Jazz

The Jazz classes are based on ballet and several Jazz dance techniques.

The class starts with a gentle warm up to prepare the body for what follows. Through the contraction release exercises, aiming towards getting a strong and solid center to work from. Working in parallel and turn out positions through plijes, releves, tandues, swings, flatback, grand battement, developes passes and lunges, all choreographed in sections to give the students a good flow throughout the entire warm up.

Across the floor, jazz walks is given in combination with pirouettes and jumps. The students will work on travelling across the whole floor from various perspectives in order to get a good sense of what is required to fill a stage and theatre with not "just trained movements" but with energy and emotions that can catch the audience's attention even in the back row. Finding the balance between a strong technical precision and the sense of following the music to test their physical limits.

After crossing the floor, combinations are given where the students will get the opportunity to use their technique as well as develop their own personal style. Sometimes they will be asked to very quickly pick up the choreography straight away and as accurately as possible. This is to train them for auditioning situations where they will not get the opportunity for a detailed explanations and are still required perform to a high level.

During the academic year many styles of dance will be choreographed in this class, from traditional classical jazz routines to a more funky and musical inspired material in order for the students to be versatile. A high level of commitment and hard is expected to reach up to the high standard it takes to be successful in the professional world of dance.

It is absolutely important that today's dance students have a wide range of dance styles and knowledge so that they can adapt to the demands of different teachers and choreographers to benefit their dance career.