Welcome to Menagerie Dance Program!

The Wauconda Park District is committed to providing high-quality dance classes to enhance the overall development of the child.
We provide a safe and child-centered environment to encourage our students to explore dance with qualified, nurturing teachers.

We believe that dance training encourages young people to develop a positive self-image as they increase awareness of their physical being.
Along with improving coordination skills and developing muscular awareness, dance classes give children the freedom to express themselves through movement.

Check back for Student & Parent Handbook
Check back for Dance Program Calendar

Recital classes are in progress through 2025. Watch for recital registration in fall 2025 program guide.

MONDAY

Session 1: Session 2: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
2405 2420 10:30-11:00 am 2.5-3 yrs Intro to Creative Dance $16/$20
2406 2421 11:00 am-12:00 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Ballet and Tap $32/$40
2407 cancelled due to low enrollment 2422 3:45-4:30 pm 3-4 yrs Creative Dance $24/$30
2408 cancelled due to low enrollment 2423 4:30-5:15 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Modern $24/$30
2409 cancelled due to low enrollment 2424 5:15-6:15 pm 7-9 yrs Ballet I/II $32/$40
2410 cancelled due to low enrollment 2425 5:00-6:00 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Ballet and Tap $32/$40
2411 2426 6:00-7:00 pm 12+ yrs Jazz III/IV $32/$40
2412 cancelled due to low enrollment 2427 7:00-8:00 pm 12+ yrs Hip Hop III/IV $32/$40

WEDNESDAY

Session 1: Session 2: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
2413 2428 5:00-6:00 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Jazz/Hip Hop $32/$40
2414 cancelled due to low enrollment 2429 6:00-7:00 pm 7-11 yrs Jazz I/II $32/$40
2415 cancelled due to low enrollment 2430 7:00-8:00 pm 7-11 yrs Hip Hop I/II $32/$40
2416 2431 6:30-7:45 pm by Approval Ballet IV/Advanced $40/$50
2417 2432 7:45-8:30 pm by Approval Pre-Pointe/Pointe $24/$30

THURSDAY

Session 1: Session 2: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
2418 cancelled due to low enrollment 2433 3:45-4:30 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Ballet $24/$30
2419 2434 4:30-5:30 pm 9-12 yrs Ballet II/III $32/$40

DISCOVER DANCE

This workshop series is designed for the student that wants to try it all!

(Age 7-11 and 12+ yrs)
The workshops will cover four styles of dance (Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, and Tap). Sign up for one style, or all four! It’s the perfect opportunity for dancers looking to try out a new style or students that want to give dance a try but aren’t sure what style they’ll like. Dancers should follow the dress code for jazz class as published, however, no dance shoes are required for these workshops. Students may participate in socks or bare feet.

Location: Community Center
Min/Max: 5/12
R/NR Fee: $15/$22

Date: Style: Code: Age: Day: Time:
6/6 Jazz 2443 7-11 yrs Friday 4:30-6:00 pm
6/6 Jazz 2444 12+ yrs Friday 6:00-7:30 pm
6/20 Lyrical 2445 7-11 yrs Friday 4:30-6:00 pm
6/20 Lyrical 2446 12+ yrs Friday 6:00-7:30 pm
7/11 Modern 2447 7-11 yrs Friday 4:30-6:00 pm
7/11 Modern 2448 12+ yrs Friday 6:00-7:30 pm
7/25 Tap 2449 7-11 yrs Friday 4:30-6:00 pm
7/25 Tap 2450 12+ yrs Friday 6:00-7:30 pm

Inversion Training for Dancers

(Age 8-11 and 12+ yrs)
This is a class for dancers/athletes who are looking to build their confidence and strength in the more challenging upside-down movements and balances that appear in many styles of choreography. Join us each week as we work on core strength, balance, upper and lower body strength, and alignment while we train how to be upside down and balanced there without fear of falling!

Location: Community Center
Min/Max: 5/12
R/NR Fee: $32/$40

Date: Code: Age: Day: Time:
6/12-6/26 2435 8-11 yrs Thu 5:30-6:30 pm
7/10-7/24 2436 8-11 yrs Thu 5:30-6:30 pm
6/11-6/25 2437 cancelled due to low enrollment 12+ yrs Wed 5:30-6:30 pm
7/9-7/23 2438 12+ yrs Wed 5:30-6:30 pm

Choreographer’s Workshop

(Age 8-11 and 12+ yrs)

This beginning level choreography course will introduce students to both the exploration of the choreographic process and the basic tools used in choreography. Students will work both individually and in groups during class to create short movement sequences inspired by music, images, nature and their own improvisation. They will work together to create a short dance to present at an in-class observation on the last day of class.

