Alton Academy of Dance

AADC Competition Team 2025-2026 Season Tryouts (ages 6-10: 9-10:30 & ages 10-up: 10:30-12)

Jazz Dance Moves for Beginners is a class that aims to teach fundamental jazz dance techniques to individuals new to the style.

Our competition team is split into a Mini team, Petite team, Junior team and Teen team based upon age levels and teacher recommendations.

Our competition team is split into a Mini team, Petite team, Junior team and Teen team based upon age levels and teacher recommendations.

Our competition team is split into a Mini team, Petite team, Junior team and Teen team based upon age levels and teacher recommendations.

Our competition team is split into a Mini team, Petite team, Junior team and Teen team based upon age levels and teacher recommendations.

Rachel Lawler is a graduate from SIUE (2020) where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre with a minor in Theatre and Dance. She trained in Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Musical Theatre/Broadway Styles, Tap, Improv, Acting, Voice, and Musical Theatre History. While at SIUE she was a member of University Dance Company, and performed in several shows including: Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Chicago (Hunyak), Mamma Mia (featured dancer/dance captain/assistant choreographer); Drowsy Chaperone (featured dancer); and Dance in Concert 2016-2019 in which she got to work with guest choreographers such as Nick Baylock, Joy Davis, and other guest artists.

Jessica is a 4th grade teacher by day. She is married with 3 daughters and lives in Alton. She was a competitive dancer for 10 years, a high school cheerleader and received a full scholarship for cheerleading from Lindenwood College. Since her competitive career, she has coached recreational gymnastics and assisted with their competitive team’s dance program.

Enthusiastic, strong, and energy packed, Meghan has been involved in dance for over 20 years. Meghan began her dance education at the age of 5 at the Alton YWCA. She became a student teacher at the age of 13 and began teaching at the Florissant Missouri Community Center at the age of 16.

Gordon Cragg began dance and gymnastics classes at the age of six with the Emma Ogle Studio of Dance. By the age of nine, he was a member of the Junior Olympics in Tumbling. Cragg continued dancing with the St. Louis Muny Opera, Six Flags and Opryland U.S.A. In addition, he worked on the Caribbean Cruise Lines as a dance educator.

Melissa Loyd is originally from Staunton, Illinois. She graduated from SIUE in 2006, with a bachelors in Kinesiology and one in Theatre and Dance. She studied ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, lyrical, movement fundamentals, dance pedagogy, theater, dance improvisations, history of dance, and lighting and sound.

Competitive dance training offered at various durations and price points, striving to share the joy of dance and build confidence.

Jazz instruction offered at various durations and price points, providing a friendly, positive, and motivating environment for dancers.

Tap instruction offered at various durations and price points, focusing on building confidence and self-esteem through dance.

Ballet instruction offered at various durations and price points, aiming to share the joy of dance and build confidence.

Instruction in hip hop dance requiring form fitting black dancewear and hip hop shoes or tennis shoes not worn outside.

Instruction in acro dance requiring form fitting dancewear or AADS Tank tops/black shorts to help teachers see body placement.

Instruction in lyrical dance techniques requiring form fitting black dancewear and lyrical or jazz shoes to aid in seeing body placement.

Instruction in jazz dance techniques requiring form fitting black dancewear and tan jazz shoes to enhance the dancer's ability to see body placement.

Instruction in tap dance techniques requiring form fitting black dancewear and black jazz/tap shoes to help the dancer's teacher see body placement.

Instruction in ballet techniques focusing on body placement and group cohesion with specific dress code requirements for a positive and motivating environment.

Competitive dance is a popular, widespread sport in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, tap, and improv—before a common group of judges.

Hip-hop dance refers to street dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture.

Lyrical dance is a dance style that embodies various aspects of ballet, jazz, acrobatics, and modern dance.

Jazz dance is a performance dance technique and style that first emerged in the United States in the early twentieth century. Jazz dance may refer to vernacular jazz or to Broadway or theatrical jazz.

Tap dance is a type of dance characterized by using the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. The sound is made by shoes that have a metal “tap” on the heel and toe.

An artistic dance form performed to music using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful, fluid movements and the use of pointe shoes.

We are a family owned business that offers dance instruction to beginners through advanced dancers in a friendly, positive, and motivating environment. We strive to share the joy of dance, as well as building confidence and self esteem while training in the areas of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, hip hop and competitive dance. We look forward to meeting each and every new student, and you are always welcome to come in and take a trial class or just observe our classes!

We are a family owned business that offers dance instruction to beginners through advanced dancers in a friendly, positive, and motivating environment. We strive to share the joy of dance, as well as building confidence and self esteem while training in the areas of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, hip hop and competitive dance. We look forward to meeting each and every new student, and you are always welcome to come in and take a trial class or just observe our classes!

We are a family owned business that offers dance instruction to beginners through advanced dancers in a friendly, positive, and motivating environment. We strive to share the joy of dance, as well as building confidence and self esteem while training in the areas of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, hip hop and competitive dance. We look forward to meeting each and every new student, and you are always welcome to come in and take a trial class or just observe our classes!

Acro Open Gym – $10/per participant