Contemporary Dance.

CONTEMPORARY

Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements.

Students in contemporary dance classes tend to develop better self-awareness, both physical and emotional, along with the fitness and flexibility that all dance classes offer. It’s an important addition to a well-rounded dancer’s repertoire for many reasons, and it actually helps build creativity and thought processes that will offer countless advantages and benefits throughout the student’s life today and in the future.

• Creative Thinking – The impact that artistic training in general, and contemporary dance training specifically, can have on a student’s life is often grossly underestimated. Whether your student plans to become a professional dancer, an attorney, a teacher, or a mechanical engineer, they’ll have a distinct advantage over competitors. In study after study, employers list creative thinking as one of the employability skills they want most, and the total of a candidate’s employability skill set weighs as heavily in their hiring decisions as job-specific skills, training, and experience.

• Stress Reduction – Contemporary dance classes contribute to healthier kids today and better balanced adults in the future by teaching students to access their emotions and translate them to physical motion. Both physical exercise and introspection help to alleviate stress, and even on days when students come to class feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders, they’ll leave class in a more positive mood, less prone to anxiety and depression. It’s almost impossible to stay stressed when you’re surrounded by so much positivity, and sweating out the worries of the day! The endorphins produced as a result of a dance class will last for as much as 24 hours, giving the student a sense of peace, well-being, and optimism. A steady schedule of contemporary dance classes will create an upward spiral of relaxation and positivity.

• Self-Expression – Not only does contemporary dance training teach students how to access their emotions and give them the physical conditioning and training to express them, but it also gives them a sense of empowerment. Creatively rendering emotion and thought into physical movement gives students a kind of unique “voice” with which to express themselves, so they can find ways to express themselves, even when words aren’t sufficient. This can be especially helpful for shy students or students with learning disabilities, and builds confidence in students who might otherwise feel invisible and unheard.