Dancing is an excellent way for kids to stay in shape while learning and having fun at the same time. Southern California offers classes of all kinds: jazz, salsa, ballet, tap, hip-hop, and more. Children as young as toddlers can join in on the fun and take classes with other toddlers. Southern California offers many dance studios that allow the kids to excel and move up dance levels depending on their skill.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop dance is a popular type of dance in southern California for children, and almost any studio teaches it. Lessons range from 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half long. Instructors often have their own style, so finding one that fits your child's preference is important. Culture Shock Dance Center in San Diego is home to the world-famous hip-hop dance team Culture Shock. The center offers youth hip-hop classes for kids starting at age five and up to 12 years old. Youth class sessions last eight weeks, with one class per week. Culture Shock Dance Center also has floating floors, which offer high resiliency and help to reduce injuries and fatigue.
Ballet
Ballet lessons teach technical elements and a particular structure. The Village Arts Center in Palisades offers classes for children under 3 years old, including babies from 10 to 24 months old. Petite ballet is offered for children aged 2 and 3, and pre-ballet classes are available for children starting at 3 years old. Children have the option to advance to Ballet I, II and III, as well. Creation Station in Los Angeles also starts children out young, starting at 18 months. Instructors there first begin by nurturing and teaching creativity and then move onto strength, balance and body placement in higher-level classes.
Tap
Kids can break out their tap shoes in many locations in Southern California. Dance For Kids at the Brentwood Academy of Dance offers tap dance lessons for children. Here, the instructors are disciplined in their area of teaching, and kids are evaluated and critiqued before moving up to another level. Vergari Dance Center, located in Westchester, Los Angeles, offers tap lessons as well. The instructors here also have pedigreed reputations, with one choreographer having worked with the likes of Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Tap lessons are offered once the child turns 7 years old.
Cultural
Southern California offers children a chance to take cultural dance classes, such as African, Caribbean and Brazilian. The Lula Washington Dance Theatre in Los Angeles offers a dance school for children starting at age 3 and teaches several different types of cultural dance, including all the ones mentioned above. NDM Dance Studios is a Bollywood dance school in Artesia. Youth as young as 5 are welcome to take classes. Classes are split up between boys and girls and by age range. The youth classes are normally held on weekends.
Jazz
For kids interested in jazz music and dance, classes are offered in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Vergari Dance Center also offers jazz lessons for children as young as 9 years old. The OC Dance Studio teaches children as young as 3 the jazz dance. Classes for both studios are divided into age groups and classes are about 45 minutes to an hour long.
Member Comments