Class Descriptions
Creative Dance
A Dance Lab Signature offering
Creative Dance incorporates the expansive works of Rudolf Laban. A focus on motor skill development, increasing movement vocabularies, and encouraging creativity and imagination allow children to grow and learn. Creative Dance emphasises the Joy of Dance! Sharing creative problem-solving and decision-making collaborations encourage each child’s artistic growth. Creative Dance develops Body-Mind-Spirit connectivity.
Elements of Creative Dance include:
Space, Body, Relationships, Time, Weight, Energy, Flow, and Effort.
Story Dance
A Dance Lab Original offering
Story Dance is a uniquely creative experience blending stories with Creative Dance. Each Story Dance experience includes yoga stretches, movement games, and dance explorations. Dance and Literacy come together with each carefully selected picture book and Creative Dance structures. Purcussion instruments, world music, and props also encourage developmental explorations.
Yoga Flow
Yoga Flow blends traditional elements of Yoga, breath-postures-relaxation, in a creative dance inspired environment. We encourage Calming, Centering, Focus, and Self-expression. Props, Journals, and Literacy enhance our explorations. Yoga games and partner work round out the experience in a fun and active way.
Boys Dance
Designed specifically to meet the energies of young boys, this class works to develop flexibility, coordination, strength, and self-confidence. Students learn basic dance vocabulary, supporting greater focus and attention. Each class includes creative activities allowing for imaginative and developmental growth. Boys benefit from a physically, creative, imaginative, structured class in a non-competitive, safe environment. Skills gained in this class may improve upon future sports and/or dance interests.
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Story Makers
Story Makers is a creative writing class that allows student-created stories to come alive through dance and movement. Nature, the world around us, Artwork, and even silly Nonsense inspire our writings and dances. Story Makers incorporates individual dance stories and group story projects. Creative writing skills unfold through Dance and Literacy Connections.
Creative Journaling
Creative Journaling offers time to write, color, paint, doodle, design, and explore self in a quiet, safe environment. We offer time for independent expression along with word games, writing prompts, and artistic guidance. Creative Journaling utilizes a wide range of materials to fill our journals to our own aesthetic preferences, including: paint, markers, colored pens and pencils, paper, magazines, ribbons, yarn, feathers, stickers, jewels, and more.
Just Art
Just Art is a creative, imaginative exploration of a wide range of fine art materials and techniques. We experiment with different textures, colors, and designs. Just Art is a process-oriented offering encouraging self-expression, as well as, planning, organizing, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Just Art allows us to discover our own aesthetic growth and get messy, too!
Dance Arts
Dance Arts is a blended class of art and creative dance. Art projects include painting, drawing, sketching, printmaking, papercrafts, and more. Dance Arts infuses fine motor and gross motor skills. We explore a variety of artists and artisitc techniques. And, then we turn them into dance experiences.
Mindful Meditation
Relax. Breathe. Refresh. Mindful Meditation offers a quiet space to calm and focus our active energies. Journaling allows us to center our thoughts. Simple stretches connect us to our moving bodies in a slow, deliberate manner. Guided Imagery enhances our meditation/relaxation, creating a mindful, positive focus and awareness.
Ballet
Ballet is the most traditional form of dance. Barre work strengthens posture and encourages flexibility. Center work encourages a body-brain connection through the use of pattern making and repetition. Ballet increases Motor skills and Self awareness.
ADULTS ...
Dance. Improvised!
A Dance Improv group for Adults
Dance improvisation is the process of spontaneously creating movement. Development of improvised movement material is facilitated through a variety of creative explorations including body mapping through levels, shape and dynamics schema.
Adagio Stretch
Adagio Stretch is a comprehensive stretch class incorporating breath, body alignment, muscular toning, and relaxation. Students flow through a series of stretch exercises at a slow, harmonious pace, designed to lengthen muscles, balance flexibility, increase range of motion, and advance improved posture. Adagio Stretch utilizes various stretches that help sculpt a lean dancer’s body, even if you are not a dancer.
Benefits of Stretching include:
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Better posture
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Boost energy
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Enhanced coordination
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Enhances muscle endurance
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Good for your heart
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Greater sense of well-being
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Helps to strengthen and tone muscles
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Improve circulation and concentration
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Improve memory and aid creativity
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Improved balance
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Increased flexibility and joint range of motion
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Increases longevity
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Lowers blood pressure
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Reduce tension and stress
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Relaxation
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Relief from pain
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Stimulates the Lymphatic System
Classic Pilates
Pilates is a system of flowing exercises designed to strengthen the core and lengthen the muscles, engaging both the body and mind. Pilates works from the inside out with control and precision. Pilates aides in: centering the body Injury prevention - sculpting the body - discovering and working deeper muscle groups. Possible benefits include: strengthening abdominal muscles - relieving back stress - sculpting muscles for a long lean look - connecting the mind and body through concentration and focus - centering and balancing the body, lessening the chance for injuries.