Dancers will learn a modified Disney Cruise Line combination to the iconic song, “Under The Sea”. In this high energy session, dancers will get to create their own sea animal characters and learn about how acting, intention, and character all play an important role in dancing in musicals!
Dancing Through Life! 13-18 years old: 2:00-3:00pm $30
Dancers will learn a combination to Dancing Through Life from the hit musical, Wicked! After a 15 minute warm up and stretch session with Miss Kaley, students will learn an intermediate-advanced combo that combines style and acting with technique. This class is perfect for any dancer who is interested in dipping their toes into the world of musical theatre! (Kaley will be joining us virtually from NYC)
July 23rd: Contemporary & Lyrical with Bailey Renae Hildebrand
Lyrical Master Class 7-12 year olds: 10:00-11:30am $25
Contemporary Master Class 13-18 year olds: 2:00-4:00pm $30
Dancers will begin with a technical warm up which will continue into progressions and a combo focused on musicality, improvisational style, and articulating transitions.
Register HERE today! Contact Ms. Darci on how to save if your dancer wants to take multiple classes!
I am excited to announce the launch of our first ever Virtual Dance Studio! With facing so many new challenges and obstacles this past year due to the pandemic, S&S School of Dance decided to use this as an opportunity to grow and offer a new way for students and their families to continue their dance education, even when they are not in the studio. I know how much attending dance class at S&S meant to me as a child, so it breaks my heart to think about how hard it was for our families to be away from the studio and dance in general. Creating the Virtual Dance Studio is a way for us to stay connected and for your kiddos to continue their dance education through the obstacles that present themselves during this unprecedented time.
Everyone has a different outlook on the current situation and I want to respect that by offering options for everyone. First and foremost, you are not required to participate in the Virtual Dance Studio. Its purpose is make dance classes available to everyone, anywhere they are, especially due to the pandemic. If your family does not feel safe coming into the studio to take dance classes, our Virtual Dance Studio will be the perfect option for you. If your kiddo or family is placed in quarantine, you can log into the Virtual Dance Studio and take class at home. For our adults classes, if you would rather take from the comfort of your own home, you can now do that! I think one of the coolest aspects of the Virtual Dance Studio is that anyone can now take class from S&S School of Dance. Our Virtual Dance Studio will open so many wonderful doors for S&S and the continuation of your dancer’s education.
You might be thinking, Darci, how is this going to work? After lots of research and personal experience with virtual set ups, we will be using Zoom as our platform. All that you will need to do is download the Zoom app onto your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer, set up a free account, and have some room in your home for yourself or your dancer to take class. You do not have to have a big open room to dance at home! Each class will have its own password protected link that will be accessible through your Dance Studio Pro account. We will have a flat screen television set up in the studio so the instructors can see the dancers at home and give them personalized feedback, just like they would if they were in the studio. My goal is to provide everyone with the same level of attention and education, no matter where they are. I will send out more detailed instructions on accessing the Virtual Dance Studio before classes start on Monday. Private tumbling lessons will not be a part of the Virtual Dance Studio for the safety of your kiddos.
I am beyond excited about this new adventure and hope you are too! If you have any questions regarding the Virtual Dance Studio or registering for classes (you can register for classes HERE), please reach out. Classes start in 4 days on Monday, February 15th. I cannot wait to see familiar faces as well as meet lots of new ones!
I think we can all agree that we are ready to get back into the studio and start dancing and tumbling again! Our Spring session will be similar to our Fall sessions, however it will be 10 weeks long, running from February 15 to April 24. We will not have a normal end of the year recital, but we are planning something special for the end of the year to highlight our students and celebrate the unconventional year that we have had. More information on an end of the year showcase to come in the near future!
Registration will open online on Thursday, February 4th at 12:01am. We will be offering group dance classes, private tumbling classes, and two different adult classes! Offering a quality dance education in a safe environment is always at the top of our priority list. Class sizes are limited in compliance with COVID-19 regulations, and registration is first come first serve. We cannot wait to welcome you back into the studio!
For the past 48 years, I have owned and operated S&S School of Dance, first as a partnership with Shirly Lowe, then on my own, and lastly with my daughter Jade. This community has supported me and my family as I followed my dream of creating a safe, nurturing environment in which young people could explore the art of dance. For a town of its size, it seems to me that Pittsfield has a remarkable appetite for the performing arts, and I am so grateful for the love and encouragement I have received from this community for nearly five decades.
It is my belief that this business has seen success when it has been flexible and willing to adapt, and never has this been more evident than in 2020. As both the art of dance and the world around us evolve, we must be open to opportunities for growth and change. And just such an opportunity has arrived at our doorstep.
With teary eyes and happy hearts, Jade and I would like to announce that ownership of S&S School of Dance will be transitioning to a new generation. As of today, Darci (McGlasson) Heavner will be the owner and operator of S&S School of Dance. I cannot express how glad I am to pass the studio into such capable, ready hands.
Darci started dancing at S&S as a three year old and continued all the way through high school. After graduating from Pittsfield High School, Darci moved to Oklahoma City where she earned her Bachelors of Science in American Dance Pedagogy from Oklahoma City University. While at OCU, she studied extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theatre as well as took many courses in arts management, choreography, teaching dance, and dance studio management. After graduating from OCU, Darci served as the Director of Dance at Northwest Classen High School for Oklahoma City Public Schools for three years. While in Oklahoma City, she also trained dancers at local studios including the Community Dance Center and Dance Unlimited. Darci made the big move back to Illinois this past summer and recently married Dalton Heavner. She is so excited to be back and start this new journey as owner and operator of S&S School of Dance!
