4140 Redwood Highway, Suite 8
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 499-1986
Welcome to DWS Studio, offering everything that "makes noise" . . . tap, break dance, Musical Theatre workshops and more!
A Performing Arts School specializing in dance for ages 4 through 92.
About our Classes
DWS Studio offers students a variety of excellent dance classes including Tap, Break Dance and Musical theatre workshops. Instruction is available for all levels of experience - basic through advanced. The yearly productions of DWS Studio are all original works and incorporate different themes which include dance, song and acting. All students from the ages of 5 through 91 enjoy participating, although participation in performances is not a requirement of the studio.
TAP CLASSES:
Except for the Indians' ritual dances, the first indigenous American art dance is tap dancing, whose roots lie in spirited Irish and English jigs and clog dances and in the rhythmic African improvisations that immigrants and free Africans combined spontaneously during the 1840s. Developing the fundamentals, DWS classes teach basic tap moves - brush, spank, flap, scuff, shuffle, riff and riffle that make up combinations on which to build full dance routines. Classes teach traditional tap dance with current creative steps. Each class starts with warm up exercises and continues with middle-of-the-room work.
Class Requirements: Tap shoes and non-constricting clothes
BASIC LEVEL: No previous knowledge of dance needed - beginning classes. Classes are ongoing and may be joined at any time.
LEVEL 1: Students have completed at least an 8-10 week session at the Basic Level. This level of class works at a more accelerated rate.
LEVEL 1.5: Students have at least one-year experience at the beginning levels. More complicated combinations are taught and turns are incorporated into dance routines.
LEVEL 2 & 2.5: Students with knowledge of tap skills. Students begin performing at various community functions, and are ready for competition training.
LEVEL 3: Advanced students with a strong knowledge of tap and stage skills.
PERFORMANCE TEAM: Audition only
BREAK DANCE:
Classes teach both the east and west coast version of this dance craze which never really went out of style. Students learn how to "break it down" and do body spins to the most current beats.
Class Requirements: Good sneakers (no black soles) and loose-fitting clothes. Jeff's classes are beginning and intermediate.
MUSICAL THEATER
Learn how to create stage presence! Classes teach students singing, acting, basic stage terms, script reading, how to project, and basic dance movement. Several short numbers are taught each semester, highlighting students' skills, which are then presented in two showcase productions per year.
Class Requirements: Loose- fitting clothes and a commitment to work hard and have fun!