Under the direction of Megan Dickerson and Alexis Riley, the Park District’s dance program instructs students in the disciplines of ballet, jazz hop, tap, and lyrical. For placement, call 619-8042 or 619-8044. All classes are held at the Poage ARC, 2020 N. Oakland.
Classes start the week of September 11, 2023
| Monday - Studio 1 | |
|---|---|
| Company Ballet* | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. |
| Point II* | 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
| Company Tap* | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. |
| Heart and Soul: In Motion | 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. |
| Company Jazz | 7:15 - 8:15 p.m. |
| Company Lyrical | 8:15 - 9:15 p.m. |
| Tuesday - Studio 1 | |
|---|---|
| Hip Hop 6-8 | 4:20 - 5:00 p.m. |
| Intro to Dance II/III | 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
| Advanced Adult Tap | 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. |
| Beginning Lyrical | 6:15 - 7:00 p.m. |
| Contemporary | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
| Advanced Hip Hop | 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. |
| Stretch & Strengthen (13+) | 9:00 - 9:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday - Studio 1 | |
|---|---|
| Ballet II | 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. |
| Jazz II | 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. |
| Tap II | 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. |
| Advanced Lyrical | 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. |
| Thursday - Studio 1 | |
|---|---|
| Adult Booty Ballet | 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. |
| Tap IV/V | 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. |
| Jazz IV/V | 7:15 - 8:00 p.m. |
| Intermediate Lyrical (11-12) | 8:00 - 8:45 p.m. |
| Monday - Studio 2 | |
|---|---|
| Ballet IV/V* | 4:00 - 4:45 p.m. |
| Pointe I* | 4:45 - 5:15 p.m. |
| Adult Tap | 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. |
| Ballet III | 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. |
| Tap III | 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. |
| Jazz III | 7:30 - 8:15 p.m. |
| Tuesday - Studio 2 | |
|---|---|
| Teen Ballet/Jazz/Tap | 4 - 5:30 p.m. |
| Step Into Dance Ballet and Tap | 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. |
| Ballet/Tap Combo (6-8) | 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. |
| Intermediate Hip Hop (10 -12) | 7:15 - 8:00 p.m. |
| Stretch & Strengthen (9 - 12) | 8:15 - 8:45 |
| Wednesday - Studio 2 | |
|---|---|
| Intro to Dance I | 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. |
| Ballet I | 5:15 - 5:55 p.m. |
| Jazz I | 6:00 - 6:40 p.m. |
| Thursday - Studio 2 | |
|---|---|
| Beginning Hip Hop | 4:30 - 5:10 p.m. |
| Tap I | 5:10 - 5:50 p.m. |
| Boys Hip Hop/Tap | 5:50 - 6:40 p.m. |
| I'm a Masterpiece: Mind & Body Positivity (9 - 12) | 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. |
Class Descriptions:
Introduction to Dance
Intro I (2 – 3) introduces your child to the world of dance. Creative and age-appropriate activities help develop coordination, body awareness, and dance discipline.
Intro II (3 – 4) uses creative and age-appropriate activities to develop coordination, body awareness, and dance discipline.
Intro III (4 – 5) develops fundamental skills of dance through creative play and the use of music, drama, and ballet steps.
Combo Classes
Step Into Dance (5 – 6) is a more formal introduction to ballet and tap dance styles. Dancers will perform a tap & ballet recital piece. Dancers must be in kindergarten and will need ballet and tap shoes.
Ballet/Tap Combo (6-8) offers your dancer the opportunity to learn both ballet and tap dance styles, that are age and skill appropriate, in one class period. In ballet, your dancer will learn classical training with concentration on technique, coordination of the arms and legs, and combinations across the floor. In tap, we utilize the teachings of Al Gilbert and focus on the rhythmic musical theatre tradition of tap dance
Teen Ballet/Tap/Jazz is a great opportunity for dancers ages 13-18 to learn or improve in their technique of ballet, tap, and/or jazz. With this combo class, dancers can pick and choose one, two, or all three styles to participate in.
Boys Hip Hop/Tap (7-9) offers your dancer the opportunity to learn both hip hop and tap dance styles, that are age and skill appropriate, in one class period.
Additional Offerings
Stretch & Strengthen (9-12, 13+) is a great class to build muscle and core strength to enhance your dance technique and performance. This class is highly encouraged for the serious dancer.
I’m A Masterpiece: Mind & Body Positivity (9-12) In this 4-week class, participants will learn that they are truly a masterpiece by developing healthy habits for their body, mind, and self-esteem.
Dance Styles (ages 6 & up)
Ballet classes provide classical training with concentration on technique, coordination of the arms and legs, and combinations across the floor.
Pointe is for our most advanced Ballet Dancer and works on refinement of technique and artistic expression on Pointe. Pointe Dancers must be enrolled in two Ballet classes or one Ballet and one Lyrical class.
Tap classes utilize the teachings of Al Gilbert and focus on the rhythmic musical theatre tradition of tap dance.
Jazz will focus on learning proper dance technique such as isolations of the body, improving performance quality and developing complex rhythms and patterns. Students will be exposed to various styles of jazz such as Broadway, Street and Contemporary to help develop a well-rounded dancer.
Lyrical Dance (10 – Adult) fuses ballet, jazz, and modern dance styles. Class focuses on conveying musicality and emotion through movement and learned choreography.
Contemporary (14+) combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet, in an attempt to explore the natural energy and emotions of their bodies. Students will learn to use their bodies in a variety of ways, and they focus on breathing, posture, and emotional state to establish a mind-body connection.
Hip Hop (Elementary, Middle School, High School) encompasses street dance styles primarily performed to hip hop music. Classes include a wide range of styles including breaking, locking and popping.
Adult Classes (18+) are designed to be fun, educational and a great work out! We offer Adult Tap which develops a variety of skill levels and utilizes the teaching of Al Gilbert while focusing on the rhythmic musical theatre tradition of tap dance. Adult Hip Hop is a fun, energetic class performing street dance styles primarily performed to hip hop music or that have evolved as part of hip hop culture.
Company Class is for the more advanced, dedicated dancer/performer. Classes include ballet and pointe. Must audition for enrollment.
All Classes take place at the Poage Arts and Recreation Center 2020 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur, IL 62526
Registration & Fees
Register at the Poage ARC (2020 North Oakland Avenue) or call 217-619-8044
For information on dance class fees, visit the Fees & Payment Plan page.