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Creative Dance Arts Welcome to Creative Dance Arts CREATIVE DANCE ARTS began in 1989 to educate and enrich students of all ages in dance as a theatre art and as a fun way to achieve fitness. The school offers training in the classical ballet tradition as well as in jazz, hip hop, modern, tap, flamenco and Irish dance. For the youngest students, classes are designed to incorporate multiple dance disciplines to introduce the different styles of movement and music. During the regular school year approximately 100 classes are taught each week. With student enrollment nearing 400, CREATIVE DANCE ARTS is one of the largest dance schools in Arizona. An annual year-end production is held in early June at the Tucson Community Center Music Hall. Additional performing opportunities are scheduled throughout the fall and spring for dancers who join one of the school's performing companies. An eight-week Summer Dance Program offers weekly classes as well as a more intensive workshop approach. CURRICULUM We offer classes for Pre-School, Kinder, Elementary and five technique levels: Beginning through Advanced. Designations of class level by number on our schedule should not be considered grade levels. Change of level is not automatic; rather, the student's age, frequency of class attendance, interest level, concentration and natural ability are all taken into consideration as the teachers and director suggest class levels for individual needs. Ballet students are considered for pointe work based on their body alignment, strength and technical maturity. A minimum of two technique classes in ballet must be taken per week in order to participate in a pointe class. Students who have reached Intermediate and Advanced Levels in a chosen dance style must be enrolled in a minimum of two technique classes in that dance style and must include Ballet in their studies when they reach Level Three. PERFORMING DIVISION Additional opportunities to perform in the fall and spring are available to students at CREATIVE DANCE ARTS. Dancers (6 years - teens) audition or are invited to join one or more of the dance ensembles based on their technical and performing abilities. The Mini, Junior, Teen and Senior Company ensembles include: ballet, jazz, and tap. Company members perform in a December concert featuring "The Nutcracker Ballet"; company members participate in community events and regional/national dance competitions. Dancers must attend rehearsals each week for each ensemble in addition to their scheduled classes. Artistic Director KANDIS MEINEL, Artistic Director, is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Sciences, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She began dancing in Buffalo, New York and continued in New York City at the school for the Joffrey Ballet. Kandis has taught for several private dance schools in Tucson, as well as at the University of Arizona. Along with her husband, Wally Meinel, she has worked with the Arizona Dance Theatre, the state's professional ballet company (now Ballet Arizona), The Tucson Metropolitan Ballet and the Tucson Community Ballet (now Tucson Regional Ballet). Kandis has served on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance, and is a member of Dance Educators of America. Her ballet choreography has won several awards in national dance competitions. ARTISTIC FACULTY The school is directed by Kandis Meinel who is assisted by a staff of over 16 dance teachers who have diverse dance backgrounds bringing a breadth to the school's curriculum. The faculty has extensive performing and teaching experience, and they share a common philosophy: to impart a respect and love for dance to every student we teach. School/Store Location CREATIVE DANCE ARTS is located in northwest Tucson, at 5741 N. Oracle Road on the west side of the street. The school is located between River Road on the south and Rudasill Road on the north Housed in two buildings, there are three dance studios, four bathrooms, two student changing rooms and spacious lobbies for parents and students. The administration office and DANCERS BOUTIQUE (a store for shoes, clothing and accessories) is found in the west building. PREPARATION FOR ATTENDING CLASS Students must wear appropriate dance clothes and shoes for the specific dance class enrolled in. No street shoes, sneakers, over-sized tee shirts, baggy shorts/pants will be permitted. Please do not wear necklaces, bracelets, and over-sized earrings in the classroom. Ballet students are expected to wear their hair up and off their necks in a neat bun; ponytails are not acceptable. Teens and adults are encouraged to dress in regular clothes to and from class for their own safety. Dance shoes are not designed for outdoor use; wearing them on the street will ruin the dance floors in the studios. A dance bag is recommended to carry shoes and clothing. Purses and jewelry can be brought into the classroom and stored under the music counter during the class period. CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE Reasonable rules and standards are provided to promote self-discipline. Students should arrive at the school with sufficient time to change into practice clothes to begin class on time. Students who arrive 10 minutes after the scheduled class time are welcome to observe the class; however, they will not be permitted to participate unless there is an extenuating circumstance. If students need to leave before the end of the class, they should notify the teacher before class begins. Students may not leave the classroom without first receiving permission from the teacher. As employees of CREATIVE DANCE ARTS, teachers have the responsibility to see that their class is under control, and they have the authority to dismiss any student who will not cooperate and is a disruption to the rest of the class. Inappropriate dress or behavior will not be allowed. No gum, food or drinks will be permitted inside the classrooms during scheduled class periods. Only water is permitted in the studios. |
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