We offer many different styles of dance.

        At Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio, we offer a wide range of dance styles in a warm, welcoming, and supportive environment. Our teachers are committed to creating inclusive spaces where every dancer is encouraged to grow at their own pace. We recognize that each student is on a unique journey, and while dance can be challenging, we believe it should first and foremost bring JOY.
        Class placement is based on a combination of focus, strength, learning ability, motivation, performance, overall skill level, and age. Our youth classes are designed to give students at least two years of growth at each level. If you're new to the studio, we encourage you to contact us before registering so we can help you find the best fit for your needs.

Acro

Teachers: Sylvan Williams
We follow the Acrobatic Arts curriculum, and our teacher is a certified Acrobatic Arts instructor, ensuring a structured, safe, and progressive approach to training. Acro Dance blends classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements, creating a dynamic and expressive movement style. Dancers develop strength, flexibility, balance, and control as they learn skills like handstands, bridges, cartwheels, and partner work, all seamlessly woven into choreography. With a focus on safety and proper technique, Acro builds confidence and body awareness while encouraging creativity and artistry through dance.​

ballet

Teachers: Isadora Snapp, Sylvan Williams, and Mary Selene
        Ballet originated during the Italian Renaissance in the 15th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. Today, three primary styles of ballet are widely recognized: Classical, Neo-Classical, and Contemporary. Classical Ballet is the oldest and most formal, grounded in traditional techniques and shaped by regional influences such as Russian, French, and Italian styles. Neo-Classical Ballet, introduced in the 20th century by choreographer George Balanchine, maintains classical vocabulary but with fewer rigid rules, quicker tempos, and greater technical complexity. 
        At Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio, we embrace a Neo-Classical approach to ballet, drawing inspiration from both Russian and Balanchine techniques. We believe ballet should be a joyful and accessible experience, not reserved for the elite, but open to dancers of all backgrounds, levels, and aspirations. Our goal is to nurture technique, artistry, and confidence in every student while honoring the evolving beauty of this classical art form.

contemporary

Teachers: Marisa Hall & Sylvan Williams
Contemporary dance is an expressive dance style combining elements of several dance genres, including modern, jazz, lyrical, and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements. The term "contemporary" is somewhat misleading: it describes a genre that developed during the mid-20th century. It is continually evolving, with each choreographer having a distinctive movement style. Contemporary is one of the most popular dance forms in the US today.

hip hop

Teacher: Millie Heckler
Junior Faculty: Jeremy Harries
        At CD&FS, our Hip Hop program honors the rich legacy and cultural roots of hip hop by exploring a wide range of street and club styles. These include, but are not limited to, old school, house, locking, popping, vogueing, litefeet, dancehall, boogaloo, lofting, and King Tut. In class, dancers will build a strong foundation through grooves and technique, then grow their own unique movement voices through improvisation, freestyle, and cyphers. Throughout the year, we’ll engage with choreography that samples a variety of styles and supports creative expression.
        Our classes are grounded in the history of Black dance and the cultural values that shaped hip hop: peace, love, unity, and having fun. We learn not only steps, but how to show up for ourselves, our studio community, and the greater world with respect and authenticity.

jazz

Teachers: Carissa Bellando, Mary Selene, Isadora Snapp
​Junior Faculty: Amanda Supan
        "Jazz" dance is a widely used term that now encompasses a broad range of movement styles, many of which look vastly different from the form's historical roots. Authentic jazz dance is deeply rooted in African dance traditions, developed and transformed by enslaved Africans in America, and further liberated and expanded by African Americans after emancipation. It is characterized by distinct kinetic qualities such as inclined torsos, sharp angles, grounded steps with flat feet, and isolated movements of individual body parts.
        Equally essential to jazz dance are its social and cultural elements: the dynamic exchange between dancer and musician, the importance of community, the unmistakable "cool" factor, call-and-response, and the vocal encouragement of fellow dancers. These elements are central to vernacular jazz—the authentic, social form of jazz dance.
         As jazz has evolved through time, shaped by shifts in popular music and the integration of other dance forms, it has grown to include several stylistic branches. Today, jazz dance encompasses a range of styles, including vernacular, theatrical (Broadway-style), contemporary, and commercial jazz, among others. At CD&FS, we honor the roots of jazz while embracing its evolution, creating space for both historical appreciation and fresh, creative expression.

modern

Teachers: Tracy Martin, Kait Nascimento, Sylvan Williams, and Isadora Snapp
        Modern dance developed in the late 19th century as a challenge to the classical ballet and interpretive dance that was popular at the time. There is no all-encompassing "modern dance technique." Instead, it allows teachers or choreographers to make their own dance language. Pioneers such as Martha Graham, José Limón, and Paul Taylor created barefoot, spine-articulating, athletic, music-based work. They also developed codified techniques that are still taught to this day. Their work led to post-modern creators like Merce Cunningham, Trish Brown, Twyla Tharp, Pina Bausch, and Yvonne Rainer. Post-modern choreographers moved away from dance being directly tied to music and used improvisation, chance, and pedestrian movement.
        Currently, Modern dance holds all of this history and continues to evolve. Many people consider work being created now to fall into the genre of contemporary dance. More and more choreographers use theatrical elements in their work, choreograph conceptual dances, and make site-specific works. Each evolution stands on the shoulders of those that came before. 

tap

Teacher: Carissa Bellando
Junior Faculty: Madison Atwood
          My favorite tap teacher said, “You can’t tap a tragedy.” This may not strictly be true, but tap sure can be fun. Tap is all about rhythm - feeling, and creating rhythmic sound through articulation in the ankles and feet. Core strength and agility facilitate constant weight shifting and, at times, a feeling of suspension, allowing the feet to make sound.
          Originating in the U.S., tap is an amalgam of African and European influences first forged on trans-Atlantic slave-ship decks and later expressed on wooden crates, duplicating drum rhythms outlawed in the Protestant South. Over time, tap developed as a performance genre and has evolved with the same innovation and genius as all uniquely American dance. Anyone can learn to tap dance. Begin with the basics and build. It is satisfying and fun. If you’ve ever been tempted, now is the time to try.

private lessons

We offer private lessons in all the dance styles available at our studio. Whether you’re interested in one-on-one instruction or small group sessions, please contact us to learn more and schedule your personalized dance experience.

your dancer's health and wellbeing
​is paramount to us

The physical space that holds CD&FS is a place where respect and safety are placed above everything else.
​Every dancer's physical, emotional, and mental health are taken into consideration.