*All students will be placed by ability, and not by age alone.

For information about placement, please contact the Dance Coordinator, Jessica Halfhill, at (563) 344-4151.

Class Descriptions

These classes provide a fun and creative introduction to dance. Classes will include a short warm-up with gentle stretching, learning basic fundamentals of both ballet and tap technique, learning to take turns across the floor, developing balance and rhythm, and encouraging creativity through imaginative exercises. The skills learned in these classes will prepare your young dancer for future study in any form of dance, from ballet to hip-hop and everything in between!

These classes serve to increase your dancer’s knowledge of both ballet and tap, with the introduction of jazz dance at the more advanced level. Dancers will work on learning good dance posture, learning and recognizing vocabulary, and developing the elementary skills of ballet, tap, and jazz. Coordination, rhythm, speed, and memory will be challenged as your dancer progresses through the levels.

With the notion that ballet is the foundation for many other forms of dance, ballet classes are taught with a focus on proper technique and the use of correct terminology. In addition to increasing technical proficiency and strength, dancers will work on musicality, grace, and self-expression. We also explore what is means to be an artist and a dancer both in a group and as an individual. By the advanced levels, and with the approval of the dance coordinator, dancers will be eligible for pointe work.

Tap/Jazz Classes

Tap skills will be challenged as dancers work toward more complex combinations of steps, more complicated rhythms, and increased speed. Jazz dancers will continue to work on style, while strengthening turns, leaps, and other tricks. These classes will include appropriate warm-ups, across the floor combinations, and time to learn and practice choreography. Our advanced levels of tap and jazz are taught separately, to allow more time for focusing on detail.

Fun and funky classes will get your body moving! Classes begin with warm-up and stretching and move on to combinations with the newest choreography. Energy, enthusiasm, and freedom of expression are the keys to learning this style of dance. Our teachers will help you get the dance team "look," and give you a great workout at the same time.

Who says boys can’t dance? Dancers are athletes with artistry. Boys will learn rhythm, posture, and coordination through basic tap and movement exercises. They will gain confidence and body awareness that can be directly applied to any sporting activity.

These classes will introduce the concepts of contraction and release, fall and recovery, the use of different levels, tempos, and spatial awareness. Improvisational work may also be included, which will let each dancer explore his or her unique movement qualities.

Begin your dance career, or get back into it! Tappers will enjoy our Adult Tap class, with the opportunity to perform in our student recital. We also offer Adult Pilates, taught by a certified instructor. Pilates will promote the stabilization of the spine, flexibility, core strength & conditioning.

Prices:

$7 for all 45 minute classes

$8 for 1-2 hours

$7 for 3-4 hours

$6.50 for 4.25 hours or more

Costume Fees:

Prices are per child, first class is full costume fee, each additional class is a discounted fee.

$40--Pre-Ballet/Pre-Tap 1 & 2

$45 (+$25)--Pre-Jazz, Combo 1 & 2,

Adv. Combo 1 & 2, Tumble Time, Boys 1 & 2

$55 (+$30)--Ballet A & up, Tap/Jazz A & up, Hip Hop 1 & up, Modern 1 & 2

No Fees: Pre-Pointe, Pointe

Class Attire

Pre-Ballet/Pre-tap--pink leotard/pink tights & appropriate shoes

All other classes--black leotard/pink tights & appropriate shoes

Ballet--may add ballet skirt, hair pinned or clipped up

Tap/Jazz/Modern--may add black pants or shorts, hair pulled away from face

Boys--navy or black sweatpants or shorts/t-shirt

General Guidelines for Classes

1. Please have your dancer dressed with shoes tied before entering the classroom.

2. Please have your child use the bathroom before class.

3. No food, gum, or glass bottles in the studios. We encourage students to bring a plastic water bottle if needed.

4. No street shoes on the new dance floors. The dirt from your shoes can make the vinyl floor slippery.

5. Dancers under the age of 8 must be picked up outside of the classroom. Teachers will not allow them to leave the classroom without a parent or guardian. If someone other than a parent or guardian is picking up your child, we request that you send a note to your child’s teacher. Dancers over the age of 8 will be allowed to meet parents outside of the Museum. Please park by the curb so that your child does not have to walk across the parking lot.

Parent Observation Weeks

Dance is a performing art, and from time to time it is important for our dancers to "perform" for an audience. During selected weeks of each month, our teachers will invite you into the classroom for the last 10 minutes of your child’s class, and we’ll show you what we’ve been working on all month! Mark you calendars for the following weeks: September 25 - 30, October 23 - 27, November 27- December 2, January 22 - 27, February 26 - March 3, March 26 - 31, April 30 - May 5.

