Balanchine Inspired Technique: George Balanchine was the founder of the School of the American Ballet and the New York City Ballet. His neoclassical style focused more on dance movement and construction in relation to music than on plot or characterization. Referred to as the father of American ballet, Balanchine brought modern topics to the stage. To his credit he also broke down barriers by making Arthur Mitchell, an African American dancer, a principal with his New York City Ballet company.
Training in Balanchine technique allows dancers to utilize more space in less time, so that speed, spatial expansion, and a syncopated musicality are enhanced. Specific characteristics include the following:

• extreme speed and very deep plié
• emphasis online, with use of unconventional, asymmetrical, abstract arm and hand placement
• pirouettes en dehors taken from a lunge in fourth position rather than the conventional plié in fourth
• distinctive arabesque line with the hip open to the audience and the side arm pressed back
• athletic dance quality

This technique was developed by Lester Horton in the 1930’s and 40’s as a major codified modern dance technique reputed to fortify, stretch, and strengthen the human body. The basic warm-up uses flat backs, primitive squats, descent and ascent, lateral stretches, release swings and deep lunges. Classified as one of the classical modern dance techniques, this technique was developed as a part of the modern dance movement that sought to create dance for the masses. Horton uses the shapes and forms emphasized throughout the training, and helps the dancer communicate emotional content and physical strength and power through movement. Lester Horton’s technique is one of the basic technical foundations of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, along with Chicago’s Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and other well established professional dance organizations throughout the United States.

Contemporary is an abstract dance style that incorporates the technical aspects of modern and ballet while leaving room for more choreographic freedom and creativity. The contemporary class will explore movement creation and improvisation that will encourage a better sense of body awareness and artistry. Students will be challenged to learn and create new movement that is outside of the box yet allowed to facilitate their technique in a functional way.

Luigi Technique: Eugene Louis Faccuito also known as Luigi, was an American jazz dancer, teacher, choreographer, and creator of the first codified jazz technique. Luigi Technique is widely used in musical theater productions on Broadway.
Jazz dance evolved from a social dance style that emerged at the turn of the 20th century when African American dancers began blending traditional African steps with European styles of movement. Though jazz dance was born through intimate religious and social gatherings, it has always had a performative feel. And like jazz music, jazz dance was centered around improvisation and a call and response format that allowed dancers to create a conversation between the musicians, the instruments, and their bodies. When black dancers began pairing these eye-catching steps with the more structured movements seen in European dances, iconic moves like the Charleston and the cakewalk were born.

Hip Hop is a fast-paced, high-energy form of dance and the emphasis is less on formal technique and more on personal style. Classes start with a warm-up designed to get the blood pumping and the muscles working intensely, and then students will move on to learning and perfecting difficult choreography.