As Dance Leelanau continues to grow, so has its various program offerings this year.
With the addition of more youth ballet classes to accommodate both the growing number of students and increasing skill levels of existing students, the group will also offer a new adult beginning ballet class and a musical theatre dance class for ages 10-14.
“We’ve just been steadily expanding — so it’s very exciting,” said Caitlin Watkins, one of the Dance Leelanau teachers. “The musical theatre dance class is a fun culmination because it uses ballet and jazz and tap — so anything to tell the story with all different dance styles, and I think it will be a really engaging, super fun class… We also have a beginning ballet II class, which is for ages 9-12, so we’re edging up older and older.”
Watkins said she’s only seen interest grow with the musical theater program at Leland Public School as well as at a musical theater children’s camp she was involved in this past summer, noting more of a need in the area for understanding the building blocks of dance and how to do it well.
Dance Leelanau has typically offered classes for younger age ranges, but the group has been working to put out options for older youth and adults interested in the art form. The expanded offerings will also accommodate many of the group’s students that started taking classes in their youth and are now older and want to continue in their dance education. The new adult beginning ballet class came about following the group’s last dance recital, when student parents inquired about the possibility of creating one.
“I think people will be surprised how much this brings to their lives,” Watkins said. “This is something obviously I’m very passionate about and it’s so lovely to see the children get excited about it. I just think dance brings so much to peoples lives, not just the students who are in the class, but I love to see the parents see them dance, or the grandparents and other family come — it’s just so joyful, and it’s so lovely to be a part of it.”
This year’s spring recital, “Sway into Spring,” will be held at the Northport Performing Arts Center on May 3. The group will hold its recital at the Northport location for the first time to better accommodate for the growing number of students in the program. In the meantime, spring term enrollment is open and all classes will be held at River Studio in Leland.
To learn more about Dance Leelanau, registration details, and the classes currently available, go to www.dance-leelanau. com/classes.
