How Many Styles of Dance are There?!

and how do i choose?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is about the differences between the styles of dance we offer. Is acro the same as gymnastics? What in the world is lyrical, exactly? Should my beginner start with ballet? How many styles of dance are there anyway?

As parents, it can be overwhelming to try to choose which classes will be the best fit for your child, especially if you are not familiar with the dance world. Believe me, we get it! So to help you navigate the class options we offer at our studio, check out the following description of each of the styles of dance we teach, along with some of the unique benefits of each genre, and find out why we recommend diversifying your dancer’s class schedule.

what styles of dance are taught at dance without limits

All styles of dance are not created equal. Every individual dance genre engages a student’s body in different ways, incorporates diverse movements and musical styles, and promotes different technical focuses. As your dancer grows and learns, they may find they gravitate more towards specific types of dance, but giving them the opportunity to train in multiple genres will help them grow to be a more well-rounded dancer with a wider skill set to draw on, which will be beneficial to them both on and off the dance floor.

At our studio, we offer classes in dance styles that range from traditional ballet to modern hip hop. While students of every style are getting tremendous benefits from taking dance classes, like learning body awareness and balance, strength and stamina, and musicality and artistic expression, there are some unique benefits to each style of dance we teach.

acrobatics

Acrobatics, or “Acro”  is a class that begins with teaching the basics of floor tumbling such as forward and backward rolls, backbends, cartwheels, and handstands, and progresses to more advanced skills (such as handsprings and aerial work). Acro teachers work with students on their individual level to build total-body strength, flexibility, and mobility.

Acro involves conditioning the whole body and building muscle memory, including a lot of upper body strength, which is often less of a focus in other dance styles. And, because of our use of progressions (steps that must be mastered before moving on to more difficult tumbling), goal setting is a huge part of an Acro class. Your dancer’s confidence will soar when they finally nail that trick they’ve been working on!

ballet

Ballet is the technical basis of all dance. Each ballet class begins with work at the barre, then moves to center floor work and across the floor. Ballet is the building block of all other forms of dance and some understanding of ballet technique is necessary to excel in all other styles. For this reason, we strongly encourage all students to take a ballet class at some point in their career as a dancer.

The techniques and discipline that come from ballet training are foundational in jazz, lyrical, and even hip hop and tap. The knowledge of how to carry your body, how to safely and correctly align the parts of your body as you dance, the muscle memory developed by working at the ballet barre, and the grace and confidence ballet instills translates to stronger dancers in all other styles of dance.

hip hop

Hip hop is a fun and upbeat dance style that has become hugely popular among all age groups. A very energetic form of dance, freedom in movement and creativity is strongly encouraged. Hip hop classes teach students a depth of understanding of musicality, rhythm, and articulation of their body parts. Along with tap, this dance style requires students to divide their concentration between what their body is doing, the rhythm in which they’re doing it, and creativity in movement. Hip hop dancers give a lot of focus to the isolation of different body parts, which is great for their developing brains and very useful in other styles of dance and sports, as well!

lyrical

Lyrical/Contemporary dance is a fusion of jazz and ballet which uses movement to interpret a song’s lyrics. As a style of dance, Lyrical strongly encourages artistic expression. While technique with a ballet basis is still taught, students are emboldened to “let loose” a little more in these classes and express their personality through both improvisation and choreography. These classes (and all dance) build confidence, performing skills, and self-awareness that carry over into day-to-day life.

jazz

Similarly to lyrical and tap, jazz is a genre of dance that puts a tremendous emphasis on artistic expression. Jazz builds on the fundamentals learned in ballet and is very structured in technique. Jazz technique includes a lot of understanding of the isolation of different body parts, the grounded-ness of the body’s weight, and a complex rhythmic physicality, and teaches dancers to build strong connections with the music.

tap

Tap dancing is a percussive style of dance that gets its name from the sound made when the metal plates on the dancer’s shoes contact the floor. Many jazz and ballet teachers will encourage students to take tap to help with their ability to hear the beat of the music, learn rhythm and articulation of their body parts. These skills are vital in a group number when everyone is supposed to be dancing at the same time, but tap classes also give students the opportunity to be both a musician and a dancer at the same time. Tap classes are fun and energetic, but also teach students precision and nuance in their movements.

zumba

Ok, this one isn’t so much for the kids, but did you know we offer adult Zumba classes? Get your heart rate up, de-stress, and work up a sweat while having a whole lot of fun. Join us for a dance party that is perfect for everybody, regardless of previous experience. All you need is a positive attitude and a pair of comfy shoes.

should my child take classes in multiple styles of dance?

If your dancer is loving being in class, you may want to consider adding a second style to their class schedule. It’s very common for students to take multiple classes, and we would love for your dancer to experience more of the tremendous benefits available.

The diversification of dance styles in their repertoire will only make a young dancer stronger, both mentally and physically. Exploring multiple styles of dance will help your child expand their understanding of what their own body is capable of, and grow the confidence and self-assuredness that comes alongside that. They will build on their dance vocabulary, both in terms of movement and terminology. Finally, conditioning can help build strength, flexibility and endurance – qualities that are required in every style of dance!

dance class placement

When signing up for a dance class at Dance Without Limits, students are initially placed in classes based on their age and experience levels. Acro and Ballet class levels are determined by teacher placement, and all new students should register for Acro 1 or Ballet 1. Our classes are designed for students to often be in the same class level for more than one year while building on foundational skills and strength, and learning fresh choreography each semester before moving to the next level. Once classes begin for the semester, if it becomes apparent to the instructor that the dancer needs to be moved into a different class level, your child’s teacher will be sure to reach out to you directly so arrangements can be made to move the dancer to the appropriate class.

preschool classes

We know that the benefits of taking multiple styles of dance are innumerable, so we make sure all of our youngest students get the benefit of an introduction to many styles of movement in each of our preschool classes! Every preschool level class includes creative movement, engaging music, and a lot of encouragement. Our goal in the Twinkle Babies and Twinkle Stars classes is to provide an introduction to the basic steps in Ballet and Tap, plus the fundamentals like following directions and imitating movement. Tot Hop and Tumble is our preschool level Acro and Hip Hop class, where students learn basic tumbling skills like backbends and forward and backward rolls. These classes are assigned based on the age of the dancer, and Twinkle Baby and Me classes require an adult partner to participate.

ready to jump into a new dance style?

There is still space in some of our dance classes! Sign up to try a new style, or contact us about a trial class. For more information on our dance studio, visit our website at dancewithoutlimits.co. Dance Without Limits is a family-friendly, inclusive dance studio in Greenville, SC offering dance lessons for toddlers, preschoolers, children, tweens, and teens ages 18 months and up of all abilities.