| Class Descriptions |
| Lil' Tykes Classes For ages 2 1/2 - 5. Lil' Tykes classes are creative movement classes that help with coordination, rhythm and motor skills through dance. It's also a great way for children to socialize. They learn to follow directions, take turns and help their peers. The class uses the students imagination and playfulness but also is structured and organized. Jazz/Gym is a combination of jazz and gymnastics. The students listen to music, stretch their bodies and move across the floor while also learning basic jazz movements. The gym part uses mats. The students move across the mats using their bodies for things like crab walks, pencil rolls, bunny hops, etc. Tap/Ballet is a combination of tap and ballet. For tap students must have tap shoes. They learn basic tap steps and move across the floor. During ballet we slow things down a bit to learn basic ballet positions and movements and then move across the floor. Both classes are high energy and lots of fun! |
| Jazz Jazz dance technique is based on the basics of the old ballet tradition but works in a parallel position rather than a turned out position, allowing less structure and more freedom. It is a class combining technique and creative movement to up-tempo music. The class also incorporates stretching to increase flexibility and physical conditioning to increase strength. |
| Tap Tap uses precise rhythmical patterns of foot movement and audible foot tapping. Students learn tap steps, moves, combinations and traveling movements to up-tempo music. Tempo, rhythm and counting music are very important in tap. Repetitive warm-ups are key to the precision and clarity of sound in tap dancing. |
| Ballet A classical dance form characterized by grace, poise, strength, control, correct body placement and alignment as well as discipline. Ballet is the essential groundwork and foundation for all other types of dance and is foremost in learning proper technique. It is strongly recommended to take ballet if the student is to become a serious dancer whether it be Ballet, Jazz, Tap or Acro. Constant repetition of basic skills and diligent, concentrated work at the ballet bar are necessary in developing correct placement. |
| Lyrical Lyrical is a combination of Ballet and Jazz styles. It is an emotional dance form used to interpret the lyrics, mood, and feeling of a song. It is like ballet because of its slow style but like jazz because of its freedom of movement. Students learn both ballet and jazz technique and also stretch to increase flexibility. |
| Acro Acro is the art of jumping, tumbling, and balancing as well as total body conditioning, strength, flexibility, coordination and muscle development. The student will learn basic gymnastics skills (cartwheels, rolls, back bends, etc.) as well as stationary positions reliant on balance and flexibility. No apparatuses (balance beam, uneven bars, vault) are used in acro class. |
| Hip-Hop Hip-hop teaches rhythm, musicality, coordination, and hip hop choreography to hip-hop, R&B, rap and pop music. This includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, popping and locking. This is an excellent class for high-energy students who want to take a fast and fun dance class. |
| Modern Modern dance provides a multitude of movement possibilities for the human body and allows each dancer to connect with the dance space, the music, and fellow dancers. Although the field and styles of modern dance are ever changing, the Modern classes at NSD will cover both the foundations of modern as well as Limon Technique and Bartenieff Fundamentals through a variety of exercises, improvisations, and movement combinations allowing students to become comfortable moving the body in new ways. |
