Class Descriptions

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Students will be evaluated to confirm they have achieved needed skill level.

Beginning - Level 1 - First or second year of dance in that dance style

Beginning/Intermediate -Level 2 -  at least one year prior dance in that dance style

Intermediate -  Level 3 -  at least 2 years prior dance in that dance style

Intermediate /Advanced - Level 4 - at least 3 or 4 years of dance in the style

Advanced - Level 5 -  Teachers approval only. 

This Class is for Children ages 1-3 yrs old

 Beginning exploration of the world of dance.  This  class is designed to introduce your toddler to a wide variety of music  and movement in a fun and safe environment. Wonderful opportunity for  parent/child bonding.   A parent or Adult must be in class with them.  

This class offers a half hour of ballet & a half hour of tumbling. Preschool dance classes are designed to enhance and develop motor skills and cultivate imagination, creativity & social development in a caring environment. Students will grow and develop as they learn the fundamental vocabulary and skills associated with dance. Learning to dance has a unique, elegant and special way of increasing your child’s self-esteem and self-image.

This class offers a half hour ballet & a half hour of tap. Dancers at this age will learn the procedures of a dance class, tap rhythms, ballet foundations, coordination, and musicality.

Acro combines skills of both dance and gymnastics.  In Beginning Acro, students work on floor skills while learning routines and combinations.  Students also work on strength and flexibility. This class is for students new to gymnastics or with only a little experience. Intermediate Acro is for students that have had two years of prior gymnastic training.  Students should be taking another form of dance to help with Acro skills.  Advanced Acro is not your typical gymnastics or tumbling class. Here dancers will work towards increasing flexibility, balance, strength, muscle control, discipline, body awareness, coordination and concentration. The class will focus on fundamental acrobatic technique, teaching skills such as front and back walkovers, chin stands, hand balancing, and other contortion tricks. An advanced level of beginning Acro and a solid foundation in intermediate Acro is required to register for this class. A checklist of required skills is available. Level placement is determined by the instructor.

Ballet is the foundation of all dance forms and will maximize technique and longevity in a career of dance. It provides grace, poise, and technique needed to be proficient in all other areas of dance. Ballet classes will help dancers with posture, flexibility, fitness, balance, self-discipline, and self-confidence. 

For beginner dancers ready to learn the basics of ballet, students will build off of the five positions, master plié variations and tendus, among other level-appropriate skills. Dancers will use both barre and centre floor. Classes may be split by age, when appropriate. In Intermediate Ballet, students will take the skills learned in Beginning Ballet and build upon them to strengthen the dancer's precision and ability. Students will advance on to more difficult skills and utilize both barre and centre floor work to improve their technique. Dancers must show proficiency and receive recommendation to progress to this level. For advanced ballet dancers looking to challenge their previous knowledge and training. Students will learn more difficult combinations and skills, while developing finesse and classic style. Placement will be by teacher recommendation.

Contemporary is a combination of ballet and modern dance and is an emotionally expressive dance style that pushes today’s boundaries of movement and movement innovation. Due to technical elements involved with contemporary dance, this class may only be taken in conjunction with a ballet class. Contemporary is offered for all levels (Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced); placement of a dancer is decided by the instructor.

Hip hop is a high-energy class that infuses the latest styles of street dancing, breaking, popping, and locking. Classes will encourage students to step outside of the box by bringing their own individual style and personality to the movements. Hip hop dance requires students to have the strength and stamina to successfully perform moves. Therefore class includes upper and lower body conditioning as well as a rigorous warm-up to help prepare students for more intense movements. Beginning Hip Hop students do not need prior dance training.. Hip Hop is a blend of modern and contemporary dance styles, performed to current day Hip Hop music and beats. Emphasis will be placed on a variety of styles. Intermediate and Advanced Levels must be teacher approved.

Jazz class will focus on learning proper dance technique such as isolation's 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. Class curriculum is based on ballet technique layered with traditional jazz movement and includes a proper warm-up, stretches, isolation's, across-the-floor progressions, and combinations. As students’ progress through each level curriculum will become increasingly more complex and intricate.

