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Come Dance with Us!
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Creative Dance for Children is an innovative community program provided by the University of Illinois Department of Dance under the direction of Betty Allen. Instructors (Betty Allen and Ty Lewis) collaborate to design and deliver creative dance classes tailored for children aged 4-10. With a focus on nurturing creativity and imagination, our child-centered approach ensures that each young dancer learns and internalizes dance concepts, develops essential social skills, and expresses themselves authentically through movement. Through exploration and improvisation, our students are encouraged to unleash their inner artist and discover the joy of dance making.
When do classes meet?
- Classes are on Saturday mornings, February 7 – April 11, 2026 (no class on March 14 & March 21 due to Spring Break)
Where are the classes held?
- Dance Studio Building, 905 W. Nevada St, Urbana. Classes are closed to caregivers except on “Informance” days.
What do we do in class?
We utilize a 5-part lesson plan using Anne Green Gilbert’s Brain Compatible Dance Education as our model and inspiration. Class begins with a developmentally appropriate “warm-up” called the BrainDance. The BrainDance helps prepare our brains for concentration, social interaction and learning while getting our muscles ready for movement. Next, we “introduce the concept” of the day as we learn the vocabulary and meaning of one or more dance concepts such as shape, direction, pathway, etc. We “explore” these concepts through various activities and improvisations. During the “developing skills” portion of the class, we combine movements together in a variety of ways like traveling across the floor, moving through an obstacle course, or learning a folk dance. Next, we learn dances or create our own during our “create” portion of class. At the end of class, we “cool down” and reflect on our learning and creative movement.
What should students wear to dance class?
- Loose-fitting, comfortable clothes that are easy to move in and bare feet.
Are classes based on skill level?
Unlike other studio programs, our classes emphasize creative expression over technical training, therefore we group by age.
For more additional information contact Betty Allen: creativedance@illinois.edu