Family Museum Dance Staff

Jessica Halfhill, Dance Coordinator       

Jessica grew up in Davenport, IA, and is a graduate of Assumption High School. She began her dance training at City Center School of the Arts with Susan Snider, and was an original member of what is now Ballet Quad Cities. She attended Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, where she received her B.F.A., graduating cum laude with high honors in Dance. After college, Jessica danced professionally for five seasons with the Greensboro Ballet in North Carolina, and three seasons with the Appalachian Ballet Company in Knoxville, TN. She has performed principal roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and the title role of Cinderella. Last year Jessica returned to her roots and danced professionally with Ballet Quad Cities for their 2005-2006 Season. She has also been sharing her love of dance with students of all ages for the past nine years as teaching faculty for the School of Greensboro Ballet in Greensboro, NC, North Carolina Dance Theatre in Charlotte, NC, Van Metre School of Dance in Knoxville, TN, and City Center School of the Arts in Rock Island.

Crystal Jones, Museum Dance Educator

Crystal grew up in the Quad City area and performed at various competitions and performances in the area. Crystal has traveled the East Coast with Hoctors Dance Caravan and has also participated in an intensive dance program at STEPS on Broadway and at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Crystal is a graduate of the University of Iowa, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. While at Iowa, she performed in various works by undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, including the annual Dance Gala. In addition to teaching dance, Crystal is also a certified Pilates instructor. We are pleased to have Crystal working at the Family Museum full time, and as the director of the Museum’s new performing company!

Nancy Evans, Museum Educator

Nancy began her dance career in 1957 at the Rae Dance Studio in Davenport and continued dancing and teaching there until 1970. She attended Dance Caravan workshops in Chicago for five summers until 1968, earning her Dance Masters accreditation. After a 20 year break and three sons, she began teaching again for the Center for the Cultural Arts which later joined with the Children’s Museum to become the Family Museum. She attended Scott Community and Marycrest Colleges earning a General Education Degree with a concentration in Early Childhood as well as NAYCE Accreditation as an Early Childhood Professional. In addition to dance classes, Nancy teaches pre-school classes at the Family Museum.

Laura Madlinger, Museum Dance Educator

Miss Laura began her dance career in Chicago at the age of four. She has trained with the Dixon Dance Academy, Dundee Dance Force, and The Judith Svalander School of Ballet where she performed in annual shows and in The Nutcracker. She is the recipient of numerous awards at team competitions and also dances frequently as a guest soloist for various events. Her choreography is utilized recurrently for high school show choirs and on the musical theater stage. She dances and choreographs for the Augustana Swing Dance Group and has also danced with the Augustana Opera Company. Miss Laura is currently attending Augustana College with scholarships and pursuing majors in music and pre-occupational therapy, subsequently planning to attend occupational therapy school to earn her doctorate. She teaches at Dixon Dance Academy in the summers and this is her second year teaching at the Family Museum.

Kelsey Malmstead, Museum Dance Educator

Miss Kelsey is originally from Moline, IL. She is currently a Junior at Augustana College, majoring in Business Administration. Kelsey has been dancing for 15 years and continues to show her love for dance as a member of the Augustana Dance Company. Kelsey recently began coaching the Moline High School dance team, and is looking forward to her first year working with the Family Museum students! This year Kelsey will be teaching Combo 2, Advanced Hip Hop, Boys Dance 1, Pre-Ballet/Pre-Tap 2 and Pre-Jazz.

Carolyn Chrissotimos, Museum Dance Educator

Carolyn is originally from Chicago, and graduated with Highest Honors from Bettendorf High School.  She is currently a sophomore at Scott Community College with a 4.0 GPA and is on the Dean’s List.  Carolyn will be finishing her education at Iowa State University next fall, majoring in Dietetics/Nutrition and minoring in Child Psychology.  She also hopes to attend ISU to receive her doctorate after graduation.  Carolyn has been dancing 16 years, and specializes in tap and jazz.  To continue her love for dance, she has been coaching and choreographing routines for the Mississippi Valley All Star Dance Team for the past two years, specializing in jazz and hip hop.  Carolyn is also taking hip hop classes herself at the Groove Factory.  Carolyn is looking forward to her first year working with the Family Museum students and teachers.

Alyssa Pettit, Museum Dance Educator

Alyssa is a new teacher originally from Nashville, TN. She graduated with high departmental honors from Butler University with a BFA in Dance Performance. She also studied at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia where she performed her favorite ballet, Swan Lake. Although she loves ballet and dancing, she also loves Cardinals baseball, Krispy Kreme Donuts, her pet shrimp, and her fiance, Matt.

Stefanie Zock, Museum Dance Educator

Rachel Shipley, Museum Dance Educator

Lauren Nitzschke, Museum Dance Educator

Lauren grew up in Bettendorf, and has been dancing for 10 years. This is her first year teaching at the Family Museum, but you will recognize her as one of our volunteers and most advanced dancers. Lauren is currently a sophomore at Pleasant Valley High School where she is involved with Chamber Choir and the marching band. She also performed with the Moscow Ballet as an angel in The Nutcracker. Lauren is excited to be starting her teaching career here at the Family Museum!