Dance
School Age Dance
Our School Age Dance program is for students Kindergarten through the 12th grade. The following classes are available:
Ballet Pointe Tap Jazz Contemporary Hip Hop Modern Strength/Straighten/Tone
Turns, Leaps, Progressions Krazy Kardio Saturday Morning Workshop Zumba
Grades K-12
In Kindergarten, students begin the study of classical ballet through a graded syllabus that incorporates the Cecchetti, Vaganova, Royal Academy, and Balanchine methods. Students begin learning the basics of the ballet barre and centre work. As the students progress, there are further expansions of basic barre techniques, increasingly difficult centre work, and intricate across the floor progressions.
Pre-Pointe and Pointe:
When a student is strong enough, they may begin the art of pointe work; which is the performance of ballet while wearing pointe shoes. Since students must be at least 10 to 12 years old and have proper ankle, center, and back strength; a professional evaluation is necessary before pre-pointe classes can be considered.
Tap: 
Grades K-12
At Sonshine Academy we use a graded tap syllabus, which is strongly influenced by the techniques of the Al Gilbert method. Tap classes are designed to develop rhythm, style and sound. Students will learn a variety of tap styles from Broadway to Rhythm tap. Exercises focus on building flexibility of the knee and ankles, coordination, and speed of movement. The class emphasis is on developing proper tap technique, producing clear tap sounds, and having fun. As students progress through each level, the curriculum will become increasingly more complex and intricate.
Jazz: 
Grades 1-12
Sonshine Academy teaches both traditional and contempory styles of jazz, Class curriculum is based on ballet technique layered with various forms of jazz movement and includes a proper warm-up, stretches, isolations, across-the-floor progressions, and numerous combinations. As students progress through each level, the curriculum will become increasingly more intricate. Because jazz requires a sound knowledge of dance technique, jazz is offered to students who are 1st grade and older as long as they are also enrolled in a ballet class.
Contemporary Lyrical:
Grades 3-12
Contemporary Lyrical classes are offered to intermediate and advanced level students who are also enrolled in a ballet and jazz class. This program draws on the fundamentals of ballet, jazz, and modern but also has evolved over the years to pull from every other style of dance, allowing the performer to express his or her own interpretation to the audience. Contemporary Lyrical is a beautiful form of artistic expression that is usually performed with the intent of interpreting the lyrics or mood of the music.
Hip Hop:
Grades 3-12
Hip Hop is offered to children who have an interest in more contemporary dance styles made popular by the music video industry. Hip-Hop is less technical in nature and does not require the student to be enrolled in a ballet class. This makes it an excellent choice for older beginning level dancers with little or no classical training. Students will learn balance, strength, coordination, stage presence, and basic elements of "funk" and "urban" styles which include house, popping, locking, freezes, waving, and gliding.
Modern:
Modern is a style of dance that, while largely based on ballet technique, is not confined to traditional ballet form or expression. Often, it combines other forms of movement such as African, American Indian, contemporary styles, and even dancer improvisation. In this class students will learn and experiment with interpretation, spatial awareness, rhythm, intention of movement, and awareness of body. Sonshine Academy focuses primarily on Lester Horton modern techniques. This class is only open to upper level, advanced (black, platinum) company students.
This class will help dancers develop body awareness, proper stretching technique, and muscle strength in areas of need. Class exercises will be based on dancer friendly athletic conditioning such as; Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, calisthenics, bar fitness, and ballet/jazz technique. Education about the anatomy of the body and good nutrition may also be introduced. All dancers, especially those in a company, are encouraged to sign up.
This Company level class focuses strictly on dance technique. Proper turns, body placement, pointed feet, higher kicks, better leaps, improved coordination, and faster footwork are all core components of this class. It is the perfect supplement for any ballet, jazz, or contemporary dancer.
This class for ages 7 and up combines the benefits of aerobics and the fun of dance into one amazing party. Designed to get your heart pumping, your brain thinking, and your muscles working, Krazy Kardio is an exhilerating class that uses different dance themes such as swing, latin, jazz, ballet, disco, jitter bug, hula, and line dancing to get you into the best cardiovascular shape of your life. The brain child of two of Sonshine's very own teachers, Taylor Bell and Haley Harmon, Krazy Kardio is sure to be one of the most exciting new workout classes in town.
Satuday Morning Workshop: This is a convention style class offering instruction in a different style of dance almost every week. Students will be introduced to ballroom, hula, clogging, modern, African, hip-hop, musical theater, and Bollywood, among other forms of dance. A wide variety of teachers will also be introduced into the classroom which will keep students on their toes during the learing process. This is an excellent class for those students who want to learn to pick up choreography quickly and who also want to broaden their dance horizens.
Zumba: 
A fusion of Latin dance and a fun cardiovascular workout, Zumba is the current fitness craze! It’s all about having fun, trimming down, getting your heart pumping, learning a routine, and toning major muscle groups. It’s an exhilarating, calorie-burning, fitness class that combines red-hot international music and contagious steps to form a Latin inspired "fitness-party" that is downright addictive. Come join the fun!