[Home]

Email Us!

Dancing Types Offered:

Beginners Swing
The big one! Swing movement, and the important steps plus a couple of fun ones.  The way to get started.

Intermediate Swing
Triple rhythm East Coast Swing for those who have a good knowledge of the basics.  Footwork, timing, Lindy rhythm steps, swivels, double under arm turns, fun stuff.

West Coast Swing
Basics to intermediate. Throw-out, push, underarm turns, whip, etc.

Linday Hop
Total retro.

St. Louis Shag
Highly entertaining form of Swing danced to upbeat music from big band to rock or retro.

Foxtrot:Consists of both slow and quick steps, such as slow-slow-quick-quick or slow-quick-quick.  There is more variety in the Foxtrot than in the other ballroom dances and in some ways it is the hardest dance to master.

American Tango
The concept of Tango movement and following, the fan, corte, and promenade pivot.

English Quickstep
The amalgamation includes the quarter turn, forward lock, natural hesitation turn, reverse chasse, running finish, and natural spin turn.

Cha Cha
Cha Cha movement in four directions plus the importance of Latin motion, the underarm turns, crossovers, chase turns, walk-around turns, and cross triple step.

Line dance
Learn to line dance to many types of rhythms such as: country, waltz, cha cha, rumba, and others. Line dances consist of the favorite "oldies" and the newest.  No partner necessary.

Irish Dance Irish ceili dancing is group or folk dancing, and has influenced American folk dancing. There are several basic steps, including "threes" and sevens"; these steps can be a good foundation for Irish step-toe (or clogging dancing)- or what is commonly referred to as "riverdance" dancing.

Jazz
Movement to music that expresses feelings and emotions. Includes dance to music of every era, slow and fast, latin to ragtime, sharg moves to sustained. This class includes stretches and isolations of the body, general jazz patterns, traveling steps, lunges, and pivots.

Belly dance (Middle Eastern Dance)
Belly dance has several levels of involvement and benefits. The beginning level develops techniques and exercises that are practical and refined on a continuous bases. Most moves are simple to learn. You will learn to appreciate the music and the culture too.

Ballet
Classical ballet consists of three interrelated elements-Technique, Music, and Performance.  It allows for individual expression and artistry which can be carried over into your everyday life.

Ballet provides a structured warm-up that warms & exercises the entire body from your toes to your head.
Ballet provides the gradual warming of muscles that is so strongly recommended.
Ballet is more than exercise of the circulation system, heart, and lungs.  Ballet training provides a mixture of movements designed to strengthen and increase flexibility of all muscle groups.

Ballet classes are offered at a variety of levels for children (beginning at age 6), teens, and adults.  Ballet sessions run for 16 weeks; Session I: August-November, Session II: January-April [Summer Session: June/July (6 weeks)].  Session II culminates with the Annual Capital Ritz Dance Festival in May.  The cost for lessons is $120.00 for the session, $30.00 per month or $7.50 per class.  Multiple class and family discounts are offered.  Private lessons are available upon request at a cost of $45.00 per hour.  The Vaganova technique, which emphasizes structured form, emotional expression and a bold, energetic posture is taught.  Ballet class begins at the Barre (a long rail that dancers use to help balance while working on their technique) then moves on to Centre Work, Turns & Small Jumps, and Grand Allegro (big & fast movements).

No one is too old to begin ballet.  Research has shown that muscles have the ability to lengthen or increase flexibility on through age 80.  So it is never too late to get back in shape.

Line & Couple Dance Favorites:  Swamp Thing, the Twist, Watermelon Crawl, Baby Like to Rock it, Jigging It, Tush Push, Five Step, Ten Step, Stationary Cha-Cha, Sweetheart Stroll, Schottische, and others.

Country Two-Step & Triple Step: Basic & Intermediate steps to help you dance to country music.  You will learn basic turns & rotations and move into whip & lariat patterns.

Ballroom Dances:  Practice your ballroom footwork, motion and balance.  These 64-count, 4-wall line dances are designed to strengthen your dancing by doing step patterns by yourself to improve your styling and coordination.  Merengue, Rumba, Swing, Cha-Cha, Samba, and  Mambo

Intermediate Ballroom:  This class goes beyond basic steps. You'll learn new moves and routines, as well as proper footwork and technique. Each session focuses on this styles of ballroom dancing..

Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments.
© Copyright 2001 Capital Ritz, Inc.  All rights reserved.