranged to develop and teach choreography for the dance reel, film the performance, and have the instructor craft the final product.

We offer packages for dance reels, songs and monologues, as well as on-going private lessons in music, acting, and dance.

Enroll in a single one-on-one session with an instructor to evaluate your child's abilities and suggest tailored training options, including voice lessons, vocal coaching, dance classes, or acting preparation for agents.

This class series integrates fundamental dance alignment, essential jazz dance techniques, and dance call readiness for theatrical auditions. It is designed for middle and high school theatre students seeking to improve and refine their dance abilities in preparation for upcoming auditions.

This class teaches foundational acting skills and dramatic structure. Students learn how to create a character and tell a story through acting, singing, and dancing. Students will also learn tap skills in this class.

The Fundamental Division is for early elementary-aged children who are proficient in basic physical coordination and are now ready to learn dance-specific technique and musical concepts. The learning environment emphasizes curiosity, exploration, and personal responsibility.

The training journey with DMA Ballet Company, in collaboration with Chicago Repertory Ballet, is a comprehensive and transformative experience that guides dancers from their early years through high school and into pre-professional programs. This partnership not only connects students with professionals from CRB, but also creates a seamless transition that allows for continuous growth and refinement in their skills and artistry. At each step of the way, dancers are supported and challenged, pushing them to reach new heights and achieve their full potential in the world of ballet.

The ARC Musical Theatre Lab series is an invitation-only program tailored for young aspiring professional performers. The year-long program is divided into three sections, each focusing on dance, vocal performance, and acting. Students will present an ensemble dance production number at the DMA Spring Recital, a Cabaret vocal showcase, and be cast in a larger scene of the fall production to focus on acting skills.