ABT Ballet Classes

Midwest Dance Collective is proud to include the AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE® National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough 9 level program that combines high-quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. The ABT® National Training Curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels. Pre-Primary through Level 5 will be taught by ABT® Certified Teacher, Theresa Moore, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Modern Classes

Modern technique is the study of various practices that work with balance, direction and momentum, release of the joints, and individual expression. These classes are designed to prepare the dancer to move fully through space, to use personal expression, and to develop an awareness of self. Students will be introduced to different elements from the Horton, Graham, Limón, and Dunham Techniques.

Contemporary

Contemporary and Lyrical techniques strengthen the body and focus on interpretation and musicality. Exercises include ballet and jazz positions, stretching, coordination movements, turns, jumps, and floor work. Freeing and joyful, the dance style takes its inspiration and moods directly from the music, bringing its roots and emotions into the choreographed movements. Students enrolled in this class must be enrolled in both ballet and jazz classes to be eligible.

Rhythm Works

Rhythm Works Integrative Dance is a rhythm and dance program that incorporates evidence-based practices from sensory integration, applications to physical skills, and behavioral strategies. This class effectively accommodates individual learning differences to improve outcomes for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, and other learning differences and special needs.

Wee Dance 

A class with adult assistance & involvement. This is for children as young as 18 months, as long as they are walking well, up to 3 years old, and their caretaker. Students are exposed to different styles of music, movement, fun dance games & props, and quality time with a parent, grandparent, guardian, or care-taker. Students are introduced to how to participate in a classroom environment, including taking turns and putting props away. Parents assist the children by guiding their movements, helping them stay on task, encouraging involvement, and easing them into independent involvement.

Heels

Kelli Forman will be leading a weekly Heels Dance class at the Midwest Dance Collective starting this Fall 2022. Kelli creates a safe, healing space for movement artists to develop their connection to feminine movement and energy. Come learn about heels technique foundation, shapes, and energy flow with Kelli, who has spent years performing heels in burlesque clubs, commercially on television, and on live stage shows. All levels are welcome!

Jazz Classes

Jazz technique will focus on elements of weight, rhythm, grounded-ness, and dynamic movement qualities. Centered on the codified Giordano technique, these classes begin with a center and floor warm-up, continue with isolations and end with across-the-floor exercises and center combinations. These classes will combine an emphasis on moving from the core, fast-paced rhythmic patterns, and classical jazz for a well-rounded jazz dancer.

Tap Classes

Tap technique focuses on the movement of the feet to create rhythm and sound. The many benefits to this fun style are improved balance, coordination, and core control which leads to better posture. Tap dance is great for brain health while learning, repeating, and reversing combinations improves memory, and the counting required reinforces math concepts that younger children may be learning in school. This energetic dance form will improve your sense of finding the beat and pattern in music. 

Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre is a jazz-based class filled with Broadway-style dancing and music. Classes incorporate the style of dance one would typically see on a Broadway stage. This form of dancing emphasizes learning performance skills such as connecting with the audience and facial expressions and the stylized technique of broadway choreographers. 

Basic Teen Classes (Age 13+)

These classes offer basic principles for older beginners. For teenage students with less than one year of training and some understanding of dance vocabulary. Diving into techniques such as ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop, these classes provide the optimal opportunity to try something for the first time or return to your practice after many years off. 

BTC

(Ballet, Tap and Creative Movement) is a combo class of either Ballet/Tap or Ballet/Creative Movement class designed specifically for 3 and 4 year olds. Students will learn basic ballet technique and vocabulary; basic tumbling and basic tap terminology and technique in a nurturing and social environment. Creative movement games and activities will be incorporated to strengthen the understanding of technique and terminology, all while helping to develop fine and gross motor skills. 

Open Motion

Open Motion is designed for the seasoned person to experience the joy of movement! Continuous simple rhythmic steps that incorporate artistry of the upper body, the class will activate your core and raise your heart rate all while taking you on a musical and artistic journey. Ideal for all ages. 

FOOTWORK FOUNDATION

Kelli Forman will be leading a weekly footwork foundation class at Midwest Dance Collective starting this Fall 2022. Kelli Forman is a member of Creation Global, an international footwork crew with over 70 members world-wide led by Chicago Footwork pioneer, King Charles. During this class series, Kelli will be teaching students the foundational movement of Chicago Footwork, House Dance, and Hip Hop grooves. She will also be sharing information on the culture and history of these now global dance forms. All levels are welcome!

Chicago Footwork is a dance form that was created by the African American community in Chicago during the 1980’s and evolved into a highly complex technical battle style. The music used for Chicago Footwork maintains an average of 160 beats per minute, and the very rapid dance movements of the form reflect that speed. Music used for Chicago Footwork sessions, performances, and battles is a blended style of electronic dance music in direct lineage of House music (which originated in Chicago), Ghetto House tracks, and Juke tracks (sampling Hip Hop, Funk, and R&B). Chicago Footwork upholds the concepts of battle clique culture, honoring multi-generational dance lineage, and developing personal dance style within a crew style. Due to the high rates of gun violence in Chicago, it is a very common phrase to hear a footworker from Chicago say: “Footwork saved my life.” Within the last decade, the dance has moved from existing only in Chicago to being featured world-wide on performance stages, music videos, commercials, movies, television, and dance conferences.