Velocity Dance Center

// Class Descriptions + Levels //

Velocity encourages dancers of all levels to reach their maximum potential. Instructors are highly experienced in their art and generous with their knowledge and encouragement in class. Instruction is geared toward motivating the individual student and encouraging personal exploration of movement. All classes at Velocity have a strong technical base but are eclectic in their style of movement expression. Drop-ins are welcome in all classes, unless otherwise noted.

WHAT’S MY LEVEL? Velocity instructors are happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have about your fit in a particular class. The level guidelines below are simply guidelines- we suggest that you try out a few classes to find one that best suits your needs.

INTRO SERIES - Designed for the true beginner with no prior dance experience.

ALL LEVELS - Mixed level class, accessible to dancers of all levels.

BEGINNING - For students with little or no prior movement experience.

SLOW INTERMEDIATE - For students with a grasp of basic movement and alignment concepts. An intermediary step between beginning and intermediate levels.

INTERMEDIATE - For students with a strong understanding of movement and alignment principals. Students should be physically and mentally ready for the challenge of more material, a faster paced class, and elements of risk in movement.

INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED - Appropriate for both intermediate and advanced dancers.

ADVANCED - For students with a high level of proficiency and understanding of movement and alignment concepts, who are ready for a deeper development of their personal expression as dancers.

PROFESSIONAL/ADVANCED -  Velocity was founded with the goal to offer daily professional level dance classes to the Seattle dance community. 16 years later we still offer daily morning class by locally + nationally recognized teachers.

**Velocity classes are open to all students 16 years of age and older. **Most instructors offer class cards for multiple classes at a reduced rate. See individual instructors for details. **There is no specific dress code or foot wear; just wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Socks or bare feet are fine for most classes.

Class Descriptions

INTRO TO DANCE * MODERN/CONTEMPORARY * BALLET * YOGA + SOMATICS * HIP HOP * AFRICAN * ODISSI * SOCIAL DANCE

Intro to Dance w/ Ricki Mason: Are you interested in dance but not sure where to start?  Have you taken a beginning ballet or modern class and wondered if there was a MORE beginning level?  Are you intimidated to drop into an ongoing class?  This 5 week series is for you!  Learn basic dance vocabulary used in Velocity’s ongoing ballet and modern classes with other students who have no previous dance experience.  You will learn basic dance technique while developing body awareness and comfort dancing in a group.  We will also examine tactics for remember choreography as each class culminates with a simple dance phrase.  Moving to music is fun and the more you know about using your body, the more fun it is!  This class will prepare you to join any beginning level dance class at Velocity. Email Ricki@rickimason.com for more info and to register. NEXT SESSION TUESDAYS 8-9:30PM, MAY 7 – JUNE 4, $70 for full session.

MODERN/CONTEMPORARY

Beginning Modern  w/ Ricki Mason: This class is appropriate for students with little or no dance training. This contemporary dance class is built on the fundamental principal that moving your body to music feels good.  Class begins with a simple warm up to improve alignment, build strength, and access each student’s range and flexibility. We will continue to experience our expressive and communicative bodies in lush movement across the floor and center phrase material that is unique to Ricki’s eclectic style.  Ricki integrates an intelligent approach to body mechanics with a theatrical sense of musicality, making this the perfect class for actors, social dancers, burlesque performers, and people who think moving around to music is fun.

Beginning Modern w/ Shirley Jenkins teaches students how to move in an anatomically correct way while encouraging their dancing spirits. Her movement is lyrical, rhythmic, romantic, sensual and musical while teaching one to have a strong center. Attention is given to pelvic stabilization and core strengthening while she guides you through a well-crafted dance technique class filled with creative imagery and inspiring music. Throughout her 36 years as a professional choreographer/performer/instructor, Shirley has developed her own artistic voice, inspired by Modern Masters and her knowledge of somatic work. Her priority is to help train dancers to understand sound technique; how to plié without hurting the knees but instead increase support to the joints, how to dance with your torso without injuring your lower back but instead strengthen the spinal and abdominal muscles, how to stretch to increase range of motion and how to understand good form as you move. You will learn how to dance fluidly with an expressive, poetic spirit. The environment is generous and welcoming for all.

