Below are the classes offered at All Star Studios.
To view the description please click on 'More Info'.
If you are interested in scheduling a trial class, please sign up online HERE.
From there, you can set up a appointment for a class that is appropriate for your child’s age and ability level.
If you have any questions please call us at 718-268-2280.
Combo Classes
These classes consist of 30 minutes of one genre of dance and 30 minutes of a second genre of dance. In this class students will learn basic dance skills they can carry with them as they grow up and continue dancing. Dancers will also enjoy learning dance terminology along with imagination activities and movement games. All Star offers combo classes in the below genres. Please see the individual genre description for an explanation regarding each type of class.
Creative Dance
Creative dance classes help foster your child's interest in dance, while increasing coordination, concentration levels, cooperation, flexibility and ability to follow instructions. This exciting movement class incorporates the usage of imagination with movement and to learn the basic principles of dance. Classes often incorporate free movement with utilization of props and different genres of music to give children the opportunity for self-expression.
Acrobatics
Acro Dance is a style that combines classical dance technique (ballet, jazz, contemporary and/or modern) with precision acrobatic elements such as contortion, inversion balances, and tumbling. Acro teaches flexibility, balance, strength, coordination, and discipline. Beginning students will start learning skills such as forward and backward rolls, bridges, handstands, and cartwheels. Advanced students will be learning to combine all of their balance and contortion skills into intricate sequences combined with more advanced dance elements as well as adding the skill of tumbling.
Our acro program at All Star Studios is structured using the Acrobatic Arts syllabus. The Acrobatic Arts program is based on safe and effective progressions with proven results in five divisions of AcroDance: Flexibility, Strength, Balancing, Limbering, and Tumbling. The program was developed with input from professionals and experts in ballet, modern dance, jazz, contortion, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, sport acrobatics, yoga, acro yoga, pilates, physiotherapy, hand balancing and more. In order to teach Acrobatic Arts, you must be trained and certified through the program.
Acro I
In Acro I we begin working on total body strength and flexibility as well as learning our foundation skills. It is important here to strengthen our cores as well as arms and legs in order to support and maintain a healthy spine. Flexibilty through the hips and shoulders is also a big focus in order to take the pressure of of the dancer's spine. We will use drills like log rolls, crab walks, and variations of skipping to build body awareness and coordination. Your dancer will learn various somersaults, bridges, beginning balances, and cartwheels in our first level of acro.
Acro II
After mastering standing bridges, bridge recovering, two handed cartwheels on both sides, and one handed cartwheels on at least one side, in addition to being at least very close to both of our front splits, we are ready to move to level II! We will continue building our strength, endurance, and flexibility here, increasing the difficulty of our level I work and adding an element of "explosion" which will eventually lead to the introduction of tumbling skills. We will continue to perfect the technique of our level I skills, begin to learn all variations of cartwheels, handstands in the centre, limbers, intermediate balances, and round offs. Your dancer may also learn some beginning level partner and group balances.
Acro III
Having mastered all variations of cartwheels on both sides, front and back limbers, handstands in the centre, and both front splits, we move on to level III acro. Level III acro has a pre- and co-requisite of at least one technique based dance class (ballet, jazz, or modern). This is because we begin to connect dance movements (turns, leaps, etc) to our acro elements in level III. Depending on where each dancer is in their acro progressions, they will begin to learn drills and steps toward tumbling skills such as aerials and front/back handsprings. They will also learn advanced variations of inverted balances, more intricate entrances and exits to and from skills, and variations on previously learned skills. We also begin some more advanced partner and group tricks and balances.
Acro IV
This is our most advanced level of acro and also our competition team acro. These dancers take multiple technique classes weekly and are at an intermediate to advanced level in those classes and have also been a part of our Shining Stars Team for at least one year. The acro skills practiced in this class can be similar to those in acro III but with some advanced variations, entrances and exits, and with the main focus being fluidity and artistry in those skills. We are able to seamlessly connect any of our accomplished skills to each other as well as our dance elements to create combinations and eventually a routine.
