CLASS INFORMATION
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TranscenDance Studios in residence at Fitness Formula Clubs
1114 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60301 Ph:  773.944.5352 caitjones@TranscenDanceStudios.com
Ballet
Pointe
Tap
Jazz
Hip Hop
Lyrical
Leaps & Turns
Jumps & Stretch
Tumbling
Glee Club
&
Boys Only

Pre-Level
Beginning Level 1
Beginning Level 2
Beginning Level 3
Intermediate 1/2
Intermediate 3/4
Intermediate / Advanced
Advanced

Ages 3-5
Ages 5-7
Ages 6-8 with experience
Ages 8-10
Ages 10+
Ages 10+ with experience
With Instructor Approval
With Instructor Approval
LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS
Final say in the level of enrollment is up to the instructor.
"Audition Only" Youth Ensembles
Hip Hop TransFuzion (HHTF), Jazz TransAxion (JTA), TransRhythm Tap (TRT), and TDS Minis are youth ensembles in residence at TranscenDance Studios.  HHTF, JTA, and TRT are non-profit organizations for ages 9-18.  TDS Minis is for dancers ages 6+ who study tap, jazz, and hip hop.  Please see the Youth Ensembles page on our web site for more information. 

Ballet
Ballet class is one of the most challenging, yet most gratifying classes that we offer. Giving students precise technique, ballet offers a lot more than what meets the eye.  It is the foundation for many other dance forms such as jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, and modern. Ballet is also beneficial to gymnasts, ice skaters, martial artists, and athletes, as it teaches alignment, placement, balance and elegance.  If you are a student of dance and looking for a great class, try ballet - and give yourself a chance to experience art in its purest form.

Goes Well With:  Lyrical, Jazz, Pointe (for advanced dancers)

Boyz Only Hip Hop
Boyz Only Hip Hop is designed specially for boys ages 6-10 as an entry into the dance world.  This class is taught by one of our talented Hip Hop TransFuzion dancers and will allow boys to make friends in dance class and learn from a strong male role model.    Please see the Hip Hop class description for more information on the content of this class. 

Goes Well With:  Break Dance, Tumbling

Break Dance
Break Dance, also known as breakdancing, b-boying, or b-girling, is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement amoung youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970's.  It is normally danced to funk or hip hop music, often remixed to prolong the breaks.  This class will consist of classic toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes, and focus on developing battle techniques and personal style.  B-boys and B-girls may want to consider supplementing their training with a hip hop and tumbling class.  

Goes Well With:  Hip Hop, Tumbling, Jumps & Stretch

Glee Club
Glee Club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets.  Contemporary Glee Clubs are no longer limited to performing glees and are typically well mixed between male and female vocalists.  TranscenDance Studios' Glee Club will learn arrangements of popular songs, perform in TDS's annual recital in June, and create a music video for YouTube.  All Gleeks welcome!

Goes Well With:  Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop

Hip Hop
The most popular and fastest-growing style of dance without a doubt is hip hop. This dance form is a thrilling adventure with  fun, energetic, athletic movements, and popular music in an atmosphere of safe self-expression!  TDS Hip Hop is not limited to one style or technique. Classes blend several different styles, including  Popping, Locking, Floating, Urban Funk, Break-Dance, and Lyrical Hip Hop.  Hop Hop dancers can benefit from Tumbling and a more technical movement class such as Ballet, Jazz, or Lyrical.  You can see hip hop dance on TV shows like “America’s Best Dance Crew.”

Goes Well With:  Break Dance, Tumbling, Jumps & Stretch, or a classical movement class like Jazz

Jazz
Studying Jazz is an exciting journey. Jazz relies on a dancer's classical training, yet pushes dancers to a higher level of creative expression through generally up-tempo movement and exciting tricks, leaps, and turns.  Jazz dancers are encouraged to take ballet class, and can benefit from lyrical and tumbling classes as well.  You can see jazz dance on shows like “So You Think You Can Dance.” 