As for Jade and I, we’re not really going anywhere. I will continue my relationship with the studio in an advisory role while also teaching a few classes, and Jade will also continue teaching. I expect that, to the S&S family, the transition in ownership will feel natural and unabrupt. Darci plans to continue operations in a similar fashion to that which our customers have come to expect. Over time, she will slowly make the business her own, but she is choosing first to focus on getting to know the dancers and building relationships with the S&S community.
The blessings that this business has bestowed upon me are both incalculable and invaluable, and I have both God and the S&S family to thank for them. I am eager for Darci to experience the love and support that you all have shown me over the years. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Greetings S&S Family! It has been an active winter break here at the studio. Our tumbling room got a face lift over the holidays (quite literally, as we gained 5 feet of head space on the east end!). Thanks to both our construction and cleaning crews for all of their hard work. It is now shipshape and ready for classes to begin. Stay tuned! Online registration dates will be announced soon.
Thank you for your patience. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Our dancers have been working hard these past few weeks, and they want to show off their skills! The week of November 16, 17, and 18, our dancers will invite two lucky family members to come watch them shine. Here is what you need to know about Showcase Week.
Each class has a specified showcase time that may be different from their normal class time. Check the schedule below for times.
Each dancer can invite a maximum of two family members to each showcase time. Unfortunately, this is non-negotiable, as we are limited on space. Small children will be counted. If there are two siblings in the same class, we ask that they still only invite two family members.
Family members must be wearing a mask to enter the studio and keep it on during the showcase.
The showcase will be short, between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on the class. Please keep in mind that this is not a class that you have been charged for. This additional week is complimentary.
Family members are welcome to record the showcase. However, to respect the privacy of our dancers, we ask that you not post those recordings on social media.
Showcase week is for dance classes only. Private tumbling and yoga classes will finish the week of November 9, 10, and 11.
Schedule of Showcase Times
Monday, November 16 Pre-Dance II —————- 5:00pm Intermediate Tap & Jazz — 6:15pm Hip Hop ——————— 6:45pm
Tuesday, November 17 Pre-Dance III ————— 5:00pm Intro to Ballet & Lyrical — 5:30pm Advanced Ballet & Pointe – 6:00pm Theatre Jazz —————- 6:45pm
Wednesday, November 18 Pre-Dance I —————- 5:00pm Beginner Dance ———– 5:30pm Advanced Tap ————- 6:00pm Jazz Pop ——————- 6:15pm Contemporary ———— 6:30pm
It seems like our August-September Session flew by, and now it’s once again time to register for dance and tumbling classes at S&S. Registration for current students will open online on Friday, September 25. Haven’t started dancing yet this year? Now is your chance. We would love to have you join a class. Registration will open to the general public on Monday, September 28. Class sizes are limited in compliance with COVID-19 regulations, and registration is first come first serve. Click here to check out our schedule.
S&S School of Dance is excited to (FINALLY) announce registration for the upcoming dance year! We are so excited to see our students in the studio again and hope you will consider joining us for this (are we tired of the word “unprecedented” yet?) year.
Registration for our 6-week August-September session will begin Monday, August 17 via our online portal. You can go on anytime and set up your account, but class registration will not be available until August 17. Please take the time to read our COVID–19 information page. It will alert you to the changes that have been implemented this year for the safety of our dancers, staff, and families. If you’d like to browse our schedule, you may do so here.
As always, we are just a phone call, email, or Facebook message away if you have questions. Don’t hesistate to contact us.
Charlotte Kane will be teaching Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk and Contemporary class at S&S School of Dance as a Guest Instructor this fall.
Charlotte began dancing at the age of 2 and has loved it ever since. She trained in Hip Hop during college under Tracey Simms and Alvin Ramirez. She was also a member of the Robert Morris University dance team. She has worked with several dance teams and studios across central Illinois and won numerous awards for choreography at dance competitions. Her home studio is now Above and Beyond Dance Company in Rochester, Illinois, where she teaches weekly hip hop classes, as well as competition choreography in tap, jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre.
Happy August! As most of you know, August at S&S School of Dance is usually a bustle of pre-registration phone calls, shoe ordering, and recital theme revealing. The excitement builds as a new dance year begins to unfold.
This August, the studio has a new air of excitement. The excitement of reimagination and previously unexplored possibilities. Our goal is clear: to provide quality dance education in a safe and fun environment for as many dancers as possible. In our attempt to attain this goal, we are leaving no sequin unturned. Change is the only certainty. This dance year will be different from any our studio has seen in the past. But change has knocked on our door countless times over the past 47 years, and it has both honed and strengthened us.
So as you begin to think toward the upcoming dance year, we can assure you of the following:
1. We are committed to the safety of our community, both dance and at-large.
2. If we are able to open under the current state and local COVID requirements, we will do so in accordance with prescribed regulations.
3. We will disseminate information as soon as we can regarding fall registration.
We are grateful for your patience and flexibility, and so very excited to see your dancer(s) at the studio soon!