Location: Community Center
Min/Max: 5/12
R/NR Fee: $32/$40

Date: Code: Age: Day: Time:
6/12-6/26 2439 8-11 yrs Thu 6:30-7:30 pm
7/10-7/24 2440 8-11 yrs Thu 6:30-7:30 pm
6/11-6/25 2441 cancelled due to low enrollment 12+ yrs Wed 4:30-5:30 pm
7/9-7/23 2442 12+ yrs Wed 4:30-5:30 pm

Class Descriptions

Creative Dance blends movement, music, improvisation, and basic dance steps while providing an excellent introduction for the future study of all dance techniques. Students learn dance fundamentals while improving motor skills, self-expression, confidence, imagination and social development. Dancer must be fully potty trained, no pull-ups. This is a drop off class.

This program takes the basics of ballet technique combined with props and imagination and gives the children a fun and educational class. Large motor skills, balance and coordination are highlighted. Pre-Ballet and Tap classes also explore rhythms and smaller motor skill. This is a drop off class.

Jazz is a funkier form of dance. This is an introductory class with jazz basics to fun and kid-friendly music. Dancers will learn the beginning steps of jazz and work on picking up choreography sequences that fuse style and technique. This is a drop off class.

Jazz is a funkier form of dance. This is an introductory class with jazz basics to fun and kid-friendly music. Dancers will learn the beginning steps of jazz and work on picking up choreography sequences that fuse style and technique. This is a drop off class.

As students grow, they naturally begin to dance as a form of expression and imagination. We capture this enthusiasm and incorporate it into our ballet program – emphasizing proper ballet technique with a focus on developing strength, alignment, musicality, and the grace that is inherent in the form. As students mature and their bodies develop strength, we transition to a more serious study of ballet technique that will prepare them to be both confident and technically proficient artists.

Hip-Hop evolved out of street and break dancing and is characterized by its athletic and bouncy style. Hip-Hop is set to a strong, contemporary beat, builds stamina, and emphasizes body isolations, attitude, coordination, freestyle movement, and rhythm.

This introductory class is for our youngest dancers.  Our newest students will learn the basics of balance and movement through imaginative games, songs, music and rhythmical patterns while developing a basic understanding of dance and how dance classes are held.  We hold our two-year-olds to a very specific routine and schedule to prepare them to move into our 3-year-old Creative Dance class.  This is a drop-off class.

This is a class for dancers/athletes to deconstruct traditional dance vocabulary and challenge notions of what the body is capable of performing.  Join us each week as we work on core strength, balance, upper and lower body strength, and alignment.  We will train how to be upside down in a variety of inversions and balance there without fear using the body’s natural structure as well as props such as stability balls, elastic bands, mats, and the wall, for a fun and challenging work out!

Jazz dance is an upbeat and performative style that is often seen in Broadway productions. Students will focus on principles such as syncopated rhythms, body isolations, precise technical skills, and choreography. Students will be exposed to various styles of jazz such as Broadway, Street and Contemporary to help develop a well-rounded dancer.

Lyrical is a fusion of ballet and jazz dance techniques. Lyrical dance challenges dancers to use movement to interpret music and express emotion telling a story through every movement made.

Modern dance develops strong creative dancers through the study of technique and improvisation with a focus on musicality, dynamics, floor-work and artistic expression. Partnering and basic lifts are also introduced.

This class will focus on the execution of dance as a method of storytelling. In musical theatre, characters sing when emotion becomes too strong to speak and they dance when they are even further transported. This class will focus on Broadway style jazz. Students will enjoy music, singing and choreography inspired by various musical productions and will be encouraged to sing along!!

Tap focuses on developing coordination, precision, rhythmic skills, and musicality within both the Broadway and contemporary Rhythm-Tap styles. As students progress they further develop skills, focusing on clarity of sounds and increasing speed as well as dynamics and musicality.

Leaps and Turns is a technique class designed to improve the overall ability of the students. Students will focus on conditioning, working to increase strength, extension, flexibility as well as turns with more precision and various leaps. This class is appropriate for students currently enrolled in dance classes, dance team and cheer.

Private & Semi-Private Lessons

Based on instructor and facility availability. Please email Miss Cari at [email protected]