Norwalk YMCA

Adult Classes | Children's Classes |

The YMCA of Norwalk School of Dance is committed to providing high-quality dance training in a fun and comfortable environment.

ADULT CLASSES
Open Level Adult classes will serve beginner through advanced students. No experience is necessary!

Adult Ballet (Open Level - ages 18+)
Thursday 10-11am
Adult classes will serve the beginner through advanced students. Classes will be taught in a moderate level with focus on proper body alignment and strengthening of the muscles. We believe that many adults have studied sometime in their life and will like to return to it with a new focus... enjoyment, exercise and stress relief!

CHILDREN'S CLASSES

Pre-Ballet (Ages 5-6)
Tuesday 4 - 4:45PM
This class is designed for 5-6 year olds students introducing simple dance combinations and ballet vocabulary. Lessons aim to teach children to focus on given movements, to quickly respond to rhythm and to identify musical patterns. Young aspiring dancers will also be able to enjoy free creative movement and dance to various rhythms.

Required attire: leotard, ballet slippers, hair up in a bun

Ballet Level I - III (Ages 7 and up)
Tuesday & Thursday
Students work systematically and are taught ballet exercises, progressing towards more complex combinations as the difficulty level increases. Focus is on building strength, flexibility, endurance, dance vocabulary, and proper alignment. Classes progress to include more complex steps, jumps, turns and combinations. Musical awareness and expressiveness are constantly stressed and encouraged.

Required attire: leotard, ballet slippers, hair up in a bun

Creative Ballet I (Ages 3-4)
Friday 9:45 - 10:30AM
Saturday 2PM - 2:45PM
The children will be taught concepts of basic ballet movements and learn to apply them in relation to their bodies; creative thinking and personal expression will be noted and developed along with musicality and rhythm. Children will gradually learn to use various tools required to achieve personal goals as well as how to interact and respect each other.

Required attire: leotard, ballet slippers, hair up in a bun

Creative Ballet II (Ages 4-5)
Tuesday 1:30 PM - 2:15PM
Saturday 2:45PM - 3:30PM
The children will work on concepts of beginner's ballet movement; creative thinking and personal expression will be reinforced and developed along with understanding musicality and rhythm. Slow introduction to to ballet vocabulary. Children will gradually learn to use various tools required to achieve personal goals, as well as how to interact and respect each other.

Required attire: leotard, ballet slippers, hair up in a bun

Sing & Dance along with Mommy (Ages 2-3)
Friday 10:30 - 11:15AM
This class helps strengthen your child's muscles and also fosters development of balance, coordination and musicality. Rhythmic activities, songs, obstacles courses, scarves, musical instruments and drawing will be incorporated in this class in order to build a solid background for future group lessons.

Required attire: comfortable clothes - no shoes necessary, class is done in bare foot

Flamenco (ages 6 and up)
Friday: 4 - 4:45Pm - Beginners
Friday: 4:45 - 5:30Pm- Intermediate
It's never too late to experience the beauty and passion of Flamenco dance!

This class includes basic technique of flamenco dance to include correct posture, hand, arm, and foot placement. The student will become familiar with basic flamenco vocabulary while learning combinations and exercises incorporating rhythms in "compass" (structure) of different counts. The course will include exercises that will develop student's footwork and their upper to lower-body coordination. Basic castanet playing exercises as well as repertoire may be taught depending on class progress. This class does not include guitar accompaniment.

Required attire: leotard or fitted top, flamenco shoes and skirt for girls. Flamenco boots for boys

Breakdancing (Ages 7 and up)
Monday: 5 - 6PM - Beginners
Monday: 6-7PM - Intermediate
In this class students will learn energetic d steps and rhythm in a choreographic way. The focus is still on enjoyment of discovering dance as a form of expression.

Required attire: comfortable clothes and sneakers

Hip-Hop (Ages 7 and up)
Tuesday: 5:30 - 6:30Pm - Beginners
Tuesday: 6:30 - 7:30 Pm - Intermediate
Hip-hop is a dance style that grew up within the streets. It's not easy to distinguish between all dance styles since everyone is using a different terminology - hip hop, breakdance, funky, urban dance, street dance, fusion). It is also important to note that different teachers will create different choreography; You might see something on TV, and think that hip hop is just one style, expecting your hip hop dance teacher to dance the same way, but it is different. Every hip-hop dancer has its own personal style (freestyle), and that stands for teachers.

In this dance class each lesson begins with a warm up followed by learning a new hip-hop dance combination.

Required attire: comfortable exercising or dancing clothes and sneakers

Voice - Musical Theater (Ages 6 and up)
Coming up - dates TBD
Musical Theater teaches vocal and acting skills, in a creative, supportive and fun environment, culminating in a workshop performance for each level of study.

YMCA of Norwalk • 370 West Avenue • Norwalk, CT 06850 • (203) 866-4425