Pre-Ballet
Pre-Ballet classes help foster your child's interest in dance, while increasing coordination, concentration levels, cooperation, flexibility and ability to follow instructions. Class material is rooted in ballet technique so dancers will be learning basic ballet terminology and skills. Classes often incorporate free movement with utilization of props and different genres of music to give children the opportunity for self-expression. This class helps create the building blocks to prepare young dancers for the structure of a more advanced ballet class
Ballet
Ballet is a great foundation for dance. Body placement, flexibility, balance, alignment, strength and technique are achieved through barre and center floor work. Emphasis on understanding correct body placement and proper use of turn out of the legs while introducing musicality and expression of the body is a main focus of this class.
Ballet is an important tool in developing focus and discipline which can translate to other parts of life beyond dance. Classes will be an ongoing exploration of the mind-body connection through repetition and exercises in artistry. Every ballet class’s curriculum will pull elements from a range of techniques including Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), Cecchetti, and the Balanchine method.
Ballet I
Introduces the basic technical vocabulary and class structure beginning at the barre to support strength, stability, and proper alignment of the body and transitioning into center work (no barre) that reflects the essential ballet fundamentals. Center work includes the continuation of basic footwork (i.e. tendus and dégagés), pirouette/turn prep, and petite allegro (small jumps) and grand allegro (jumps). In both barre work and center work, the relationship between movement and music will be developed and used as a tool to guide the class. Ballet I will also establish full ballet port de bras (carriage of the arms) and body positions that will be used throughout each level of ballet technique. Ballet I 10+/teen is a blend of Ballet I and Ballet II work.
Ballet II
Ballet II will continue the introductory work of Ballet I. With a continued emphasis on musicality and strengthening, barre work will incorporate more complex combinations of steps. Center work will promote balance, strength, and flexibility through adagio work. There will be an increased focus on simple turns from fifth and pirouette prep from fourth (progressing gradually to more turning over the course of the year), and a continuation of allegro (jumps) work to teach dancers how to better utilize their space and build stamina. Ballet II classes will begin to further explore the artistry of ballet movement and its relationship to the technique.
Ballet III
Ballet III is the precursor to Ballet IV. Technique at the barre will continue to translate to center work, but combinations in the center will be more complex. Now that the foundation has been set, class will start to bring together the artistry and the technique. More choreographed movement will be introduced into center work; teaching spatial awareness, maintenance of clean technique, and musicality. This level will build up to more strength and stamina to set dancers up to do multiple turns, more and bigger movements across the floor, and the class will move at an overall faster pace than Ballet I or II.
Ballet IV
Ballet IV is our most advanced level of ballet. With the fundamentals in place, class will incorporate more complex combinations both at the barre and in center work. Dancers will be introduced to more choreographed center work as they learn how to combine and finesse their technique, artistry, and musicality. Turns will be established at the barre, center, and travelling, and will advance beyond pirouettes to incorporate different types of turns (fouettées, attitude turns, arabesque turns, piqués, etc.). This class will include more intricate petite and medium allegro work and build up to choreographed grand allegro combinations reflective of the repertoire dancers may experience in performance.
Ballet II, III, and IV is a teacher recommended class. Must have teacher approval to register.
Lil' Hip-Hop
Lil’ Hip Hop classes help foster your child's interest in dance, while increasing coordination, concentration levels, cooperation, flexibility and ability to follow instructions. This is a high-energy class that uses kid-friendly hip hop music with movements influenced by elements of basic hip hop styles as well as freestyle movement to give students the opportunity to develop their own sense of style. Hip hop will help dancers develop body coordination, self expression, rhythm, and cardiovascular health.
Hip-Hop
Hip Hop is a fun and high energy class that uses age-appropriate old school and new school R&B, rap, and pop music with movements based on original street dance techniques fused with modern hybrids of hip hop (lyrical hip hop, jazz-funk) that have become popular in the dance world today. Hip Hop is a great class for both beginner and experienced dancers.
