Kats Dance Centre & Performing Arts

The focus of the Kats Dance Centre & Performing Arts competition team is to create a collaborative, encouraging environment with the goal of providing performance opportunities in a healthy and competitive atmosphere. The competition season starts in October and ends in May; during that time performers will be provided 2-3 regional competition opportunities. Dancers will also have the opportunity to compete at a locally hosted Nationals event. Ask a member of our staff for more details and a copy of the Competition Addendum for more information.

Musical Theater is a genre of dance that includes acting and/or singing. In this class, students may use technical dance training in different genres to act and perform with music to communicate a story or event. Returning families may remember KDCPA performances of “From Now On” (2019), “She’s in Love” (2018) and “Revolting Children” (2017); these are examples of Musical Theater. Sign up for this class for a unique and fun performance experience.

Ballet technique combined with some jazz and contemporary style movement creates the lyrical style. This style relies on a strong understanding of ballet technique while exploring the creativity and emotion of every dancer. Lyrical is a mature genre of dance because the dancer will use emotion to portray the story or feeling of the choreography. Class begins with a warm up and stretch, then moves to the corner where dancers work on movements and combinations that will later be put together in choreography. Dancers must have at least 3 years of ballet training (not including preschool level classes) and be at least 10 years of age.

Street dancing with a bit of jazz to upbeat current music, hip hop is a popular and modern style. In a hip-hop class, dancers will learn how to use sharp and smooth movements, isolate body parts, pop, glide, and roll. With almost no technique, this style of dance is not as intensive as others but is very focused on style, speed and unison. Dancers will also exercise their improvisational skills and work on developing creativity in joining steps. Each class begins with a high energy warm up that engages the leg muscles to prepare for class and includes the skills that will later be used in choreography. After warming up, students will learn different combinations to music or will work on choreography for the annual performance.

Acrobatics is a form of gymnastics that includes only the mats on the floor. Students begin with the most basic tumbling and will gradually move to more challenging tricks. Some of the tricks our students will learn include rolls, cartwheels, handstands, walk-overs, handsprings, aerials, and tucks. In addition, they learn how to do other tricks that involve partnering, lifting, flipping and spotting one another. After stretching and strengthening, students practice and learn tricks by going across the mats. Finally, the teacher will put together combinations of tricks and set them to music to create a piece for the annual performance.

Tap is a traditional style of dance where the student not only makes the movement with their body, but also creates the sounds with their feet. In less experienced classes, we begin with breaking down steps and gradually learn to increase speed and sound clarity with time and practice. In learning the technique, students will master synchronization, agility, timing, speed, balance, weight distribution, jumping and hopping. Along with the sound of our taps, we also focus on the upper body; after all, it is all about performance! We use exercises to build arm strength to hold the arms up and keep good posture throughout class and performances. Every class begins with simple warm ups to prep our ankles and feet, then we move to technique and combinations, finally finishing class with choreography.

The classic jazz style incorporates different combinations of kicks, leaps, turns, jumps, layouts and footwork. The movements are sharp, done to faster music, and includes movement of the hips, shoulders, and head. Starting at a young age, our dancers learn the important skills that they will use throughout all of their dance training. Dancers will strengthen their muscles and increase their flexibility while learning style, posture, proper body alignment and balance. Each class is set up similarly by beginning with a stretch/warm up and conditioning, then practicing basic skills in the center floor and across the floor, and finally putting together combinations. If a student is interested in participating in our annual performance, they will stay after our technique class to learn the choreography.

Ballet is the foundation for all dance training. Through discipline and proper technique, students learn body alignment, proper turn out, balance, flexibility, strength, control, fluency, grace and posture. In addition to the movement, students will learn the French terminology of which we use to explain all of our steps in class. Class begins with a barre warm up where dancers will work through the five positions to prepare their muscles and improve their technique. After barre, the students will work on combinations across the floor or in the center. Class ends with a classical reverence where the dancers thank their teacher and their teacher thanks them. Choreography class for any dancers participating in our annual performance will continue after technique class. Ballet is strongly recommended to accompany any other class a student chooses to take. Pointe requires approval from the Director and/or Ballet teacher.

In this class, students are taught the importance of technique and body position while allowing them to be the ballerina princess or prince they are dreaming of. This classical style of dance focuses on coordination, muscle strength and grace. As a genre, the discipline ballet requires increases with age and experience; students will learn how to use their eyes and ears to develop proper technique. While learning the steps, dancers will learn traditional French ballet terminology, proper behavior, poise, grace and creativity.

This class is often a dancer’s first step toward independence, once preschool aged fewer assistants per student are required. Students are taught and encouraged to carry their shoes/bag into class themselves, patiently stand and wait their turn without constant prompting and learn basic jazz and ballet technique. For most students, this is their introduction to structured dance, so the class is structured to allow equal exposure to fundamentals of jazz and ballet. At this age we stress confidence, sharing and friendship as well as the importance of good technique and stage presence.

This class is ideal for children with lots of energy who love to jump, flip and tumble. In Tiny Tots Tumble they will be introduced to basic acrobatic movements. For the safety of our students, each tumbler works very closely with a studio assistant or teacher trained to monitor and spot children while using fun equipment like a balance beam, trampoline, hula hoops and more. This class has been shown to increase motor skills, teach coordination, rhythm and flexibility while instilling the importance of safety, patience, teamwork and confidence.

Dedicated to our youngest students, this is their first introduction to dance. Our tiny dancers learn and enhance basic motor skill movements while engaging in fun activities with the use of props like teddy bears, balls, scarves and cones. While entertaining the students with fun music, singing and dancing they are being taught balance, rhythm, movement and creativity. Lifelong skills such as patience, teamwork, self-esteem, sharing and cooperation are being fostered all while having lots of fun!