Beginning Modern w/ Kristin Hapke is designed for beginning students who want to learn basic technique, have fun dancing to world music and be expressive with their bodies. Through a continuous warm-up incorporating Yoga, Pilates, fundamentals, we will get the blood pumping, strengthen and stretch the body focusing on alignment and fluidity. The across the floor and center combinations will include jumps, spirals, inversions and suspensions cultivating fluidity and momentum. Building on different aspects of technique influenced by forerunners of Modern dance, Ballet, African and improvisation, this class aims to give a solid foundation for other levels and styles of dance.

Intermediate Modern w/ Ellie Sandstrom: By finding the form  of our deepest breath to following it’s flow for movement potential, this class asks the students to safely let go and enjoy the journey through their bodies. Classes usually begin with breathing exercises, solo or partner “discoveries”, small improvisational scores and body work. Core strengthening exercises inspired by Graham technique, Cunningham technique, Ballet, Jazz, Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Hip Hop and even Jane Fonda- help the students find support from their center of gravity.  Using these grounding tools from various techniques, class builds along with the challenge- mentally and physically, ending with juicy, full bodied movement phrases that remind the students to let go in order to find the flow. Come have fun in this safe environment of body/mind connection

Intermediate Modern w/ Maya Soto: Explores rhythm and dynamics inspired by a wide range of movement styles and genres. Class starts on the floor with breath; connecting to the core and building strength. Drawing heavily on release, flow and momentum, dancers are challenged to shift weight quickly, isolate body parts and move bigger, stronger and faster. This class is geared toward dancers with a solid movement background and understanding of alignment principals. Emphasis is placed on finding a unique voice through exciting movement combinations.

Intermediate/Advanced Modern w/ Aiko Kinoshita: Challenge your-self to go deeper into movement material; making conscious choices in timing, energetic quality, and physical tone.  Practice being present in the moment; sensing and following intuition, challenging habits, negotiating between tension and release, and expanding your range of expressivity.  Find play, joy and ease as you practice physical, spatial and performative sensitivity with attention to breath and detail in this class which takes you upside down, in and out of the floor, and through more traditional aspects of line, extension, and placement.  Following a simple warm-up emphasizing specificity, connectivity and articulation of the body, explore phrases full of motion, layering gesture with full-bodied movement.  Be prepared for a work out!

Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary Technique w/ Amy O’Neal: A thorough and focused class for the curious tapping into the body’s innate stability and movement patterns. A simple and effective warm-up to build connection, strength, and awareness is followed by  improvisation work with imagery and technical play.  Phrase work focuses on musicality, attention to detail, and challenging ideas of aesthetics. The container if Contemporary dance is broad and constantly evolving.  Deepen your ability to commit to the ever changing moment. For over a decade, Amy O has been known for mixing and sampling in her dance vocabulary to create a unique and true language of her physical experience.  She is inspired by Hip Hop, classicism, club dance forms, Japanese traditional forms, African traditional forms, codified Modern forms, and the teaching methods of Emio Greco, David Zambrano, Kathleen Hermesdorf, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin,  Wade Madsen, Rennie Harris, Douglas Ridings, and Eric Pranzarone.

Advanced/Professional Modern w/ Jody Kuehner: for the highly trained dancer who already has a strong technique base.  One part improvisation and one part movement material, the class will focus on phrase work.  Designed with no true front, the material will traverse the space as if dancing in the round incorporating advanced level concepts such as focus, body specificity and momentum among others.  The flow-based class will keep you moving throughout promising ample time for big movement and artistic exploration.

Advanced Contemporary Practice w/ KT Niehoff: The intellectual goal of this class is to cultivate unique artists interested in artistic dialogue. The physical goals are maximum joint range of motion, rebounding in relationship to gravity, and the investigation of directional energy’s correlation to expansion, counter tension, momentum and torque. We practice the balance of having an inner dialogue with the biology while maintaining an external awareness, and contextualize the political, personal and artistic meaning behind *why* we move, to find a deeper resonance *when* we move.