"DANCE WITH ME" (ages 18 months to 3 years + 1 adult) - our version of "Mommy and Me."  Features dance, rhythm, and creative movement activities for the youngest students accompanied by an adult 18 years and older.  A fun and positive introduction into music and movement using props, games and dance basics.  This structured class will help students develop motor and coordination skills, learn how to follow directions from a teacher, and how to take turns.  Adults will actively participate with their dancer during this 5 week class.

TINY TOTS (ages 2 to 4) - the perfect class for the young student ready to explore their love for dance!  Dancers will learn basic tap steps that will be included in our end of the year recital. Dancers will also use props and dance games to increase their music awareness and movement creativity.  All tiny tots classes will perform a tap dance in the recital.

Offering 2 age levels - ages 2 to 3 and ages 3 to 4

Ages 2 to 3 year old class is great for the dancer trying out an independent dance class for the first time. 

Ages 3 to 4 year old class is for the dancer who has previous experience in a full year, independent dance class, or is at least 3 years of age at the start of the session.

TAP, BALLET, and JAZZ Classes for Ages 5 and 6 - for the dancer ready to begin, or further, their dance journey! Students can decide if they'd like to explore ballet, jazz, or tap styles of dance.  Ballet students will learn the basics including tendu, plie, releve, arabesque and the positions of the feet.  Jazz students will focus on center work and progressions to begin learning basic jumps and turns, step ball changes, pivot turns, and more.  Tap students will practice and perfect tap basics such as shuffles and flaps, out center and with across-the-floor traveling combinations.

All styles will be performed in our end-of-the-year recital.  Dancers will need one costume per style of dance they wish to perform in our show.

TAP (ages 7 and up) - one of the oldest forms of dance, this style focuses on rhythm and timing.  Dancers learn how to use their feet as a percussive instrument to make a variety of different sounds and to build coordination.  Tap dancing is a skill that will last a lifetime!

JAZZ (ages 7 and up) - an upbeat style of dance in which dancers will learn a variety of leaps, jumps, turns, and dance combinations.  All jazz classes begin with a warm-up focused on stretching, followed by technique, progressions, and center work.  A variety of jazz styles will be explored.

HIP HOP (ages 4 and up) - a high energy style of street dance as seen on MTV and in the latest music videos.  A great way to have fun, build confidence, and get a workout!  Dancers will work on structured routines while also having the chance to freestyle in order explore their own natural movement.

BALLET (ages 7 and up) - Ballet is a highly technical form of dance performed to classical music. All ballet classes at MMDS include barre and center work. Barre is the foundation of ballet and teaches proper technique, focusing on proper turnout and body alignment to prepare dancers for center work. Center work focuses on performance while maintaining proper technique.  We strongly encourage all students to register for a ballet class as it will enhance every other style of dance.

         Level 1 & 2 Ballet: In this level, attention is paid to proper alignment and turnout, with a separate focus on the upper and lower body. Barre work includes, but is not limited to: pliés, tendus, degagés, rond de jambes, grand battements. Center work focuses on body alignment and balance through short adagio combinations as well as small jumps and pirouette en dehors. French ballet vocabulary is introduced at this level.

         Level 3 Ballet: In this level, the focus is on correct placement of the entire body during movement. Barre work adds: frappés, développés, grand rond de jambe and rond de jambe en l’air. Center work focuses on more complex adagio combinations, petit and grand allegro. Pirouette en dedan and fouetté turns are introduced.

        Level 4 and 5 Ballet - this level is by invitation only. A dancer must demonstrate a complete knowledge of ballet vocabulary. At this level barre and center work becomes more rigorous, challenging the dancer both physically and mentally.

LYRICAL (ages 8 and up) - Lyrical dance is a style which combines elements of ballet and jazz technique with expressive motions to tell a story.  It connects the dancer to the words and emotion of the music while teaching them to develop a high quality of movement and fluidity of expression.  A song's lyrics are the driving force and key inspiration for the movement.  Lyrical dancers must also be enrolled in a ballet class.

MODERN (ages 12 and up) - Modern dance rejects the structured principles of traditional ballet and allows for dynamic, creative, and interpretive movement. Classes at MMDS incorporate three of the predominant pioneers of Modern dance: Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and Jose Limon.  Each modern class at MMDS begins with a dynamic warm-up focused on increasing flexibility, creating fluidity in motion, and expanding the dancer’s vocabulary of movement. Center combinations combine Graham’s grounded contract/release style; Horton’s flat back, pelvic hinges and lateral “T’; and Limon’s use of energy in relation to gravity through falls and rebounds. Each class will also explore various jumps, turns, and “tricks” that are consistent with and essential to modern dance.  Modern dancers must also be enrolled in a ballet class.

ACROBATICS (ages 4 and up) - Acrobatics teaches flexibility and balance, strength and control, discipline and concentration.  Dancers will learn skills such as back bends, handstands, chin stands, cartwheels, walkovers, as well as balance & contortion tricks, and partner work.  All tricks are performed on mats to ensure the dancers’ safety.

MUSICAL THEATER (ages 7 to 12) - Musical theater dance portrays a character or story from Broadway, Off-Broadway, or movie musical. The class will be divided into 3 blocks - the first block will involve character development through technique and improv games, the second block will involve dancers learning short combinations in either jazz or tap from popular musicals, and the third block will be continuing to improve on technique and character development while learning a recital dance. Dancers will be encouraged to learn the lyrics to the song and sing along in order to fully portray the character.

This class will be a mix of learning classic broadway choreography from Bob Fosse, Susan Stroman, Jerome Robbins, and Kathleen Marshall; contemporary musical choreography from Mandy Moore, Adam Shankman, and Ray Leeper; and original choreography from our instructor. 

Must also be enrolled in a tap or jazz class.

ADULT BALLET/BARRE and ADULT TAP CLASSES (ages 18 to 100) - there's no age where you should stop dancing!  More details here!

SOLOS, DUETS and TRIOS - Any student who wishes to perform a solo, duet or trio in the dance recital must be enrolled in the style of dance they wish to perform, as well as be enrolled in a ballet class.  The student wishing to perform a solo, duet or trio may miss up to 3 ballet classes during the dance year however more than 3 misses will disqualify that dancer from being eligible to perform a solo, duet or trio.  There is an extra charge associated with these private lessons and there may additional requirements to be met before dancer is elligible.