Center Stage offers quality dance classes, from beginner through professional level, in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, hip hop, voice, and musical theatre for children and adults. Center Stage also offers a wide variety of drama classes and voice lessons for children of all ages. A professionally staged dance recital is presented in late June of every year. The professional Center Stage Dance Company, directed by Ms. Sherri Shortell, is in residence at the studio.
Ballet Classes
Classical technique is taught in our ballet classes with emphasis on proper body, foot, and arm placement. As a student progresses, more complicated combinations, turns, and leaps are included in the program. Ballet students will perform at the annual Dance Revue in June. Students who compete must be enrolled in at least one ballet class at Center Stage.
Jazz Dance Classes
Our jazz dance classes teach jazz, ballet, and contemporary converge with an emphasis on proper technique in turns, leaps, stretch, and alignment. Dancers will use their technical foundation to fuse movement with music and progress to more intricate combinations. For serious jazz students and those interested in participating in Dance Team competition, ballet is required. Jazz students will participate in the annual Dance Revue in June.
Tap Classes
Tap class students will master basic tap steps and rhythms and progress to more complicated, intricate combinations and patterns as their skills increase. The emphasis is on developing proper tap technique and producing clean, clear tap sounds. For those tap students interested in participating in Dance Team competition, ballet here at Center Stage is required. All students may participate in the annual Dance Revue in June.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop technique is taught in these exciting, upbeat classes. As with any other dance form, hip hop has its own technical steps and body placement, which are emphasized and perfected in these classes. All students may participate in the annual Dance Revue in June.
Contemporary Dance Classes
With an emphasis on proper technique in alignment, turns, leaps, and movement, contemporary dance classes bridge ballet and jazz techniques and utilize elements of story telling and expression. For serious contemporary students and those interested in participating in Dance Team competition, ballet is required. Contemporary dancers will perform at the annual Dance Revue in June.
All Male Dance Classes
We have classes in ballet and tap for only boys ages 12 and up. Necessary skills in both tap and ballet are taught with an emphasis on technique and performance. Depending on an individual’s level, enrollment in a Broadway Tap class may also be required for Boy’s Tap. All students participate in the Dance Revue in June.
Musical Theatre Partnering
This in demand class focuses on musical theatre partnering skills. This class is taught by a professional dancer well versed in the types of lifts performed in musical theatre productions. This class is by invitation and requires both a ballet class and conditioning class here at Center Stage
Dance Teams
Enrollment in Dance Team classes are by invitation of Ms. Varacalli and Ms. Hicks. Students are required to take a corresponding technique class during the week as well. Students enrolled in a Competition Dance Team are also required to take a ballet class at Center Stage. Dance Teams perform in competitions and other Metropolitan area dance productions.