GENRES OFFERED
At Language of Life - Art & Dance, Inc. we believe that ballet— a classical dance form demanding grace & precision while using formalized steps & gestures set in intricate, flowing patterns to create expression through movement, can be viewed as a direct parallel to the foundations of fine art laid down by the Greeks & later reemphasized during the Renaissance & Baroque periods. In all of our dance classes, students will have the opportunity to learn about their dance genre, & the art history, dance history, music history that corresponds to the genre. We also dive deeper into movement theory. We want our students to engage in the highest quality of education & performance while in a beautiful, approachable, and inclusive environment.
BALLET
Ballet helps to instill grace & proper placement in all genres of dance. Dancers will learn classical ballet techniques emphasizing correct form, placement, alignment, & terminology. Ballet is a theatrical entertainment in which ballet dancing & music, often with scenery & costumes, combine to tell a story & establish an emotional atmosphere. Ballet is the foundation of most techniques & can be used to learn other dance genres. Dancers may be required to remain at a level for more than one year if more development is needed.
PRE-POINTE
While the focus of this class is tailored to helping dancers pursue pointe work, pre-pointe is designed to help with foot & ankle articulation, strength, & aesthetics for any genre. The purpose of this class will show the dancers how to keep their feet healthy & prevent any risk of injury. A wide range of methods and techniques will be used, from Progressive Ballet techniques to traditional ballet footwork, physical therapy exercises, & even massage therapy. Along with regular technique classes, pre-pointe will help student’s placement, legs, & feet to be deemed sufficiently developed & ready for the task of being put on pointe.
POINTE
Pointe work is the result of the evolution of the ballet shoe. It could all be traced back to the typical 17th-century French court shoe, which was transformed into a slipper by Marie Carmago, that gave way to Marie Taglioni's invention of the pointe shoe that was only stiffened satin, to the pointe shoes we are familiar with today. It started as a means of elevating the female dancer above the floor to give her an ethereal airborne quality, to then being developed into a tool for virtuosity. The pointe shoe is used to achieve a much-desired aesthetic effect of lengthening the line of a dancer's leg, ending with an ultimate goal of making pointe work look effortless & appear as a natural extension of the foot. Studying & practicing pointe work, either classical or abstract forms, can be very beneficial for dancers. In these pointe classes, dancers will focus on various methods & training to expand their repertoire, & better prepare them for the professional world. Pointe builds excellent strength throughout the entire body, helps increase endurance, & provides the dancers a different platform to express their ideas.
MODERN
Modern is a reaction to classical ballet in the early 20th century. This genre of dance is known for being free and expressive. Modern allows for technique to be challenged & abstracted while maintaining a consistent theme of dance technique. This dance genre expresses mature concepts by using images from life for inspiration. Modern is used to create a different type of relationship with the audience in both art and dance, causing a thought-provoking reaction that is also entertaining. By studying the masters of Modern Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, & Jose Límon, students will draw a greater connection between dance & art.
JAZZ
While using the foundations of ballet, jazz combines music & dance as a single expression, with one feeding the other. It is a performance art that strives for individual aesthetics within a group style which helps the dancers find their own uniqueness. Jazz has many forms of expression and sub-styles, ranging from social dances (Cakewalk, Charleston, and Swing) to contemporary jazz to Broadway & musicals. Today, contemporary jazz is an indispensable ingredient of musical theatre, which is apparent in many contemporary music videos & competitive dances.
LYRICAL
Lyrical is a sub-category of Jazz. Lyrical allows students to find a softer sense of movement. We offer Lyrical as an introduction to Modern, which can have mature concepts & ideas. Lyrical allows other emotions to be displayed & divulges deeper than the basic jazz technique. Lyrical can open the door to the concepts of movement & art in collaboration & is an excellent option for those interested in ballet & jazz in a unifying environment.
TAP
Tap is a genre of dance that stemmed from the 19th century & is characterized by using the sounds of metal taps attached to shoes, enabling the dancers to move by striking the floor as a form of percussion, paired with interpretative & characteristic body movements. This allows dancers to build stronger connections with rhythm through movement associated with sound. By building a strong sense of musicality and rhythm, dancers can insert that knowledge into other aspects of dance.
MUSICAL THEATRE
Theatre has been a part of dramatic presentations since antiquity & has been evolving ever since. The Western style of musical theatre emerged during the 19th century, possessing overlapping structural elements with opera & dance, resulting in today's musicals comprising of songs, spoken dialogue, acting, & dance in which the narrative & emotions are communicated as an integrated whole. The 1940s-1960s are considered to be the Golden Age of Musical Theatre, with works such as "Oklahoma!" (1943) and "The Sound of Music" (1959) taking the stage. Bob Fosse is also on the scene, and "Chicago" (1975) is born. Participating in such art forms significantly improves a dancer's overall understanding of how the arts coincide. Our classes will focus on the dancing aspect of musical theatre & will not be providing any acting or singing instruction at this time.
CONDITIONING
Conditioning is a class designed for dancers to learn how to keep themselves in shape & injury-free. Constantly conditioning the body, and maintaining a solid work ethic, can allow the dancer to have a greater repertoire of range of movement. Conditioning the body for dance differs from a typical workout at the gym or at home. This class will use a combination of pedestrian workout methods & exercises designed for dance, such as progressing ballet training, pilates, yoga, and much more.