| Q: | How much of a time commitment are dance lessons? |
| A: | The level of commitment you choose to make varies with the interest of your child. A dancer can take one or two classes a week or up to multiple classes six days a week. Serious dancers and members of the Ohio Youth Ballet & Dance Team are expected to be dedicated and take class five to six days a week. |
| Q: | What should one expect from a dance class? |
| A: | Everyone should expect to have fun in a dance class. Dancers learn technique for a variety of dance forms, as well as develop respect and discipline. |
| Q: | What should one expect in ballet class? |
| A: | A standard ballet class will last 1 to 2 hours and is divided into two parts, barre and center. Students begin with a warm-up at the barre and then move on to center exercises, jumps, and finally grande allegro (big jumps). Exercises will vary from class to class, but always follow the same general order and build logically. Beginning classes will move at a slower pace in order to teach new dancers the fundamentals of ballet. |
| Q: | What is the Vaganava technique? |
| A: | The Vaganava technique is one of the five major ballet styles. Dancers such as Baryshnikov, Nureyev, and Makarova were trained under the Vaganava technique. The Vaganava technique was documented by Agrippina Vaganova from the Soviet Union in the 1930s. She combined the strength of the Italian school with the fluidity of the French school. The Vaganava technique is thought to be pure and a strong base for any ballet dancer and is the style of ballet taught at The Turning Pointe School of Dance. |
| Q: | When will my daughter start pointe? |
| A: | If a dancer starts pointe too early she can permanently damage not-fully-developed bones. Most girls will start pointe work around the age of 12 or 13 but it varies with the dancer. The dancer’s teacher will be able to determine if the dancer is strong enough to start working on pointe. |
| Q: | What sets The Turning Pointe School of Dance apart from other dance studios? |
| A: | The Turning Pointe was established by Terry Irion, a mother of two serious dancers who spent countless hours and many years finding out what makes parents and students happy along with what students need to excel in the dance world today. The dance school is home to the pre-professional Ohio Youth Ballet & Dance Team, which provides outreach programs throughout Northeast Ohio and was founded in 1999. It takes a dedicated dancer with a dream, and in order to reach a dancer’s aspiration, she or he needs quality training from a diverse faculty. At The Turning Pointe School of Dance, we put the student first. Our teachers and staff are professionals who truly care about providing the necessary training for each dancer to reach his or her personal best. We focus on the “joy” of dance, inspiring students and the community alike. Each student’s individual goals are reviewed along with their skill level to design a program that is right for them. We are flexible – this enables our dancers to join sports team, Youth Orchestras, H.S. Bands, Plays..etc. Students are not restricted to participation in dance only. Dance is a performing art, so we encourage our students to be well-rounded and open-minded. This helps to create passionate dancers that can pull from real-life experiences. The Turning Pointe School of Dance is a studio that puts the dancer first. |
| Q: | What are the benefits of studying more than one type of dance? |
| A: | For a dancer, any time spent in a dance studio is time well spent. Most forms of dance compliment and benefit each other. While it is natural to prefer a certain type of dance, the best dancers are versatile and have some experience with many dance forms. |
| Q: | Do the classrooms have sprung floors and what is the purpose of sprung dance floors? |
| A: | Both studios at The Turning Pointe School of Dance have sprung dance floors. A sprung dance floor is a floor that is elevated, usually about six inches off the standard floor, and is padded underneath with high-density foam. The floors are also covered with marley which is ideal for all types of dance. The purpose of a sprung dance floor is to reduce the risk of injuries, while dancing. The give in the floor reduces stress on joints such as the dancer’s knees and ankles. Dancers should only consider studios that have sprung floors to prevent injury to joints. |
| Q: | What factors should one consider when choosing a dance studio? |
| A: | One should first look at the physical environment of the dance studio. Are the studios, waiting rooms, and bathrooms clean? Is the facility up to date and in good condition with freshly painted walls and even floors? It is also important to look at the attitudes of the current students. Do the students seem happy and healthy? Do they seem to be having fun in class and still learning? Is there someone to answer questions? Is the staff friendly and welcoming? |
| Q: | Can you observe your child’s class? |
| A: | At The Turning Pointe School of Dance it is possible to watch your child’s class without disrupting the class. There are observation windows in the waiting room that look down onto the dance floor of both studios. |
| Q: | Is there an end of the year performance? |
| A: | As a student at The Turning Pointe School of Dance, your child will have the opportunity to perform at the school’s show in May or June. While your child must attend class regularly in order to learn the dances, the class does not focus on only “learning a dance”. Technique training will continue as they prepare for the spring show. There is a recital and costume fee. The performance will highlight what your child has learned throughout the year and give them valuable performance experience. |
| Q: | Does the school have a Competition Team? |
| A: | The Turning Pointe School of Dance is the home of the pre-professional Ohio Youth Ballet & Dance Team, which is open to dancers 8 years and older through auditions. The OYB Dance Team and Youth Ballet will participate in several outreaches at various venues throughout the year, as well as dance festivals. Auditions are required to join. |
| Q: | What if my child does not want to dance professionally? |
| A: | The desire to dance professionally is not a requirement in order to enjoy dancing at The Turning Pointe School of Dance. We believe in giving every child the highest level of training in exchange for their time invested. It is up to you and your child to how dedicated they want to become. If you pick a studio that not does not focus on techinque training but just having “fun”, the student is limiting his/her options if they change their desires at a later date. |
| Q: | Can my child take classes at other studios and still dance at The Turning Pointe School of Dance? |
| A: | We encourage our pre-professional dancers to take master classes and attend competitive summer intensive programs at other dance studios in order to experience different teachers and dance styles. We do not require members of the Ohio Youth Ballet & Dance Team to sign any form of contract which restricts them from taking class somewhere else. If your student is restricted from taking classes elsewhere, I would be sure to look a little closer at your current program. |
Q: What is Break Dancing?
A: The only form of dance that evolved from DJ’s playing & extending the percussive part of the record (often called the break). At this time the DJ would call for the B-Boys (Break Boys) to “turn the party out.” While in Brooklyn, ex-gang members used fight gestures, jerk & burn moves to formulate the top & up rock portion of B-Boy’n, this culture of dancing alone is the only dance element of hip-hop.
Q: What is Hip-Hop?
A: Unlike popular belief, Hip-hop is not music of rap. It is a culture without its original pillars consist of (break dancing, MC’s, D.J.’s, graffiti). Hip-hop is not only what you see or hear. It’s a life-style.
Q: What can I expect from your Break Dance class & what is your goal?
A: Physically the class is demanding, active, and challenging. The class is 45 min. long and ages range from 6-40 yrs old. We don’t rush into high risk moves, but foundation is key, so we stress basic fundamentals to assure vintage look & style. Our goal is to create/inspire others & expose students to the entire culture & history.