Tony Williams Dance Center Ballet Program
Creative Dance (Ages 3-4)
An introduction to dance that incorporates creative movement with an age-appropriate introduction to ballet. Using basic dance concepts, this program develops motor skills, sociability and gives kids a fun, hands-on introduction to the world of dance. This class is taken for two years unless your child ages out.
Class meets once a week.
Monday 4:45-5:30pm
Tuesday 4:15-5:00pm
Wednesday 4:15-5:00pm
Saturday 9:15-10:00am
Saturday 10:00-10:45am
Sunday 9:15-10:00am
Ballet/Tap Combo (Ages 5-6)
For the beginner student. Students will learn some of the basic ballet positions, including some stretching, barre work, and center exercises. They begin to learn ballet terminology and teachers will incorporate creative learning methods into the curriculum. In addition to daily ballet, the 31 weeks of dance includes intro to tap during this one hour class. This class is taken for two years unless your child ages out. Children will need ballet slippers and tap shoes.
Class meets once a week.
Tuesday 4:30-5:30pm
Wednesday 4:30-5:30pm
Saturday 9:00-10:00am
Ballet/Jazz Combo (Ages 5-6)
For the beginner student. Students will learn some of the basic ballet positions, including some stretching, barre work, and center exercises. They begin to learn ballet terminology and teachers will incorporate creative learning methods into the curriculum. In addition to daily ballet, the 31 weeks of dance includes intro to jazz during this one hour class. This class is taken for two years unless your child ages out. Children will need ballet slippers and jazz shoes.
Class meets once a week.
Monday 5:30-6:30pm
Saturday 10:00-11:00am
Beginning Ballet 1, 2, 3 | Intermediate Ballet 1, 2, 3 | Advanced Ballet (Ages 6 – Adult)
The foundation of all dance forms, ballet takes the student into the world of classical music and teaches discipline, and grace for all dancers. Technique-based training is offered from a young level, teaching correct placement and knowledge of the body as a fine-tuned instrument. We offer a rigorous, graded program that starts with Beginning Ballet 1. Dancers are advanced through the program by skill attainment and age until Beginning Ballet 3, when skill becomes the basis for advancement. It is anticipated that your child will take each level of dance from Beginning Ballet 3 on for 2-3 years each. Ballet is about REPETITION and learning technique not until understood, but until mastered. It is unprofessional to advance children based on age rather than technique or whether they would like to be with their friends or other peers. Advancing children in ballet too quickly can cause injury, and our trained staff have placed your child at the appropriate level for a reason. Please see the syllabus for more questions. Pre-pointe begins in Intermediate Ballet 1 & 2.
Please contact the TWDC office twdcinfo@gmail.com for placement for children ages 7 and above.
Beginning Ballet 1
Class meets once a week*
Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm
Saturdays 11:00-12:00am
Beginning Ballet 2
Class meets once a week*
Tuesdays 6:15-7:15pm
Thursdays 5:30-6:30pm
Beginning Ballet 3
Students can register for class once or twice a week*
Monday 6:15-7:30pm
Tuesday 5:00-6:15pm
*You may wish to take one or all classes of Ballet offered at your age level.
Dancers in Beg. Ballet 3 are required to take Lyrical as an additional class supplement each year.
Intermediate Ballet 1**
Monday 4:00-5:30pm
Thursday 6:30-8:00pm
Intermediate Ballet 2**
Tuesday: 4:15-6:15pm
Wednesday: 6:00-7:30pm
Thursday: 4:00-5:30pm
Intermediate Ballet 3**
Tuesday: 4:15-6:15pm
Wednesday: 6:00-7:30pm
Thursdays: 6:15-7:45pm
Advanced Ballet**
Tuesday: 4:15-6:15pm
Wednesday: 6:00-7:30pm
Thursdays: 6:15-7:45pm
**At the Int. Ballet 1 level, classes are mandatory twice per week, along with your required supplement (see ballet syllabus for your level). At the Int. Ballet 2 & 3, and Advanced Ballet levels, class is mandatory three times per week, plus your additional supplement, plus pointe. These are all required.
Dancers in Int. Ballet 1 and beyond are required to take their additional class supplement each year. Those classes include: Conditioning, Modern, Lyrical, Variations, etc depending on the year and those classes are purposely scheduled around your child’s ballet classes. If you have any questions please contact the TWDC office at twdcinfo@gmail.com for the appropriate class for your child. you’ve checked the Ballet Syllabus on another page of this website.
