Contemporary, Modern Dance & Liturgical Dance
Click HERE for the NEWLY REVISED CLASS SCHEDULE FOR DANCERS OF ALL AGES
Contemporary dance performed in a competition.
Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance has become a very popular dance genre in the past 10 years or more. Contemporary dance is a style of interpretive dance that embraces innovation, blending techniques from various genres, including Classical Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Lyrical Dance forms. This genre of dance, which focuses more on floor work and use of different levels of dance. It isn’t restricted by the rules that govern traditional dance forms. Instead, it relies on improvisation and versatility and is characterized by freedom of movement and fluidity, letting dancers explore the mind-body connection and ideally evoking emotion in the audience.
Contemporary dance is sometimes considered a form of storytelling, and dancers may use the medium to portray characters, replay events, or convey personal stories.
Dance Gallery has five levels of Contemporary Dance (Levels I-V). Contemporary dance can begin at the age of 7 years old.
CLASS LENGTH & FREQUENCY
45 Minutes to 1 Hour (depending on level), Once a week
REQUIREMENTS
Many of our dancers are generally coming from another class such as ballet, so the dress code will be easy to manage if going directly into a Contemporary class. The dress code for girls is a solid colored leotard, tights, contemporary half shoes or socks, and hair pulled away from the face. Boys dress code is black tights or leggings, solid color trim fit shirt, contemporary half shoes or sock, and hair combed away from face. For recital, the instructor will make a decision on the color of the tights needed (generally usually skin-tone tights or black tights).
Modern Dance
Modern dance is a highly expressive style of dance that challenges the structured dance technique of classical ballet. The focus of modern dance is expression, rather than following a rigid set of postures or technical positions that ballet dancers are trained in. Modern dance movements are considered freeform and fluid, and are often inspired by other dance styles—like African dance, ballet, and folk dance. Though modern dance technique is considered more relaxed and natural than ballet, it can require considerable core work and strength. Modern dancers often perform barefoot, in tight costumes that showcase the shapes of their bodies.
There are a number of legendary modern dancers that created their own modern dance style (Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Lester Horton, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp to name a few. Modern teachers at Dance Gallery tend to pull from various legendary modern dance techniques. Modern dance classes are offered for students 9 years and older. Levels of Modern Dance start at Level I to Level V.
CLASS LENGTH & FREQUENCY
45 Minutes to 1 Hour (depending on level), Once a week
REQUIREMENTS
Many of our dancers are generally coming from another class such as ballet, so the dress code will be easy to manage if going directly into a Modern class. The dress code for girls is a solid colored leotard, tights, bare feet, and hair pulled away from the face. Boys dress code is black tights or leggings, solid color trim fit shirt, bare feet, and hair combed away from face. For recital, the instructor will make a decision on the color of the tights needed (generally usually skin-tone tights or black tights).
Liturgical Dance
Liturgical dance is a style of dance which in more interpretive. It is centered around the concept of faith. It is a non-denominational group that occationally participates in worship service around the Sioux Falls area. The choreography of this group is generally centered around the music which can be anything from contemporary Christian to traditional hymns.
CLASS LENGTH & FREQUENCY
45 Minutes to 1 Hour (depending on level), Once a week
REQUIREMENTS
Many of our dancers are generally coming from another class such as ballet, so the dress code will be easy to manage if going directly into a Liturgical Dance class. The dress code for girls is a solid colored leotard, tights, bare feet, and hair pulled away from the face. Boys dress code is black tights or leggings, solid color trim fit shirt, bare feet, and hair combed away from face. For recital, the instructor will make a decision on the color of the tights needed (generally usually skin-tone tights or black tights).