PROGRAMS AND CLASSES OFFERED
Pre-School Curriculum for children ages 2 - 4

Dance is within the spirit of all of us. Around the age of 2, it begins to emerge as children respond with joy to music they hear and movements they see. At the Ridgefield School of Dance our goal is to harness this natural impulse and channel it into modes of expression that will not only build knowledge of movement possibilities, but will also help the child move with a sense of confidence and self-esteem in an environment with other children.

PRE-SCHOOL MOVEMENT EXPLORATION
Ages 2 - 3

Designed as a first dance experience, the child moves as part of a group in a noncompetitive atmosphere. Children learn simple limbering-up exercises, examine parts of the body as they move in space and on the ground, dance to poems, stories, songs, and work on basic locomotor steps, basic rhythms, and movement. This class combines the elements of both creative movement and ballet, and is a good foundation for pre-ballet.

PRE-BALLET
Ages 3 - 4

In addition to the elements included in the Pre-School Movement Exploration Class, the children learn basic ballet positions and terminology, become familiar with a ballet barre and movement patterns across the floor. The emphasis continues to be on enhancing their basic joy in moving and the confidence and self-esteem they gain from it.

CLASSIC BALLET PROGRAM

The Classical Ballet Program at the Ridgefield School of Dance includes instruction in both Cecchietti and Vagonova technique. Classes are tailored for the students to progress though graded levels appropriate to their age and ability.

LOWER SCHOOL
Ages 4 - 7

Lower School Classes meet once a week, and start at the age of 4 and continue through approximately age 7.

UPPER SCHOOL
Ages 8 - 18

At around the age of 7, and with the support of the faculty, students are invited to join the Upper School. The beginning level classes of the Upper School have two technique classes a week. The intermediate and advanced level students take three technique classes a week, in addition to 1, 2 or 3 pointe classes, depending on their level of ability.

Students are considered for Pointe at the age of 10, but must demonstrate strong ankle and upper body strength before being admitted to the program. This is only with permission of the faculty.

Our advanced dancers in the Classical Ballet Program may audition for, or be invited to join, the school’s performing company, The Ridgefield Dance Company, Ballet division.

They have special opportunities to perform, have guest master classes, and travel to New York City for unique educational performances and workshops.

Recent Company performances include “Where the Wild Things Are,” Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and “Capriccio” ballets with choreography by Director Nancy Baldwin and performed with The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Two performances of The Sleeping Beauty Ballet, were included as part of the 2006 Children’s Series at The Ridgefield Playhouse. The Company also performs the  “Nutcracker and Christmas Tea” at Founder’s Hall and numerous performances at area retirement communities, nursing homes and children’s community centers.

JAZZ PROGRAM
Ages 5 and up

The Jazz Program, under the direction of Wendy Perreault, incorporates a contemporary jazz style with a slight “street appeal”, always changing and evolving with new trends and styles.

To dance jazz properly, technique training is emphasized to reveal well-defined body-line and control, enabling the dancer to be expressive in a variety of ways. The program is geared toward creating trained jazz dancers. Through movement, the students gain a level of self-confidence and awareness that they apply to their daily lives. Teaching a respect for jazz dance creates a camaraderie and respect among students.

MODERN DANCE

In no art is movement more basic to expression than dance. Dancers, however, must deal with both form and content, and a continual controversy about the relative merits of both is constantly being waged.

Modern Dance Technique can be considered the “form.” In both child and adult classes, we work on warm-ups sitting and standing as well as some work at the barre. Emphasis is on body alignment as well as freeing of the torso. A good part of the classes are spent on locomotion to experience movement patterns in space to various types of accompaniment. The children’s class may improvise to music or poetry as well as learn how to “make” a dance based on their own ideas.

Modern Dance Composition is the study of the “content.” Incorporated from time to time within the regular technique class - if not held as a separate class - the composition work deals with the implications of movement design on the body within the stage space, learning how to build a movement phrase, using words with movements and other expressions.