Boys Ballet (Ages 7+) – not currently offered
This is a class designed to nurture, supplement and support boys in their training. It may be taken in place of one day of training for intermediate/ advanced level or alone to strengthen the body for sport or other dance forms. Boys will receive an hour of ballet technique with stretching and strengthening exercises from an accomplished male dancer.
Boys Ballet
Class meets once a week
Tony Williams Dance Center Interdisciplinary Dance Program
Afro Jazz
From the historical African dances, this style of dance combines full body movement, beat-centric precision and storytelling through movement.
Folklórico (Mexican Folk Dance)
Each of the thirty-one states of Mexico has distinct styles of dance and music, such as polkas and chotises from Chihuahua, jarabes and sones from Jalisco, jarochos and huapangos from Veracruz, and danzas and chilenas from Guerrero. The varieties of dances reflect unique combinations of indigenous, European and African influences. The Mexican folkdance class will explore the rich beauty and diversity of dances, history and costumes of Mexico. Students will learn dances from different regions of Mexico and basic zapateados (footwork). Ages 6 and up.
Musical Theatre
Musical Theater Dance includes multiple genres of dance and blends between genres. It is often called Theater Jazz, but this class will include various styles of Theater Dance. We will learn classic theater dance moves (the pony, jazz slides, moonwalk, grapevine, etc.), foundational dance skills (ball change, chasse, jumps, spotting, etc.), and try out more modern Theater Dance styles (like what you might see in Matilda the Musical). Every class will have a stretch, across the floor, center warm up, and we will learn a dance from or inspired by a musical. Student input is welcome, because the instructor wants to make sure they are learning dances they will enjoy!
Tap (Level 1-3 by placement only, usually after age 6)
An original American dance form, tap emphasizes the beat by making sounds with metal taps fastened to the shoes. The focus is on strong technique and musicality, with an emphasis on learning the roots of Tap and the work of such greats as Buster Brown, Honi Coles, Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines and more. Tap classes are sorted by technique level during the first class. Please sign up for your class by age to start.
Theatre/Tap Combo
For 4-7 year old dancers. This class is for the young dancers that love to put on a show. The first half of class will be devoted to theatre jazz and the second half will be focused on tap dance. Dancers will express themselves, develop rhythmic awareness, and listen to lots of showtunes!
Tiny Toes & Me (18 months-3 years)
This class offers parent/caregiver and child movement classes to introduce your child to dance and give caregivers a fun approach to staying active. This class is designed to introduce the joy of music and movement while fostering a strong bond between caregiver and child. It will provide an exciting and engaging environment where both adults and children can learn basic dance skills, musicality, and coordination. Each class has one instructor and will aim to explore gross-motor and fine motor skills through creative movement. The music will vary from relaxed, slower-paced melodies to lively upbeat music. We will introduce children to movement using singing, musical instruments, props and games. This class will be perfect for the caregiver who’s looking to get out the house, socialize, and incorporate fun exercises into their lifestyle that can be easily replicated at home. It will also serve as a great introduction for children progressing into independent classes, as we build confidence and familiarity in the dance class setting. Whether your “Tiny Toes dancer” is still in a carrier or a toddler who has big moves to get out, this class aims to get everybody moving, grooving and having a good time!
Typically these classes can be 18months-3years, but we encourage “baby wearers” to join, as this class as it can still provide great socialization and support to caregivers looking for something to do. (**Narrow Based Carriers are not recommended for baby-wearing**)
Children will have to be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Irish/Tap Combo
For 4-7 year old dancers. This class is full of bouncing and rhythm! Students will work on coordination and develop rhythmic awareness through a fun introductory tap and Irish dance curriculum.
Irish Dance
Open to dancers ages 7 and up with any level of Irish dance experience. In this class we focus on soft shoe dances (reels and light jigs). Students will also be exposed to Ceili dancing (social and group dances). This class is all levels to create a community where students can collaborate and learn from each other.
Advanced Irish Dance
An add-on class for Irish dancers with 2 or more years of experience who would like to work on heavy shoe dances (treble reel and traditional sets). Dancers will deepen their understanding of Irish dance and rhythm.
Lyrical (Beginner Lyrical & Lyrical 2)
Lyrical is a poetic style of dance with a lovely flowing quality blending ballet & contemporary dance concepts. Musical selections range from the 1960s to modern day popular songs highlighting emotion, poignancy, and strong messages. Class will include a full center warm up, deep stretching, floorwork, along across the floor progressions, and choreography. Lyrical Dance connects the dancer’s movement to the lyrics of the songs we dance to, allowing students to express a range of emotions, build confidence, and create dances that move audiences deeply.
