DANCE CLASSES
DANCE
AT EXCITE
“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.”
- Mikhail Baryshnikov
At Excite Academy, we offer dance classes with a difference!
We believe that a child (or an adult!) has enough going on in their life with school (and work) and growing up and shouldn’t have to come to their fun after school activity and deal with added pressure of exams and competitions. And yet some students thrive on working towards competitions and exams. Here at Excite Academy we aim to offer all types - dance for fun, dance for competitions, dance for exams.
All of our classes come with many benefits which include fitness, flexibility, posture, etiquette and of course, confidence! Students will also have performance opportunities throughout the year at our showcases.
Our dance classes are designed to be a place where students are able to thrive, succeed, have fun, and be encouraged no matter what their ability.
BALLET ARTS
This ballet class develops foundational techniques in a fun and supportive environment with additional opportunities to develop performance quality, artistry, and storytelling through balletic movement, props, and music. Create a love for ballet in this class as you imagine, explore, and experience the beauty and grace of ballet.
This class is available for AGES 3 - 7
Lessons are 30 - 60 mins once a week
CREATIVE COMBINATION DANCE
Creative Combination Beginner:
These classes provide your young dancer access to technical and artistic skills of ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance skills taught at an age appropriate level through a fun and creative lens. Dancers will have the opportunity to learn more than steps and routines as they explore and develop performance quality, artistic use of the elements of dance, and the creativity of dance making. This is a fantastic introduction to movement that is sure to have your dancer in love with the artistic medium of dance and prepared for further training in any style!
Creative Combination Intermediate:
Similar to the beginner class this class provides older dancers with a range of technical and artistic skills with the intention of building an expressive movement vocabulary. With a strong focus on introducing contemporary dance, dancers are encouraged to explore more challenging movement in a safe and supportive environment. In addition to teacher led exercises and choreography, young dancers are encouraged to improvise and create their own choreographic contributions.
This class is available for AGES 3 - 12
Lessons are 45 - 60 mins once a week
HIP HOP
Hip Hop, or street dance, is one of the most versatile dance disciplines in the world. There are countless different dance styles involved including lyrical, wacking, popping, locking, krumping and many more. We involve all these genres into our dance routines to create fun, creative classes that suit all types of dancers.
Our classes promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle while also teaching the fundamentals of hip hop routines. For all our classes, learning choreography and sets offers opportunities to perform in productions and events, and Intermediate classes have the opportunity to compete in competitions.
Available for AGES 6 - 13
Classes are 60 minute sessions once a week.
ACRO
Acro dance is a modern style of dance that combines acrobatics and dancing. In these classes, students will learn classic gymnastics and acrobatic skills that have been specifically formatted for dancers.
Our classes have a large focus on three different things: strength, flexibility and tricks! Students will learn acrobatic tricks such as splits, handstands, cartwheels, elbow stands, chest stands, walkovers, partner balances and basic tumbling moves. All of these tricks and the strength and flexibility element are combined together to create dances to fast or slow music that incorporate jazz and contemporary/lyrical.
At Excite Academy, we follow the Acrobatic Arts syllabus where students are grouped by ability starting with primary level and continuing from 1 to 6. Students will be assessed prior to joining an acro class to determine what level group they should be in. Throughout the year, students are given opportunities to perform their skills and if they would like, complete examinations.
Because our acro classes come with a risk of injury, students must come wearing tight fitting clothing (leotards, singlets, leggings, bike shorts, etc.) that is comfortable and fits well. They must also come with hair tied up and out of their faces (preferably in a bun so that they do not accidentally slip on it while in a handstand, etc.). We also ask that no jewellery is worn. They must have bare feet during the class.
These rules ensure that the risk of injury is reduced as much as possible. We also ask that parents understand and consent to the physical contact between the teacher and child as it is a large portion of teaching acro dance and will help to ensure the safety of your child during tricks.
Students in our classes are expected to practice everything that they learn at home. Although we ask our dancers to practice at home, we request that you make sure that your child does not practice anything that they have not practiced in class without the teacher and do not allow their friends to spot them for tricks in the teacher’s place as they risk a chance of getting hurt.
DANCE TECHNIQUE
Our dance technique class combines a variety of styles - contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip hop, acro and ballet - so that students can get a taste of a range of styles and develop their technique and versatility.
Students will learn dance technique including turns, leaps, floor work, partner work, flexibility, improvisation, warmups and cool downs and will also learn choreography to a range of age-appropriate songs which they will have the opportunity to perform at our term two and end of year concerts.
We request that all students come wearing comfortable clothes that are easy to dance in (not things that are going to be falling down or distracting them) and with long hair tied up out of the face. We ask that students also attend our classes either in socks or bare feet (with a pair of socks in their bag).
COMPETITION DANCE
Our competition team consists of students who dance to a higher level and desire more of a challenge than the regular classes. The students have a range of abilities and styles so we are open to any dancer joining if they have the right attitude and worth ethics. All students in the competition team are required to take one competition class (their group will be assigned by the teacher) and one technique class which can be either an acro level or the dance technique class to keep their dance ability up and learn strength, stretching and skills.
In the competition classes students will work as a group to learn dances that will be competed locally (no further than two hours away) and performed in our term two and end of year concerts. The choreography will be catered to the students in the classes but are typically of contemporary, lyrical or jazz style.
As this class is a lot more fast-paced, students must have a reasonable maturity level and concentration. They must be hard-working and attend all classes and be responsible for catching up if they are not there. We ask that all dancers in our competition team come to classes with with comfortable and well fitting clothing and their hair tied up and out of their face. We also request that socks and sneakers are brought (other footwear may be be requested later in the year by the teacher).
If you or your child want to be considered, please contact us to be sent our information regarding commitment and to schedule a time to meet the teacher and be assessed for the group.
Students in the Competition Troupes must be attending another regular Excite dance class and/or a Dance Technique class.
These classes are 45 mins each once a week
This is a year long commitment
PRIVATE LESSONS
Private lessons are offered to any student at Excite Academy. They must be pre-booked for a time that suits both the student and the teacher.
The content in each private lesson will be specifically tailored to the individual dancer’s strengths, weaknesses and needs. The dancer and teacher will work together on anything that the dancer wants help with or to learn or that the teacher believes that could do with some extra help on. Private lessons can be arranged for those that are struggling in classes and want a bit of extra help, those that have missed one or more lessons and want help to catch up or those that are wanting to become more advanced dancers and learn harder work than the others in their classes. They can also be arranged for students who want solos, duets or trios choreographed for performances or competitions.
To book a private lesson or for more information, contact our office or speak with one of our staff members.
ADULT DANCE
INTRODUCTION TO DANCE (Mixed Style) 9 Week Course
This is the perfect introduction to dance movement for adults in a relaxed and social environment. Dancers have the opportunity to try a variety of styles within the 9 week course including ballet, jazz, contemporary dance, hip hop, and rhythmic footwork.
The Adult Course is broken into 3 week blocks where at least 2 routines will be taught (per block) in addition to an exciting range of warm ups and exercises to awesome music each week! Stay for one block or the whole term for more styles and more fun.