DANCE STYLES

TINY DANCERS

Tiny Dancers is a fun and engaging introduction to the body, the world of dance and the class environment for children as young as 3 years of age. It is important to give young children both chance and choice in terms of activities as they are growing and developing in their formative years. KDS teaches a combination of both Ballet and the Jazz technique, ideal for children attending Pre-School that are 3 to 5 years of age. Students will be 3 years of age to join Tiny Dancers and will then move on to a Beginners Level once in Kindergarten. It is a priority that these youngest students feel the thrill of achievement, setting them on a pathway to a positive life’s experience.

CLASSICAL BALLET

With its roots in the 1400’s, Classical Ballet is defined by the turn out of the legs and feet, extensions of the legs in the air and precise, yet graceful and flowing movements. Ballet classes develop technique, body alignment, vocabulary and musicality.

KDS Classical Ballet levels: Beginners; Primary; Preparatory; Level 1; Level 2; Level 3; Level 4; Level 5; Level 6; Major 1 through to Major 6

At Kristen's Dance Studio we use the Australian Dance Vision Syllabus in both Ballet and Jazz, offering assessments in Ballet only. Each dance level contains an age based progression allowing for both physical and mental development from beginners to pre-professional levels and is paced to suit the formative years of a young dancer's physical and cognitive development.

Official Logo - Australian Dance Vision Syllabus

JAZZ

Jazz Dance was first coined in the early 1900’s in the New Orleans dance scene and gained in popularity through the 1950’s. It incorporates many of the same elements as ballet, including leaps and turns. Jazz classes are fast and fun with upbeat music and involve traditional and not so traditional movements. Students will also develop technique, posture and terminology.

KDS Jazz levels: Beginners; Primary; Preparatory ; Level 1; Level 2; Level 3; Level 4; Intermediate; Senior; Open; Adults.

HIP HOP

Hip hop dance refers to movement and dance styles that emerged in the late 1970’s from the South Bronx in New York City, primarily performed to hip hop (rap) music. An energetic form of dancing, allowing dancers to perform with freedom of movement, and an opportunity to customise and add their own personality and style to their regime. It includes a range of styles like break dancing, popping, locking and waving. Hip hop gives the performer a huge opportunity for invention and physical expression.

KDS Hip Hop levels: Beginners; Sub-Junior; Junior; Intermediate; Senior; Open

LYRICAL & CONTEMPORARY

KDS classes include work in both Contemporary and Lyrical styles and allow for more freedom in movement and for the dancers intuition and inner feeling to surface.

Contemporary dance works on versatility and improvisation and has a focus on floor work, using gravity to pull the body down to the floor.

Lyrical is a style that blends elements of classical and jazz together. It often uses technique of classical ballet with a greater free flowing feel to the movements of the body. Lyrical dance should express the music and have a soft, floating quality.

KDS levels : Beginners; Sub-Junior; Junior; Intermediate ; Senior; Open

ACRO

Acro is a unique blend of dancing and gymnastic disciplines that is taking the dance world by storm. Loved by both teachers and students alike, Acrobatic Arts is a multi-discipline blend and is also known as AcroDance. Stunning moves from gymnastics is blended with steps and routines from the dance world for a unique and modern approach to dance.

Acrobatic Arts and modern AcroDance is based upon a style of dance that emerged in the 1900s in North America as part of vaudeville. This was a popular theatrical variety entertainment that started in the late 1880s and brought together groups of different performers into a single act. This included singers, dancers, comedians, magicians and acrobats.

Acrobatic Arts focuses on the five visions of AcroDance and has elements from many other dance traditions including ballet, modern dance and jazz. It also uses elements from fitness activities such as yoga and Pilates alongside physiotherapy principles to increase strength and balance.

The Acrobatic Arts program used at KDS is designed to teach people a complete understand of AcroDance and is based on the five divisions: Flexibility; Strength; Balancing; Limbering; Tumbling.

This means that elements of the training program including drills to build strength, flexibility and improve cardio as well as learning key elements such as handstands, splits and bridges. It also involves partner work and learning the terminology of the art. The syllabus is currently based on 350 skills across 12 levels and is constantly updated to ensure it is comprehensive.

Acrobatic Arts is essential two skills in one program – the art of dance and the skill of the acrobat. It combines many classic dance elements with a physical conditioning that allows you to undertake the complex acrobatic moves that are part of the style. One of the reasons it is so popular is that it builds strength in the dancer. Alongside becoming stronger, dancers also vastly improve their flexibility and balance.

While Acrobatic Arts is a serious dance discipline, it is also great fun and the health benefits that dancers can get from it make it worth considering for a variety of age groups.

Official Logo - Acrobatic Arts

TINY TUMBLERS

Tiny Tumblers is an introduction to the Acrobatic Arts Program. It is a pre-school Acro Program that creates a fun way to explore dance and acrobatics!

This curriculum focuses on physical literacy. The focus of this program includes learning the acro positions, locomotive skills (jumping, hopping, etc), balance skills, classroom behaviour skills, movement concepts, cooperation and social skills.