Class Descriptions
Tony Williams Dance Center offers classes in a wide range of dance styles and levels. The TWDC Ballet Program, led by Ballet Division Supervisor Beth Mochizuki, follows a carefully developed syllabus for quality, comprehensive ballet training. The Interdisciplinary Dance Program includes training in Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Irish Dance, and more! Learn more about our class offerings below.
Click here for the 2024-2025 class schedule
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 4:00-5:00pm with Anna
Tuesday 4:00-5:00pm with Beth
Wednesday 4:30-5:30pm with Kayla
Saturday 9:00-10:00am with Callie
Saturday 11:00am-12:00pm with Anna
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 32 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.
Monday 5:00-6:00pm with Melissa
Wednesday 4:30-5:30 with Melissa
Saturday 9:00-10:00am with Anna
Saturday 10:00-11:00am with Callie
Beginning Ballet 1, 2, 3 | Intermediate Ballet 1, 2, or 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*
Tuesday 5:00-6:00pm with Beth
Thursday 5:30-6:30pm
Saturday 11:00am-12:00pm with Amane
Beginning Ballet 2
Class meets once a week*
Monday 5:00-6:00pm with Erika
Thursday 6:30-7:30pm
Beginning Ballet 3
Students can register for class once or twice a week*
Monday 6:00-7:15 with Erika
Tuesday 6:15-7:15 with Amanda
Intermediate Ballet 1**
Monday 4:30-6:00pm with Erika
Wednesday 6:15-7:45pm with Beth
Thursday 4:00-5:30pm with Erika
Intermediate Ballet 2**
Monday 4:30-6:00pm with Erika
Tuesday 6:00-7:30pm with Beth
Wednesday 4:00-5:30pm with Beth
Thursday 6:15-7:45 with Erika
Intermediate Ballet 3**
Monday 4:30-6:00pm with Erika
Tuesday 4:00-5:30pm with Amanda
Wednesday 4:00-5:30pm with Beth
Thursday 6:15-7:45 with Erika
Advanced Ballet**
Monday 4:30-6:00pm with Erika
Tuesday 4:00-5:30pm with Amanda
Wednesday 4:00-5:30pm with Beth
Thursday 6:15-7:45 with Erika
*You may wish to take one or all classes of Ballet offered at your age level.
**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.
Boys Ballet (Ages 7+)
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
Saturday 12:00-1:00pm with Azamat
Interdisciplinary Dance Program
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.
Tap 1 (ages 7 & up)
Monday 6:00-7:00pm with Melissa
Jazz (Level Beg. Ballet 1 – Adv. Ballet 2) – not currently offered
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.
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 numbered ballet classes for more impact.
Lyrical / Contemporary (Level Beg. Ballet 1 – Adv. Ballet 2)
Contemporary is an artistic form of movement infusing different techniques. These classes will incorporate José Limón Modern technique with Ballet, with combinations set to both popular music as well as percussive tones. With a focus on movements of the core, students will develop a stronger upper body by manipulating their figure from a high level to a low level. Through Contemporary Dance, students will discover unique artistic shapes in choreography as well as quality of movement. Lyrical is a poetic style of dance with a lovely flowing quality blending ballet & contemporary dance concepts. Using popular music, this dance form connects movement to the lyrics to express a message or emotion through the dancers’ performance.
*Lyrical and contemporary classes may be combined or separate depending on enrollments. This year they will be combined into one homogenous blend of dance.
Hip Hop (Level Beg. Ballet 1 – Adv. Ballet 2)
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 our without music and includes freestyling (of the moment dance improvisation).
Modern 1 & 2 (by placement only, must be enrolled in ballet)
This class focuses on forward-focused modern dance. Most of this class will be taught en pointe. Those not yet en pointe may take the class on flat. 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.
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 a mandatory requisite for the ballet training program.
Funky Jazz – needs a description
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!
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 TWDC ballet faculty who is a Board Certified-Dance/Movement Therapist (class not designed to be therapy).
Auxiliary
Mexican Folk Dance (Folklorico)
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.
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.
Afro Jazz
From the historical African dances, this style of dance combines full body movement, beat-centric precision and storytelling through movement.
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.
Boston City Youth Ballet
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.