Classes - Avant Dance

People often ask what the difference is between ballet and lyrical or jazz and hip-hop. The descriptions below may help you decide the classes in which you will have the greatest interest.
Class Type	Description
Ballet	Classical ballet began as court dances in the 16th century and was perfected and codified in the 19th century in the form we see today. All movements in classical ballet begin and end in one of five positions of the feet or in a position derived from one of them. The arms and head are positioned and moved according to certain rules. The basis of these rules lies in the natural laws of balance and opposition combined with the formal aesthetics of harmony of line.
Lyrical	Lyrical dance is a blend of ballet, modern, and jazz dance styles. It is interpretive in nature and lends itself to liturgical dance. Lyrical dance is poetry in motion and usually consists of slow, rounded movements. Lyrical dancers usually perform in lyrical sandals to allow the toes to grip the floor and to protect the balls of the feet for multiple turns.
Jazz	Jazz dance is a constantly changing dance style that has its base in ballet. Although the style reflects current music and dance trends, there is a technical base that requires dancers to learn to spot turns, execute leaps, and work on extensions and balance that require correct ballet placement. From that base some moves are done in parallel rather than turned out positions and the body is sometimes released in isolations and contractions.
Hip-Hop	Hip-hop is a street style dance born on the streets of America and seen on music videos, television, and movies. The style is rhythmic and energetic. The dance is performed in dance sneakers and often includes gymnastic or break dance moves. moves.
Modern	Modern dance was founded by Isadora Duncan (b. 1878, d. 1927), an American born dancer who threw off her corsets and pointe shoes to dance barefoot across Europe. Rebelling from the formality of ballet, she invented an interpretive dance form combining poetry, music, and the rhythms of nature. It is from this base that the current styles of modern dance have evolved. Modern dance is performed barefoot and can be accompanied by a wide variety of music styles, tempos, and instruments. Although there are many school of modern dance, the techniques taught at Avant are based on Graham, Ailey, and Horton styles.
Tap	Tap dance was born in America when the Irish cloggers, the Spanish Flamenco dancers, and the black minstrel dancers of the deep South began mixing their styles in the melting pot of the mid-19th century. Today's tap styles combine the classical tap of the great musical era of the mid-20th century and the current rhythmic street tap styles.
Pas de Deux	"Pas de Deux" is the French ballet term meaning "step of two". This is a partnering technique in which a male and female dancer learn to dance together. Lifts, turns, promenades, and coordinated dance moves are taught. Classes in pas de deux are by audition or selection only. Female dancers need to have strong technique, clean placement, and must be light enough for her partner to lift her safely. Male dancers need to be at least 12 years old and should work on upper body strength. Male dancers are NOT required to wear tights. We teach boys how to hang around barres and pick up girls (and put them back down very gently).
Tumbling	Tumbling is the "floor ex" part of gymnastics performed on a straight line of mats rather than a large square mat. Tumblers learn bridges, head stands, hand stands, cartwheels, round offs, forward & back rolls, forward & back walkovers, forward & back handsprings, headsprings, dive rolls, and forward & back tucks. More advanced aerial work is not taught at Avant at this time due to the safety and equipment requirements.