Welcome to Eastside Dance

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 Mastering dance takes hard work and discipline, but we learn best when having fun. In addition, joy pushes us through the hardest classes and sparks our artistry and creativity. Fun and joy are integral to success and artistry, not the outcome. Our classes give students the space to have fun and find joy in movement. As dancers get older, we also teach the creative process to help them expand their artistic boundaries. 

For each dance genre, we've developed a proprietary curriculum by selecting the best aspects from existing dance techniques and adding new training steps to meet the technical demands on dancers today. Dancers Level 2 and up also learn our proprietary cross-training exercises designed to prevent injury and build strength & flexibility. The X-Tech curriculum trains versatile, strong, and artistically "clean" dancers.

Brain-Compatible Dance Education (BCDE) is an internationally recognized, science-based teaching methodology developed by Anne Green Gilbert. The 5-part lesson plan & teaching approach develops critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and the courage to take dance risks, in addition to dance skills. This develops well-rounded artists who can push dance into new territories. 

A dancer must feel safe and supported to take artistic risks. We actively build a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community. We ask our teachers and students to build the esteem of others, demonstrate kindness and empathy in all situations, in and out of the studio. To foster inclusion, we also do not participate in dance competitions, have selective teams, or cut dancers.  

 We offer two main performing opportunities each year at our school. First is our Spring Performance in June where spring-semester dancers can opt-in to perform with their class. The second is Eastside Dance Company (EDC), an elective performing group for older dancers to gain more performing experience. Both opportunities are open to all dancers who wish to participate and meet minimum level qualifications. Learn more here.

Level progression is based on mastery of the curriculum, clarity of position, quality of movement (artistry), physical strength, and emotional maturity, not age. This ensures that our students grow into healthy, strong, and well-rounded dancers. This also allows individual students to move at their own pace and for us to meet an individual dancer's goals, be it recreational to professional.