Lyrical is an interpretive style of dance. Lyrical dance is very similar to ballet, combining the many technical elements of classical ballet with the freedom, fluidity, expressiveness and airier aspects of jazz, contemporary and modern dance. It is typically considered a sub-category of jazz and/or contemporary dance. Students must have prior ballet training for this class. A solid, ballet-based technique is an essential component of this advanced style of dance, as is a facility with various other forms of jazz, some contemporary/modern dance, and proper placement and bodily alignment. Intermediate and Advanced Levels must be teacher approved.

Instructor placement is required for this class. Beginning Pointe is a half hour class; Intermediate and Advanced Pointe is an hour class. Beginning Pointe class can be taken in ballet shoes or in pointe shoes at the instructor’s discretion. All pointe classes are designed for students with previous ballet training. Students will utilize previously learned ballet technique while working in pointe shoes. Exercises focus on strengthening the feet, ankles and core.

 Musical theater  combines songs, spoken  dialogue, acting, and dance.   Musical theater stage works have generally been called, simply,  musicals. Examples  are the earlier  works of Gilbert and Sullivan  & Harrigan and Hart . These were followed by the works of  George M. Cohan. Enjoy a fun filled class with Music, Acting and Dance.

Tap classes are designed to develop rhythm, style and sound. Students will learn a variety of tap styles from Broadway to Rhythm tap. Exercises focus on building flexibility of the knee and ankles, coordination, and speed of movement. The class emphasis is on developing proper tap technique, producing clear tap sounds, and having fun. As students’ progress through each level curriculum will become increasingly more complex and intricate.

The  Ballet Variations Class offers students a unique opportunity to delve  into the world of famous classical ballets, such as Swan Lake, Don  Quixote, Giselle, La Bayadere, Coppelia and more. Designed for students  with at least 2 years of ballet training, this immersive class focuses  on learning solo and group variations from these iconic ballets. Each  month, students will explore a different variation, combining technical  refinement, expressive movement and an in-depth understanding of the  ballet’s historical context.

Each  class will include a barre warm-up and transitions to center work  focusing on movements and sequences specific to the variation of the  month. The use of musicality and expression develops the students’  ability to embody different characters of the variation. 

This  class expands the student’s repertoire of classical works, ballet  technique, artistic expression, interpretation and stage presence. 

Leaps and Turns is a technique class designed to improve the overall ability of the student in all forms of dance. Students will work to increase extension, flexibility, turns with more precision and various leaps. Students will focus on a variety of leaps, jumps, chaînès, pirouettes, fouettès, etc., appropriate for age and level. Leaps and Turns skill building assist students with more refined form and technical perspective 

Irish 1  introductory level is for dancers who have never taken an Irish Dance class or are reviewing and perfecting foundational technique and movements. Dancers are required to wear socks, ballet slippers, or Irish Soft Shoes. This level focuses on Foundational technique, skills, and posture, Musical awareness and timing. Beginner solo movements and steps  Irish 2 - Must have at least one year prior Irish Training.

This class is specifically for 5 to 10 years old. They will learn to follow instruction as well as  lead activities. In this class, we work on rhythmical and coordination skills, while providing an introduction to Ballet, Tap, Tumbling, and creative dance This Class is a NON- Performing Class

The goals of the competition class are to work on mastering the technique, musicality, dance ability and team work needed to perform at a competition and other venues.  This class is a great way to improve your strength, flexibility, endurance, self-confidence and coordination. It is compulsory to be taking a Ballet or Jazz Class at Dussich Dance Studio to register for this class.   Fees for competitions are separate from tuition and fundraising will be done during the year to help offset some of the cost.

Our growing Adult Program offers training and enrichment for beginning through advanced professional Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Social Dancers (Adults & Teens 13+), including dance rudiments, technique and repertory classes, ensemble performance opportunities, seasonal performances & special events.

Students learn the basic elements of partnering, exploring various tools of partnering such as listening skills, moving through space simultaneously, non-contact partnering, spatial interweaving, levels of contact, opposition, and full lifting. Qualities of good partnership are addressed, including listening and communication skills, responsibility toward one’s partner, awareness, focus on task, enabling trust, risk taking, dissolving tendencies of fear, and timing.  Girls must be in Intermediate Level Ballet or higher.