Playing till the work emerges . . . . dedicated to the process
2011-2012 Course Offerings
All Contents Copyright 2011 - Halestone Dance Studio :: Web Design by Mary Lane :: Photography by Angie Rachels
FORMATIVE DANCE EDUCATION (Toddler – 2nd Grade)
Halestone’s comprehensive program for young children offers a wide variety of classes to choose from. In fact, we have so much to offer preschool and elementary school-children, we’ve had to come up with some pretty creative names for the different classes just to keep them straight! Parents can choose from a ballet preparatory track, a creative developmental track, or a combination of both tracks with added support from yoga, tumbling, and tap dance. There is even a multiple class discount for many of the children’s classes built into Halestone’s tuition structure that provides parents an incentive to sign their child up for more than one class a week.
BABY & ME: (Parents and Toddlers) Halestone’s founder, Carol Winder, introduced the prototype for this dance class in the fall of 1978 and advertised it as a place where “parents participate as partners with their children” to “develop movement skills and creativity.” Studio Director Nancy Saylor now offers these playful dance classes for toddlers and their parents with two weekly class times to choose from and flexible options for enrollment.
YOGA BABIES: (For moms with newborns to crawling infants) Bring your babies to yoga class and get a gentle, stress reducing workout in a supportive atmosphere. Expert instruction provides new moms with valuable guidance and training with a special focus on exercises for the body’s core that safely restore articulation of the spine and overall muscle tone. (Suggested equipment: circular yoga mat, yoga blanket)
YOGA TOTS: (Partner yoga for parents & toddlers) An informal, guided practice for parents and their toddlers that provides interactive poses and yoga games for improving body awareness, focus, coordination, and relaxation. Fun and playful, these classes are designed to give everyone a workout!
(Suggested equipment: circular yoga mat, yoga blanket)
TIME TO BEGIN I & II: (For Preschool, ages 3-4) Creative, delightful, and innovative; Sara Cunningham has designed these classes for young children to provide them with their first introduction to classical dance aesthetics. Children enjoy dance games and exercises that make use of classical ballet terms and traditions while toning and stretching muscles and helping to develop overall body awareness. (Class uniforms and ballet shoes are required.)
BALLET PREP I & II: (Kindergarten - 1st Grade) Children continue their classical dance preparation in an atmosphere of fun and exploration with Sara Cunningham’s program tailored to prepare dancers for the formal structure of a ballet class. Weekly lessons are given on such things as placement of the arms and hands in port de bras, the legs and feet in plies, releves, and other pertinent technique. (Class uniforms and ballet shoes are required.)
CREATIVE MOVEMENT I, II, & III: These innovative classes for children ages 4-6 form an important physical and creative foundation for the work we do at Halestone. Using somatic principles and developmental technique to enhance neurological connections, children are introduced to movement as a medium for expression and begin the first aspects of training for the athletically demanding art of dance. Through experiential exploration of dance as energy in time and space, students learn to differentiate qualities of movement (energy) within the context of a measured pulse (time) while developing a dimensional and directional awareness of space. Course material progresses sequentially with each level of instruction.
TUMBLING I & II: Beginning at the kindergarten level (and advancing up to the 3rd grade), children are introduced to basic gymnastic skills that foster flexibility, strength, coordination, and physical confidence. These athletic classes offer individualized instruction to assure that students progress at an appropriate developmental rate and achieve their personal best. Mats, balance beams, and a host of other props are used to stimulate the imagination and the dynamic exploration of physical possibility. (See progressive course listings under TUMBLING / ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS)
INTRO TO DANCE TECHNIQUE: A combination class for 2nd grade dancers that builds on creative movement basics while introducing students to ballet and tap (tap shoes are provided, ballet shoes not required).
The study of ballet is an important aspect of the integrated approach to dance training at Halestone. While many classes at Halestone balance technical dance education with applied theory and creative movement, the main focus of our ballet program is on the precise mastery of classical technique alone. It takes many hours over an extended period of years to safely develop the muscular memory required of a dancer and serious students should begin their technical training early and be faithful in their practice. Students who are more interested in modern dance or jazz—where the concepts and vocabulary of ballet are transposed upside down, inside out, or falling off balance—will be glad that they established a solid knowledge of dance technique in their ballet classes. Halestone Dance Studio has a full course of study from the most elementary to the most advanced levels for ballet dancers pursuing an education in classical dance:
TIME TO BEGIN & BALLET PREP: (See course descriptions under listings for Formative Dance Education)
BALLET I-VII: Classes begin with exercises at the barre followed by centre work with movement sequences across the floor, all with a strong emphasis on the basics of correct skeletal alignment and movement pathways, muscular execution, and classical dance aesthetics. Classes for female students in Ballet V introduce the basic preparatory exercises for pointe work. Students progress from one level to the next on a yearly basis with the approval and or recommendation of the instructor.
