Dance

Center for the Arts: Dance

The Wilmette Dance Force

Auditions: Saturday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m.
     The Wilmette Dance Force and Dance Force Mini are performance-based dance teams for the Center for the Arts. The Dance Force includes dancers in grades 5 – 12. The Mini Force is composed of dancers in grades 1 – 4. Dance Force members participate in a yearly repertoire, including Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Musical Theater and Modern Dance. Their works are presented at local shows and competitions.

Dance Force: Grade 5 & up
     Auditions are open to any student of the Center for the Arts Dance Department in Grade 5 and up who has been with the center for at least one year. Students and parents will work together to decide the best level of participation for each family, choosing to participate in three to five dances. Company members will be required to take two dance classes a week: Ballet and a discipline of their choice. 
     The Dance Force will rehearse September through December. From January-June 2013 the team will rehearse for and perform at the Winter Silhouettes Dance Concert, Performing Arts Showcase, one in-house competition, two travel competitions, the Spring Recital and Dance Fest at Six Flags Great America. Dances will include several genres: ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, modern and musical theater.

Dance Force Minis: Grade 1-4
     Auditions are open to any student of the Center for the Arts Dance Department in Grade 1-4 who has been with the center for at least one year. Mini Force company members will be required to attend at least one weekly dance class of their choice. The rehearsal schedule will begin with the start of the Fall Class Session II (October 22). They will rehearse and perform with the Dance Force from January to March 2013 and then again at the Spring Recital and Dance Fest at Six Flags.

     Rehearsals for Dance Force and the Mini Force will be held on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from 4-6 p.m. Not all dancers will be needed at every rehearsal. All Dance Department instructors will be working with the Dance Force. Auditions will be held in the Auditorium of the Community Recreation Center, 3000 Glenview Rd. Dancers should come in dance attire with hair up in a bun. Bring ballet, jazz and tap shoes if you have them. For more information contact Sarah Heston at 847/920-3927 or sheston@wilpark.org.

Save these dates

Winter Silhouettes 7th Annual Dance Concert
Saturday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Performing Arts Showcase
Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m.

Special Events

Thriller Dance Party  
Saturday, Oct. 27, 4-5:15 pm
Grade 3-8
Join Ms. Katie for an afternoon of zombie dance! Students will warm up with hip hop and jazz before learning a routine to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller.’ They will also get to watch the original ‘Thriller’ video and enjoy a light snack. R-$21/NR-$28.

Nutcracker Dance Party
Saturdays, Dec. 1 & 15, 4-5:15 pm
Age 4-6
Join the Sugar Plum Fairy for a magical afternoon of Nutcracker Ballet. “The Nutcracker” will be read to the children and then they will act it out through dance with the use of costumes and props. A light snack will also be provided. R-$21/NR-$28.

Dance Department Staff

Lindsay Addy is an award-winning choreographer for several competitive dance teams in the central Illinois area. She co-founded Loyola University’s first tap team and has been a competitive dancer most of her life. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Dance.

Katie Byrd received training from Joel Hall Dance Center and Le Ballet Petit School of Dance and was captain of her school’s dance team, Orchesis. She is a graduate of UIC and has performed with numerous dance companies throughout the Chicago area. 
 
Kirsten Markham received training at Gus Giordano and also has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is a choreographer and has performed in many local theaters.

Liz Moran received training in Ballet and Jazz and Modern at Le Ballet Petit, Joffrey and Joel Hall. She was a member of the Loyola Academy Dance Company. She currently attends DePaul University and performs with The Luna Troop and Living By Performing.

Maria Politis has been dancing her whole life. She has studied at Columbia College Chicago, Joel Hall Dance Center and Le Ballet Petit School of Dance.  

Linnea Schlegel dances professionally with Aerial Dance Chicago and formerly performed for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She was the co-director and choreographer for a hip hop and jazz fusion company on campus at Loyola University Chicago where she received a B.S. in Physics and minor in Dance.

Required Dance Attire

Students MUST wear the following appropriate dance wear so instructors may properly observe and teach muscular movement: 

  • Preschool and Kinder Ballet: Any color leotard, ballet pink tights, pink ballet shoes.  Hair must be up and off the neck. Skirts acceptable.
  • Ballet I-Advanced Ballet: Black leotard, ballet pink tights, pink ballet shoes and hair in bun. No skirts or tutus will be allowed.
  • Tap: Solid colored dancewear and tights and/or shorts or jazz pants; black tap shoes. Patent leather tap shoes are acceptable for Pre-Tap through Beginner Levels I-III. Oxford/Jazz tap shoes with hard steel toe and full sole (no split sole) are required for intermediate levels and above. No jeans, hair in bun or high ponytail.
  • Girls’ Jazz and Hip Hop: Solid colored leotard and tights or stretch jazz pants (instructor must be able to see ankles), black jazz shoes or dance sneakers. Hair must be in bun or high ponytail. No jeans.
  • Boy’s - All Dance Classes:  Comfortable pants or tights, white shirt and dance shoes (black ballet shoes for Ballet; black jazz or black ballet shoes for Jazz; black tap shoes for Tap). No jeans or sweat pants.

A Message to Parents: Age, Attire and Attendance Requirements

For all programs, age requirements will be as of the date of the first class. Please do not request to have your child put in a class he/she does not belong in. Girls must wear their hair off neck for ALL CLASSES. If dancers are not properly dressed for class or come 15 minutes late, they will be asked to observe class and not participate. Warm-up exercises are a very important part of class. All requirements are set to benefit the children and make instruction more consistent for the program leaders. In some instances, the requirements have been set for the child's safety.




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