Hip-Hop I
Hip Hop I will consist of cardio and strength building warm-ups, stretching, and developing a vocabulary of steps and combinations. The dancers will gain Increased flexibility, coordination, musicality, self-confidence, the ability to pick up choreography, and learn their own sense of artistic expression. They will be introduced to the basic concepts of poppin’, locking, and breakdancing.
Hip-Hop II
Hip Hop II will build on the skills from level I. Once a dancer has really shown exceptional growth in musicality, strength, and flexibility, they will be able to build upon their knowledge by adding in more difficult elements of poppin', locking, and breaking as well as freestyle movement. This gives the students the opportunity to really hone in on their own sense of style.
Hip Hop II is a teacher recommended class. Must have teacher approval to register.
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Improv
Improv dance class will focus on the process of spontaneously creating movement. The kids will work on creating movement through a variety of creative explorations including using partnering, imagery, and spacial awareness. Improvisation is a free, unstructured, less technically strict and impulsive form of dance that draws inspiration from everyday life. It is a movement technique that is capable of evoking thought provoking movement from all dancers.
Jazz/Contemporary
Jazz/Contemporary is an exciting and ever evolving dance form. Jazz dance is taught with the music of today and can be powerful and percussive or expressive and lyrical. Jazz dance combines techniques of classical ballet and modern dance with the current forms of popular dance. Jazz also has its own movement vocabulary ranging from the isolation of certain body parts to the movement of the entire body with the accents of musical rhythms. Jazz dance can take on many different characteristics and styles, including Street Jazz, Percussive, Broadway, and Contemporary, to name a few. Jazz classes can be patterned in any of these styles or a combination of them. Emphasis is on the importance of energy, rhythmical accuracy, and style.
7-9 and 10+/Teen level 1 classes will focus on teaching basic jazz dance technique and terminology with an emphasis on isolations of the head, shoulders, ribcage, feet and arms while encouraging individual expression and the development of personal style.
Jazz/Contemporary II & Jazz/Contemporary III
10+/Teen Level 2 and 3 Jazz/Contemporary will utilize the Giordano Jazz Technique syllabus. To be eligible to teach this technique teachers need to become certified in the Nan Giordano Certification Program. Utilizing this technique allows for our advanced jazz classes to be codified in their learning and allows for our students to take their basic training to the next level. The Giordano Technique is a jazz dance technique that has a deep history and is rooted in strong grounded lines, dynamic turns/jumps, and challenging rhythmic/spacial patterns.
Jazz II and III is a teacher recommended class. Must have teacher approval to register.
Jumps & Turns
A technique based class that focuses on jumping and turning. The students will be working on flexibility and strength related to jumping and turning techniques.
Jumps & Turns I
Jumps & Turns II is open to all dancers ages 7+ (must be enrolled in a jazz or ballet class while taking Jumps and Turns I). This class will teach students proper alignment and execution of beginner jumps and turns.
Jumps & Turns II
Jumps & Turns III is open to any students currently enrolled in 10+/Teen Jazz II (must also be enrolled in a ballet and jazz class while taking jumps and turns II). This next level will take the basic material taught in level 1 and progress it. Students will be working on multiple turns, more advanced turn and jump sequences, and stamina while jumping/turning. This class does not participate in the recital so that the class can use the entire year for progressing technical training.
Lyrical
Lyrical is an expressive style of dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, contemporary, classical ballet, and even acrobatics. In lyrical we strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements while engaging the audience in our story or emotions. Being an expressive performer as well as having a strong technical foundation are key factors to being a strong lyrical performer.
Lyrical I
In lyrical I we will either begin learning or continue to improve upon our foundational ballet and jazz terminology and technique. We will focus on proper alignment for strong technique, carriage of our arms and head (a big component of our expression through movement), as well as work on our flexibility and strength as dancers. In the centre and across the floor, we will learn jumps, turns, and transitional steps that will be often utilized in lyrical choreography. Students in Lyrical I must be currently enrolled in a ballet class to register for lyrical.