BALLET ENSEMBLE: Ballet students at Level III and above are required to attend these additional, weekly classes corresponding to their level of study. Designed for performing artists and company members, Ballet Ensemble classes follow a traditional format while emphasizing ensemble awareness and participation.
POINTE, POINTE & VARIATIONS: Beginning at the Ballet VI level, pointe work principles are taught in separate classes that feature traditional barre and centre work along with innovative conditioning exercises based on Bartenieff Fundamentals and other somatic principles. As a means to mastering the artful integration of these learned techniques into expressive, choreographed movement, the Ballet VII Pointe & Variations class features the study of solo works from a classical repertoire of ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Paquita, Pas de Quatre, Cinderella, and Don Quixote. (Students must have at least 3 years of pointe training to qualify for Point & Variations.)
BALLET LAB: A unique course designed to incorporate Halestone’s model of choreographic study with the classical art form of ballet. Students explore the traditional repertory of ballet and learn to choreograph original ballet combinations through a process that connects their technical abilities to personal meaning and expression. Advanced knowledge of ballet technique is required for this course.
CREATIVE MOVEMENT I, II, & III: (See course descriptions under listings for Formative Dance Education)
DANCE LAB I, II, III: Creative, fun-filled, and challenging, Halestone’s unique Dance Lab classes are formatted to help students build a solid technical base balanced by proper alignment, strength, flexibility, coordination, and musicality through the study of experiential anatomy and applied dance theory. Improvisational skills are nurtured using scores that explore the inner connections (breath, core to distal, head to tail, top to bottom, homo-lateral, cross-lateral) that are necessary for freedom and ease in outward expression. Dancers also learn about the dynamics of energy (yielding, pushing, reaching, grasping, and pulling) that are the support and motivation for all movement. Creativity is encouraged in dancers on every level. Workshop time is allotted each month for the guided study of the choreographic process, providing dancers with an opportunity to create their own compositions for class presentation and recital performance.
ADVANCED DANCE SEMINAR: Designed for serious dancers at the high school and adult level, seminar classes are based on somatic principles and include the study of technique, applied theory, improvisation, and composition. (For the study of experiential anatomy and additional training benefits, Advanced Seminar students are recommended to take either Yoga or Dance Conditioning PM).
MODERN DANCE TECHNIQUE: Through a variety of techniques shaped by artists such as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Jose Limon, and Hanya Holm, dancers explore the essence of a twentieth century art form and its impact on contemporary dance.
IMPROVISATIONAL PRACTICE: Offered in two-hour sessions every other week on Friday evenings from September through May (students pay the rate for a 1 hour class per week), these classes for high school students and adults provide for the advanced study of the art of improvisational dance.
DANCE HISTORY: (Taught as part of the regular curriculum in Creative Movement, Intro to Dance Technique, Dance Lab, and Advanced Seminar) The inward connections that are a result of regular dance training at Halestone are balanced with an outward focus on the larger world of dance partly through the study of Dance History. For six months from September through February, time is set-aside during the last class of each month for a story lecture (March, April, and May are focused on recital preparation). Books, photographs, and video are used to teach about historically relevant dancers and choreographers as well as influential contemporary artists. Subjects cover a wide range of styles and personalities: from the revolutionary "new dance" of Isadora Duncan to Fred Astaire and American musical theatre; from grand opera to neo-classical ballet.
MOVEMENT FOR THEATRE: Students learn the essential physical skills and techniques used in theatre performance to build images, create characters, and communicate dramatic meaning. Both dancers and actors will enjoy developing their physical range while playing with theatrical traditions such as mime, Commedia dell’arte, Spectacle Theater, and other contemporary forms. Using movement as a springboard for exploring their own stories, students are given the opportunity to also compose poetic text to accompany their ideas.