Goes Well With:  Ballet, Lyrical, Jumps & Stretch, Leaps & Turns

Jumps & Stretch
Jumps & Stretch is specially targeted to benefit cheerleaders, dance team members, gymnasts, ice skaters, hip hoppers, and jazz dancers.  This class focuses on increasing flexibility to improve kicks, battements, leaps, jumps, range of motion for tumbling, and promote injury prevention.  The jumps portion of class includes drills to improve tuck jumps, front/side hurdlers, toe touches (straddle jumps), double hooks, c-jumps, pike jumps, double jumps, and power jumps. 

Goes Well With:  Tumbling, Hip Hop, Jazz

Leaps & Turns
Leaps & Turns is an important component in every dancer's repertoire and will enhance all dance styles. Our Leaps & Turns classes focus on the most basic of turns (chaine, pique, pirouette) through the advanced turns (attitude, arabesque, coupe, fouette, a la seconde, multiple pirouettes) and variations of all of the above.  Leaps & Turns also progresses from basic leaps and jumps (tuck, pike, toe-touch, c-jump, jete, and second leaps), to advanced leaps and jumps, such as cabriole, switch leap, switch-second, capezio, calypso, turning c-jumps, reverse leaps, and disc leaps.  The student's goal is to execute a series of complicated turn patterns technically correct and safely.

Goes Well With:  Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Jumps & Stretch

Lyrical
Lyrical is one of TDS’s most popular classes.  Dancers learn to express themselves through the lyrics of contemporary, emotive music.   Lyrical is strongly rooted in ballet technique while blending jazz and modern styles.  Lyrical dance is characterized by sustained extensions, dynamic movement, and expressive presence.  Students are encouraged to take a Ballet and Jazz class in addition to Lyrical.

Goes Well With:  Ballet, Jazz, Leaps & Turns

Pointe
Without proper strength, technique, and training, an attempt at dancing on pointe can cause injury. Children with growing feet should not dance on pointe unless under the strict supervision of an instructor.  Introduction to pointe work must be gradual.  Dancers should train for several years in soft slippers developing strong ballet technique, then may progress to Pointe-Prep class in soft shoes, and then finally to Pointe. 
At TranscenDance Studios, we are very focused on our dancers safety. The proper training and care of our students takes priority over a dancer's desire for pointe shoes. Dancers with the technique, strength, discipline and work ethic will be invited into Pointe-Prep or Pointe class when ready.  Speak with a TDS instructor for a personal plan of course-work to get your dancer ready for pointe. 

**Pointe dancers must take both Advanced Ballet classes a week or provide proof of additional weekly ballet training elsewhere.  Pointe dancers must enroll in the ballet class scheduled before their pointe class of choice to provide for adequate

Goes Well With:  Ballet

Tap
Creating rhythms and sounds, tap dancing is truly unique. Tappers develop musicality, rhythm, and the ability to understand complex patterns. Tap is beneficial to gymnasts, ice skaters, martial artists, and athletes, as it develops nimble, quick feet through the transition of weight placement.  TDS Tap strikes a balance between the visually entertaining elements of “Broadway” style tap, and the musically complex footwork of “Rhythm” tap to develop the most skilled tapper possible.  TranscenDance Studios is known for its highly skilled tap program. 

Goes Well With:  any classical movement class like Ballet or Jazz

Tumbling
Tumbling at TDS is geared specially to benefit dancers and chearleaders.  Classes bring in concepts and movement at an age-appropriate level.  Depending on the level and age, Tumbling class will work from basic rolls, cartwheels, round-offs, headstands, handstands, and bridges, and progress to advanced back bends, walk-overs, headsprings, handsprings, and aerials.  Tumbling class will place an emphasis on balance, strength, and flexibility.

Goes Well With:  Break Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop, Jumps & Stretch


CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
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