Int/Adv Contemporary (must be enrolled in Intermediate or Advanced Level Ballet)
Contemporary is an artistic form of movement infusing different techniques that draw from modern, lyrical, and other interpretive movements. Class will include a dynamic center warmup, floorwork, along with progressions and choreography. Dancers will express movement to a variety of music and tempos, ranging from instrumental, vocal narrative, and experimental. Students will develop a deep sense of upper body and core strength, exploring different levels through interpretive storytelling and intricate patterns of movement. Contemporary Dance captures a wide range of movement from different sources of inspiration, allowing students to discover their own unique artistry and quality of movement throughout the season.
Hip Hop (Level Beg. Ballet 1 – Adv. Ballet)
Classes will cross multiple styles of the street form of dancing prevalent in hip hop. From its roots in African Dance, hip hop is a freedom of physical expression with or without music and includes freestyling (of the moment dance improvisation).
Mindful Ballet
For intermediate and higher dancers to supplement regular technique classes, and open to faculty discretion. This ballet class will combine technique work with mindfulness and somatic exercises to explore and grow your dancing from a more internal perspective. Taught by a TWDC ballet faculty who is a Board Certified-Dance/Movement Therapist (class not designed to be therapy).
Modern 1 & 2 (by placement only, must be enrolled in ballet)
This class focuses on forward-focused modern dance. Modern dance stems from a reaction to classical rigid ballet, by dancers in the early 1920s which uses expressive forms of movement often contrary to strict ballet. While in many ways it is the opposite of ballet, it is also, at the same time, the perfect complement for a well-rounded dancer.
Jazz (Level Beg. Ballet 2 & up)
A stylized form of American dance using many rhythms to coordinate and strengthen the body. Various styles include musical theater, traditional, funky, and hip hop. We strive to incorporate the styles of such greats as Jack Cole, Matt Mattox, Gus Giordano, Luigi and more.
Variations (Int. Ballet 1, 2 and 3)
This class is the subsequent complement to advanced ballet training. You will be given additional time with floor training and the barre, and most of class will be en pointe if applicable. Variations takes classic pieces of choreography complementary to the child’s dance technique level and encourages them to learn the choreography through repetitive training throughout the year. When possible this class should be taken en pointe as a supplementary pointe training class. Variations will begin with barre, move into center and across the floor and choreography learning. This class is not in recital, but it is a mandatory requisite for the ballet training program.
Jazz/Hip Hop – not currently offered
Often referred to as jazz funk, this class is an exploration of jazz technique with hip hop fusion, playing around with musicality and rhythm. We will learn classic jazz steps like the jazz square, jazz slides, jazz pirouettes, etc. We will also learn classic hip hop steps that fuse with jazz such as the charleston, kickball change, the grapevine, and even some basic break dance. Across the floor exercises will consist of battements, pirouette combinations, leaps, and more. At the end of class students will use the techniques learned, and cultivate it into a short combination.
Recreational Ballet/Jazz (Ages 9+) – not currently offered
This class is for young students through pre-professionals who are looking to expand their repertoire. This class will start from the ground up and move quickly forward. Some very basic dance experience is necessary, but this is the perfect class for a dancer just starting in dance who is ready to work hard. This is also an excellent class for teens or adults who haven’t taken dance in years to fall back into dancing regularly. While this class is not part of our ballet “track,” it is a very important part of learning and may be taken in conjunction with the regular lettered or numbered ballet classes for more impact.
Liturgical – not currently offered
Inspired by devotion dances, and religious based dance, this class offers clean lines, dramatic movements and storytelling in a non-religious specific way.
Flamenco: taught by Sabrina Avilés, Artistic Director “Flamenco Dance Project”
Express yourself through this vibrant Spanish dance. Often accompanied by live flamenco guitar music, students will learn the basic elements of flamenco, including body stance, taconeo (footwork), palmas (hand clapping), and brazeo (arm work). There is also a strong emphasis on learning the challenging rhythms of flamenco. Choreographies are taught in all levels except Absolute Beginners. Levels offered: Absolute Beginners, Advanced Beginners and Intermediate/Advanced.
Visit: Flamenco Dance Project for more information and registration.
This is an audition only program for motivated dancers. Auditions are in September each year. This program is supplementary to your child’s ballet classes. You must be enrolled in ballet to continue in this class.
City Ballet of Boston (Ages 18+)
This is a professional ballet company. Please contact info@cityballetofboston.org for audition information.