INTRO TO DANCE TECHNIQUE: (Tap Dance for 2nd Graders - See course description under listings for Formative Dance Education)
TAP I, II, III, IV: (3rd Grade – High School) Dancers hone their mathematical relationship to energy and space while studying the essence of stage presence and presentation. Grade school children are given a combination class with tap and jazz technique while tap classes for middle school children and above are exclusively focused on the percussive dance-arts. TAP CLASS PREREQUISTIES: In order to provide students with a high level of tap instruction and a more standardized system for progress, Tap I, II, and III students are required to take an additional dance technique class in order to qualify for tap instruction at Halestone. It is highly recommended though not required that Tap IV students also take an additional technique class to support their tap class studies.
ADULT TAP: The perfect class for beginners or beginning-over tap dancers. Arrive determined, leave laughing! While you’re there, you’ll give your nervous system a tune up, stimulate bone growth and/or preserve bone density with each rhythmic tap of your foot, and get a moderate aerobic workout—all at the same time. (Intermediate and advanced adults are welcome to place themselves in either Tap III or IV).
CLASSIC JAZZ: Classical instruction for middle school dancers establishes the foundation needed for mastering the technical challenges of jazz dance including its specialized turns and leaps, isolations, and syncopated, rhythmic qualities. A general knowledge of ballet technique and terminology is recommended.
HIP HOP I & II: Classes focus on Hip Hop’s definitive style with combinations and floor-work set to its unique musical genre. Dancers are required to have an intermediate to advanced level of established technical skill before joining (Classic Jazz is a suggested pre-requisite). To ensure proper class placement, students registering for Hip Hop I or II must have the instructor’s approval.
SYTYCD: For advanced students of jazz who are looking for the ultimate challenge in the study of popular dance. Classes follow a traditional format with warm-ups, technical training, and the introduction of a newly choreographed combination each week designed to sharpen dancers’ cognitive abilities and aptitude for performance.
TUMBLING / ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS
TUMBLING I & II: (Kindergarten – 3rd Grade) Young children are introduced to basic gymnastic skills that foster flexibility, strength, coordination, and physical confidence. These athletic classes offer individualized instruction to assure that students progress at an appropriate developmental rate and achieve their personal best. Mats, balance beams, and a host of other props are used to stimulate the imagination and the dynamic exploration of physical possibility.
ACROBATICS: Fun-filled, intermediate level classes for children nine years of age and older that emphasize flexibility, grace, strength, and control all with a circus twist! From handstands and cartwheels, backbends to walkovers, round-offs and exercises for aerial awareness, students will be introduced to a wide range of skills based on correct form and technique while discovering the magical influence of showmanship and theatrical presentation. (Recommended pre-requisites: Tumbling I & II or similar course work experience)
GYNMASTICS: Focused on the classical basics of gymnastics, these classes offer participants a fun yet challenging experience in fitness training. Through the study of floor exercises and choreographed routines, students gain valuable knowledge and skills that help to develop their life-long potential for balance, flexibility, strength, and coordination.
COMPANY PREP: All 3rd to 8th grade dancers who are registered for two or more regularly scheduled classes at Halestone qualify for a Halestone bonus! Company Prep, a complimentary, once-a-month workshop style class to be held throughout the year, offers additional creative opportunities for young dancers and valuable training in preparation for future company membership.
FITNESS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
DANCE CONDITIONING: Designed by Studio Director Nancy Saylor, this exclusive exercise program provides clients with a comprehensive training regimen for the development of physical endurance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. Each hour-long session features a thirty-minute aerobic workout balanced by an additional thirty minutes of pilates-based mat exercises, free weights, yoga, and other somatic training methods. Dance Conditioning is ideal for serious dancers but moving bodies of all types and levels of experience are welcome. Class members are encouraged to participate at their own rate and level of competence and are carefully coached at each stage of the workout.
ZUMBA: Dance-based fitness classes for HS students and adults that combine the red-hot Latin music of cumbia, salsa, samba, and merengue with traditional Latin dance steps for a fun-inspired workout.
YOGA BABIES & YOGA TOTS: (See course descriptions under listings for Formative Dance Education)
YOGA: Harmonizing the breath with mental concentration and a full range of motion within the joints to tone and lengthen muscles, yoga classes at Halestone emphasize accuracy of placement, alignment, and action while offering modified forms for each posture so that students can progress at a safe, individual rate. Recommended equipment: yoga mat, 8” block, yoga strap.