Welcome to our latest blog post, where we’re talking all about level progressions at DU! We believe that every dancer’s journey is unique and exciting, filled with milestones and achievements. For us, it’s not just about providing excellent dance programs. It’s about helping kids work towards their goals and find fulfillment in doing so. Having a clear level progression is one of the many ways we build that experience for our dancers.
Below is our run-down of the various Dance Programs we offer!
When your child begins their dance journey:
In their beginning years, all DU dancers start in either our Future Stars (ages 1-3), Stargazers (ages 3-7), or Rising Stars (ages 7-11) programs. These programs are divided by age group, so regardless of when your child begins dancing, they’ll be dancing alongside their peers.
In these formative years, skill level is largely based on child development landmarks. Keeping dancers grouped by age ensures that we are working within their developmentally appropriate motor skills and learning speeds. Class offerings differ based on age group, but all three programs will give your dancer a strong foundation through play-based, imaginative learning!
When your child progresses beyond their beginning years:
Once a child moves beyond our Rising Star Program, intermediate dancers have two options for where they’d like to take their training next: Shining Stars or Shooting Stars.
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- Shining Stars (Intermediate Performance Company): For dancers who wish for more performance opportunities throughout the year and a higher commitment level. Participation in this program is by audition only. Auditions are open to dancers 6+.
- Shooting Stars: For dancers who want to continue receiving excellent training without the added commitment of joining our DUPC competitive team. All classes culminate in a year-end recital performance.
When your child becomes an advanced dancer:
After the intermediate level, we offer two options for advanced dancers to become well-rounded performers and dance technicians: Allstars (Advanced Performance Company) and Superstar (Elite Performance Company). Both by audition only, these programs include extensive hours of weekly training in all dance styles. Members perform in community events and compete at several regional competitions. At the elite level, dancers can be considered for solos, duets, trios, and group routines.
Our goal is to make our program progression easy and stress-free for our dance families to understand. Over the years, we’ve found that many dancers get excited and look forward to moving up in level. That’s why we created a streamlined approach to level placement that we implement at V.I.P. Week in May.
During VIP Week, dancers are automatically enrolled in the upcoming dance year to secure their space in the program Just a few weeks later, each dancer receives a personalized recommendation form for the upcoming year’s classes and our class schedule. Recommendation Forms are filled out by their teacher, which ensures that everyone gets placed in the perfect level. Click here to learn more about V.I.P Week!
We can’t wait to watch your child progress through our programs during the 2024/25 School Year! We are currently enrolling in Fall Dance Classes, but classes are filling fast! Click here to view the schedule and save your child’s spot today!