Lyrical II
In lyrical II we will continue to build upon and challenge our technique, alignment, flexibility, and strength. Warm up, conditioning, centre, and across the floor will now include dance terminology and skills from our dancers' higher level ballet and jazz classes. Choreography will be more intricate and nuanced, and involve more experimenting with timing and patterns. Lyrical II is a teacher recommended level. Please seek teacher approval before enrolling in this class.
Pre-Pointe
Pre-pointe is the preparatory class for Pointe, a part of classical ballet training in which advanced dancers support their body weight on the tips of fully extended feet. Pointe is performed in specialized shoes that your dancer must be approved to wear by their Pre-pointe teacher. All dancers will begin this class in ballet flats (ballet class is a co-requisite for pre-pointe). We will use specific exercises based in ballet technique that help strengthen and build proper alignment of our feet, ankles, and core to prepare our bodies for the challenging work of dancing en pointe.
Pointe I
Pointe is a part of classical ballet training in which advanced dancers support their body weight on the tips of fully extended feet. Pointe work is only performed while wearing pointe shoes which offer structural support to the toes to more equally distribute the dancer's weight across her foot.
Pointe class will begin with a series of exercises at the barre to work on rolling through the feet entirely and to strengthen the ankles and feet while training the body to find its placement en pointe. Center work will include similar exercises for strength and balance, progressing to ballet center work (tendus, degages, adagio, etc.) and turns across the floor. Dancers will grow familiar with the common steps executed en pointe (i.e. échappés, bourrées, chaîné turns) while learning how to transition between flat, demi-pointe, and full pointe (all the way up on the box of the shoes) both at the barre and in center. As the class progresses, dancers will be introduced to ballet repertoire commonly performed in pointe shoes and will build on the training they’ve received in their ballet classes.
Pointe class is a teacher recommended class. Because of safety reasons, only dancers who are “ready” will be able to participate in pointe class. Dancers must also be concurrently enrolled in a ballet class while taking pointe.
Modern
Modern dance is a style of free and expressive dancing not bound by the classical rules of ballet. Modern class employs such elements as contract-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation. Class material is pulled from the Graham and Horton styles of modern dance. Students develop their strength, flexibility, balance, and line in structured warm-ups and floor work, and learn phrases and movement combinations. Repeated dance phrases week-to-week provide a framework for development in technique and performance.
Stretch and Strength
This class will focus on stretching and strength for dance training. Focus will be on stretching and elongating the muscles, upper/lower body strength, and stamina needed for dance. This class is recommended to dancers 7+ looking to further their dance training. It is recommended that students be enrolled in an additional class while taking Stretch and Strength. This class does not participate in the recital so that the class can use the entire year for progressing technical training.
Tap
Modern dance is a style of free and expressive dancing not bound by the classical rules of ballet. Modern class employs such elements as contract-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation. Class material is pulled from the Graham and Horton styles of modern dance. Students develop their strength, flexibility, balance, and line in structured warm-ups and floor work, and learn phrases and movement combinations. Repeated dance phrases week-to-week provide a framework for development in technique and performance.
Tap I
Tap I introduces the basic vocabulary and class structure of tap dance. Dancers will learn basic tap steps, weight shift exercises, and short combinations. These three elements will be utilized in warmup material, center work, and traveling sequences.
Simple music theory will be introduced during this level to help with musicality.
Tap II
Tap II will start to explore more complex rhythms and subdivisions of counts within the music as well as more difficult weight shifts and technical steps. Some tap history will be taught and improvisation will be introduced as it is an integral part of performance and the history of tap.
Tap III
Tap III will carry what has been learned in tap I and II into class. The flow of class will remain the same but more advanced movement will begin to be taught (wings, pickups, pullbacks, toe stands, etc) as well as more complex center and traveling combinations. Music theory and tap improv will still be studied. Students at the tap III level should feel comfortable counting movement and know how to create their own rhythms.
Tap IV Team
Tap IV Team the most advanced level of tap, and the team tap. Tap dancers in this level should feel confident with basic music theory, weight shifts, and tap terminology. Time will be spent working on cross rhythms, shading and the dynamics needed to make more intricate sounds and music. More tap history will be introduced as well as more complex improvisation.