Programs:
Ballet and Dance:
- Creative Ballet and Tap - Ages 3 to 5
- Elementary Ballet - Beginner through 3 years of training
- Intermediate Ballet
- Advanced Ballet
- Pointe and Variations
- Jumps and Turns NEW
- California / New York Hip-Hop NEW
- Tap and Jazz Combo
- Modern - Graham Technique NEW
- Ballroom
- Audition Preparation
Broadway Musical Theatre and Drama:
- Elementary Broadway Musical Theatre
- Intermediate Broadway Musical Theatre
- Advanced Broadway Musical Theatre
- Drama
Private and Semi-Private Training
Ballet and Dance:
Our ballet is based on the Russian Vaganova technique and taught by certified teachers. In meeting the standards of today and its technology our ballet is as cool and fun as hip-hop for our students. While we still use many pieces of classical music in class, we supplement it with more current Broadway and Pop pieces to keep the enthusiasm and energy high.
Our school has a hands-on-hands approach to teaching. Students are guided through the physical experience of movements in dance by physically adjusting their feet and arms. Once they have experienced the correct positions and movements by having been placed into them, they can recreate these actions on their own. Students are guided to understanding and development and not merely 'talked at' to correct them. The quality results of this training method is that students can differentiate the correct from the incorrect forms.
Creative Ballet and Tap - Ages 3 to 5
At the earliest stages of training a child's bones and joints are soft and must be protected by the proper training. Our program does give the preliminary preparation which includes the five positions of the legs and feet as well as the arms using wonderful imagery. The ballet walks are introduced, encouraging the child to initiate movement traveling right and left. Props are used and then removed to develop the lengthening of the body and the stance of a ballerina. Bending, rising and jumping movements, as well as improvisations based on what the body can do in time, space and force are explored providing the child with joyful self awareness and awesome discovery.
Children at this age do relate well to making sounds of different kinds. Tap develops rhythmic skills. The child becomes familiar with the tapping of the toe and heel, brushes and spanks, cramp rolls, shuffles, flaps and ball-changes.
It is too early for children at this age to do ballet at the barre. By age and education they are not ready for the confinement and restrictions of standing at the barre for a long time.
Elementary Ballet - Beginner through 3 years of training
The average child of five or six is ready to respond to training at the barre.
The parallel, and turned out first and second positions are the starting point and are introduced at the barre. These positions are basis of the movements which are required to be mastered in the first years: bending, rising, and jumping. The alignment of the body, the initiation of movement, finishing movements. With careful consideration of the development the hands and the feet.
Some students prefer an entire ballet class and some prefer to continue with some tap. -
Intermediate Ballet - Approximately 4 to 6 years of training
A student is now ready to learn movements and steps based on gliding and turning movements. Usually a student who has at least two years of ballet training and has reached the age between 10 and 12 is a candidate for pointe. Like any other athlete, students preparing for pointe will increase the frequency of training to more than once a week.
Advanced Ballet - more than 6 years of training
A student who has been consistent, trained intensively between 4 to 6 days a week, displays a true love and passion for the art form, and has a technical understanding and knowledge of the seven moves in ballet is ready to address the deeper performance issues. They can start looking into scholarships in minor or major dance companies, colleges and universities.
Professional Ballet
When a student is ready to begin auditioning for professional companies they require higher degrees of technical polish and expression. Private and semiprivate training is recommended and available to supplement the regular training. Our proven record of propelling young dances towards dance and dance related fields demonstrates our quality of training.
Pointe and Variations
The pointe and variation class provides students with the opportunity to use all the muscles of the body to rise up on pointe. The training on pointe begins at the barre where the elementary movements are executed on both feet. As a student develops muscularly, movements involve shifting of weight, going from two feet to one foot. Having mastered this training the student can then start learning the balances, turns and jumps required to formulate a well rounded dancer. Variations of traditional ballets, such as Giselle, Nutcracker, Swan Lake, etc., are taught to prepare the student in the achievement of repertoire necessary for dance companies.
