Huntingdon Dance Academy

Tap dancing is a form of dance in which dancers wear special shoes equipped with metal taps on the toes and heels. Dancers use their feet to create rhythmic patterns and beats transforming the dancer into a percussive musician. Musicality is emphasized in tap by teaching the dancer to find rhythm and beats not only in the music but in their own bodies.

Pre-Ballet/Tap is designed for the beginner level dancer ages 4 & 5. Students learn the basics of classical ballet and the fundamentals of tap during an hour long class. This class is taught in a fun and creative way, so as to develop a life-long love of dance.

Pointe is the act of standing on the tips of the shoes while performing ballet. Special shoes with hard toes and stiff shanks are required. Dancing on pointe requires strength and skill, and therefore is for the more advanced ballet students. Students will work at the barre on strengthening exercises as well as in center.

Pas de Deux is advanced ballet partnering. The course covers pas de deux basics in supported turns, lifts, and couple ensembles. Classes are designed primarily to build students core strength and confidence while manipulating, lifting and supporting each other in a kinetic relationship. Classical as well as improvisational material will be presented thus introducing students to the challenges that come with sharing weight and gracefully dancing with others.

Modern is a free, expressive style of dance started in the early 20th century in reaction to classical ballet. Modern dance focuses on the dancer’s own interpretation instead of structured steps, contractions, spirals, basic floor work, and concepts of space, time, and force.

Musical Theater focuses on learning proper dance technique while exploring the dance styles used on Broadway. Performance skills such as connecting with the audience and telling a story through dance and facial expressions are emphasized. This a fun genre for the dancer who loves to be on the stage.

Jazz is a fun and energetic dance genre that combines the techniques of classical ballet and modern dance with current forms of pop dance. It uses dramatic body movements, including isolations and contractions of specific body parts to the movement of the entire body. There are many styles of jazz including; street, Broadway, contemporary, and lyrical. Class includes proper warm-up, stretches, isolations, across the floor progressions and combinations usually done to popular music.

Hip Hop is a style of jazz dance that evolved from the hip hop culture and incorporates breaking, popping, locking, and urban funk. This style of dance is a freestyle form of dance that is not based on a set of curriculum like most other dance genres. Hip Hop is a great choice for dancers with little formal training or that are beginning later in life

Creative Movement introduces our very youngest dancers (ages 2 & 3) to a structured environment while allowing them to enjoy learning the basics of ballet and tap. Socialization skills such as turn-taking and following instructions will be emphasized. In addition they will explore movement qualities, musicality, practice gross motor coordination and work on simple locomotion, enhancing the development of both their bodies and their minds! This class only performs one recital dance while allowing dancers the benefit of learning two dance genres at a novice level.

Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements. Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict, structured nature of ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on floorwork, using gravity to pull them down to the floor. This dance genre is often done in bare feet. Contemporary dance can be performed to many different styles of music.

Our Ballet classes focus on building a strong foundation in classical ballet technique, including barre work, center work, and across-the-floor exercises. Students will learn fundamental ballet steps such as pliés, tendus, and pirouettes, as well as more advanced techniques as they progress. We incorporate a variety of ballet styles, including classical and contemporary ballet, to cultivate a well-rounded dance education.

Acro is based on a combination of gymnastic skills, contortion, and dance. Warm up consists of core work, strength, and toning exercises. Beginners learn basic gymnastics skills that are further developed as they advance. Once students master a skill they will then move on to more difficult level of tumbling. Flexibility skills will be taught and routinely gone over until each individual student has mastered each skill.