For the first time is 35 years Cookie Joe’s Dancin’ School is opened on Fridays to accommodate all the new members of our dancin’ family. And to commemorate this momentus event we are very excited to announce another first – a Boys Only class of tap and hip hop. All elementary school and middle school age boys are welcome to come tap and hip hop without the girls on Fridays from 5-6 pm.  Tell your guy friends.

Classes filled up fast for the younger dancers so additional classes were added for 2-8 year olds in ballet and tap. On Friday Cookie will teach the Young Primaries (ages 2-4) from 4-5 pm and at the same time Tran will combine a Ballet Level 1 and 2 class. During the 5-6 pm hour Tran will be teaching the 4-6 year olds Ballet/Tap while the boys will be kicking it up next door.

If you haven’t seen the excitement happening at the dancin’ school and all the new features, please plan a visit and bring your dancer along to see a class.

It’s been a busy summer and it looks like the Fall/Spring dance classes will be busy too. The good news for everyone is that Cookie and Tran decided to add a couple of new dance classes to keep up with demand.

First and foremost these days is Hip Hop. Due to the popularity of this urban dance technique, the Saturday class is filling up fast. So Cookie Joe’s Dancin’ School will now have a Thursday night Hip Hop class. Cookie will teach the class from 8-9 pm. Be sure to contact the office very soon to schedule your dancer for this popular class.

Second on the new calendar is a class for the adults. Cookie will be teaching an Adult Body Conditioning class on Monday nights from 8-9 pm. She promises no pressure and no talent necessary. Just come and be ready to stretch those tight muscles and learn some jazz, perhaps hip hop routines.

Please visit the Dance Class schedule for a complete listing of all the classes. The Fall semester classes begin Monday, August 16. Be sure to call the office during regular hours (M – TH, 4pm – 9 pm; Sat 9am – 1:30 pm) if you have questions about the upcoming year.

In light of the current economic environment, Tran and Cookie agreed to keep tuition rates the same as the 2009/2010 school year. This will allow dancers to continue to enjoy weekly classes without hurting the family budget. Thanks Tran and Cookie.

How do I know when my child should be promoted in dance class?

It is important to understand that levels vary from school to school.

In my opinion, every class should be comprised of three stages of study. One group will be close to mastering the elements of the class. Their technique is consistent and their skills are executed with ease and confidence. These dancers should be promoted.

The major group of students will be those whose abilities are improving each week but still need repetition and detailed correction.

The last group usually includes dancers new to the level or those who possess structural or processing challenges that need extra attention and encouragement. These students should feel challenged but not stressed or discouraged.

Be sure that you understand the school’s criteria and trust the teacher to have your child’s best interest at heart. Remember that the level does not matter as long as your child is learning and improving with each class and loving dance more every day.