Pointe class requires permission of the teacher.
Jumps and Turns NEW
The balance of the dancer is most challenged when turning or in landing from mid air. This class focuses on the requirements of jumping and turning with the grace and apparent ease of the performer. Turns and jumps are only as good as the preparation before them and the landing after them. These movements also are faster than most other ballet steps. Stamina and strength are developed by focusing on these movements. Class covers such movements as grand jete, entrechaiments, pas de poisson, tour en l'air, pirouettes, chainees, pique en tournants, fouettes, and many others.
California / New York Hip-Hop NEW
This style of Hip-Hop emerged 15 years ago in California and jumped to NYC where it integrated into the local forms to produce a new performing vehicle for clubs and music videos. Mike teaches and performs on stage and videos. He breaks down the moves and give you the attitude and style you need to dance well where ever you go.
Tap and Jazz Combo
These two dance forms are a natural pairing as jazz evolved out of tap. These are energetic, upbeat and aerobic. Broadway is utterly dependent on jazz and tap for so many of its great musicals. Class includes warm up isolations and coordination exercises to stimulate the entire body, combinations of jazz and tap current steps, both in areas and across the floor.
Modern - Graham Technique
Come learn modern dance from a teacher who studied with Martha Graham herself! Martha Graham was one of the most creative innovators of dance for 70 year! She form influenced all the performing arts, as well as the visual arts. Martha Merideth also performed with the Humphrey-Weidman company. Her rich and historically important background provides her students with unique insights into the form and technique of Modern Dance.
Ballroom
Swing, Salsa, Fox Trot, Waltz, Tango, Cha-Cha, Mambo, Samba, Merengue...
Individuals and couples who wish to enjoy the social activites in clubs attend class to learn the dances of their choice. Frequently couples who are getting married come to have their first dance together choreographed to their favorite song.
Audition Preparation
Private and Semi-Private tutelage is available for the student who is serious and trains appropriately. Students who really prepare well can receive scholarships to college, dance companies, or nail the part on Broadway. We have had great success with our student's, both heading for concert fields and Broadway / TV / Film careers.
Broadway Musical Theatre and Drama:
Martha was the first to bring theatre to Long Island over 30 years ago. The benefits of musical theatre include aiding students in overcoming shyness, stage fright, and other inhibitions. This program teaches students how to rivet an audience, pronunciation and diction, to interact both off and on stage, developing social skills, as well as verbal skills. Students also find their reading comprehension improved. Their vocabulary and memorization skills are vastly expanded as a result of the diverse materials they encounter in their studies.
Musical Theatre is for all ages and all levels. There are many opportunities to excel in singing, acting and dancing.
All classes have live professional piano accompaniment and occasionally percussion / drums.
Successful shows from previous years include Grease, Annie, our own Harry Potter, Lion King, and many others.
Elementary Broadway Musical Theatre
The elementary levels of Musical Theatre provide students from approximately age 3 to age 7 with a chronology of musical theatre jazz dance, singing and acting, dating from pre-vaudiville styles through the 20's and 30's. Special vocal children's poetry and music is used to develop projection and articulation.
Intermediate Broadway Musical Theatre
Students by the age of 8 to 12 are usally ready to add and learn dance steps and combinations from the 40's through the 60's: jitterbug, swing, latin merengue, mombo, cha-cha, tango, rock and roll, and others. Improvisation and theare games provide a foundation for characterisation and scene study training.
Advanced Broadway Musical Theatre
Script study is extended to longer pieces and deeper character development. Transition and character growth and studied in both comedic and dramatic roles. Only legitimate Broadway show material is covered. Our Jazz dance warm up additionally now takes us from the 60's through the current Broadway scene.
Drama
For the student who only wants to act and perfect their performance skills. Individual monologues, short scenes from plays with other actors, as well as improvisations and theatre games. Special vocal expercises to develop pronounciation, diction and projection are included.
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