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

Click Class Code below to directly link to registration page

MONDAY:

Code: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
3400 3:45-4:30 pm 3-4 yrs Creative Dance $327 / $347
3401 4:30-5:30 pm By Audition Mini Company $500
3402 5:30-6:30 pm By Audition Sr. Company $500

TUESDAY:

Code: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
3403 10:30-11:30 am 4-6 yrs Pre-Ballet / Tap $402 / $422
3404 11:30 am-12:15 pm 3-4 yrs Creative Dance $327 / $347
3405 12:15-1:15 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Jazz / Hip Hop $402 / $422
3406 4:30-5:30 pm 7-10 yrs Jazz I/II $402 / $422
3407 5:30-6:30 pm 7-10 yrs Tap I/II $402 / $422
3408 6:30-7:30 pm 11-13 yrs Jazz III $402 / $422
3409 7:30-8:30 pm 14+ yrs Int./Adv. Tap $402 / $422
3410 8:30-9:30 pm 14+ yrs Jazz IV $402 / $422
3411 5:15-6:30 pm 14+ yrs Ballet IV/Int. $477/$497
3412 6:30-7:30 pm 14+ yrs Lyrical IV/Adv. $402 / $422

WEDNESDAY:

Code: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
3413 4:30-5:30 pm By Audition Junior Company $500
3414 5:30-6:30 pm 10-13 yrs Ballet IIB/III $402 / $422
3415 6:15-7:15 pm 7-10 yrs Ballet I/II $402 / $422
3416 7:15-8:15 pm 7-11 yrs Lyrical I/II $402 / $422
3417 6:30-7:30 pm 12+ yrs ModernIIIB/IV $402 / $422
3418 7:30-8:45 pm By Approval Adv. Ballet $477 / $497
3419 8:45-9:30 pm By Approval Pre-Pointe/Pointe $327 / $347
3421 5:15-6:15 pm 7-11 yrs Musical Theatre I/II $402 / $422

THURSDAY:

Code: Time: Age: Class: R/NR Fee:
3420 4:30-5:30 pm 7-11 yrs Modern I/II $402 / $422
3422 4:45-5:45 pm 4-6 yrs Pre-Ballet/Jazz $402 / $422
3423 5:30-6:45 pm 12+ yrs Ballet IIIB/IV $477 / $497
3424 5:45-6:45 pm 7-11 yrs Hip Hop I/II $402 / $422
3425 6:45-7:45 pm 12+ yrs Hip Hop III/IV $402 / $422
3426 6:45-7:45 pm 12+ yrs Musical Theatre III/IV $402 / $422

Recital classes are in progress through 2024. Watch for recital registration in fall 2024 program guide.

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]