“My child loves to move! Where do I start?”

April 27, 2018

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“Dance is a powerful ally for developing many of the attributes of a growing child. Dance helps children mature physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively.”
— National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
“By singing, dancing, imagining, and connecting their bodies and minds, children learn more deeply and meaningfully, especially in subjects like reading, math, and science.” — National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Welcome to Joy of Motion! We are dedicated to creating entry points to dance for young children, older children, and teens alike. Whether you start dancing at age 2 or age 18, this incredible art form can strengthen your body and your mind.

For children ages 2-5: 

  • Community Dance School (CDS): 45-minute “Kid Motion” classes meet weekly, are offered during all four sessions (which correspond to the seasons), and run between 9 and 13 weeks. If you are reading this in May, for example, you can sign up for the Summer session, which starts in late June and runs through August. For 2 and 3-year-olds, classes focus on creative movement and music exploration. For 4 and 5-year-olds, we start introducing specific styles (ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, tap) and we encourage dancers to try different options — some kids feel strongly about one style, while others enjoy them all.

For children in Grades 1-2: 

  • Community Dance School (CDS): these 1-hour classes meet weekly, focus on specific styles, and are offered in three sessions (Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer). The Winter/Spring session is the longest and concludes with a performance at the Joy of Motion Dance Festival in June. For this age group, our most popular classes are ballet and hip hop, but we also have Broadway jazz, modern, and tap.
  • Dance Institute: if your child is ready to dance two days a week and has a knack for performing, you can look into the Youth Dance Ensemble, which is our ballet and modern-focused training program for Grades 1-12. This age group is not required to audition and enrollment in YDE – Level 1 takes place in the fall.

For students in Grades 3-12:

  • Community Dance School (CDS): these 1-hour classes meet weekly, focus on specific styles, and are offered in three sessions (Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer). The Winter/Spring session is the longest and concludes with a performance at the Joy of Motion Dance Festival in June. Classes for Grades 3+ are leveled and we generally suggest that students take one level for a full year before moving to the next. For example, a student might take Jazz 1 from September to June and then progress to Jazz 2 in the fall.
  • Dance Institute: if your child would like to be serious about dance (or already is!), consider the Youth Dance Ensemble (modern/ballet) or Broadway Dance Academy (jazz/tap), which are both curriculum-based and conservatory-style programs. We hold placement auditions in the late spring and summer and accepted students enroll for a full school year. Both programs have multiple levels and time commitment increases accordingly.
  • Youth Performance Companies: if your child loves to be onstage, a performance company is a great option. Our companies are divided by age group and style (hip hop, freestyle, jazz, tap). We hold placement auditions in the late spring and summer and accepted students enroll for a full school year. Students have one training class and one rehearsal together weekly.

Additional notes:

  • Looking for more info about performance opportunities for youth? Check out this post.
  • If your student has previous dance experience at another studio, we suggest calling or emailing our team and we can help you select the right level.