Dance Programs

"Champaign-Urbana's only Certified Ballet Training School"
Dance Arts provides a wide variety of children and adult dance classes. Instruction is fun, safe, and affordable.

The dance staff of the Champaign Park District would like to welcome you to our program! For information (classes, fees, dates, etc.) please download our current Funformation Guide or search the listings in our Online Registration System. for all other Questions, please contact Kim Burson at 398-2376 or

Meet Maggie! 
Maggie took top honors for the Dance Arts School for the Royal Academy of Dance Examinations this past April as a Grade 1 student.  She is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade in school and enjoys Math and Science. Maggie also loves to read, and her favorite books are the Dear Dumb Diary Series. Along with Mom and Dad, she shares her home with 3 younger sisters. Maggie currently does not have a pet, but really, really wants a hamster! This year Maggie will be dancing in two Grade 2 classes and one Junior Company class a week. She is very excited about the upcoming Virginia Performance in March because she loves to be on the stage!

Mission

The dance staff of the Champaign Park District is fully committed to serving the diverse needs of the community in the art of dance. In conjunction with maintaining the standards of the Royal Academy of Dance, we strive to provide safe, high quality dance instruction. The Dance Arts Program promotes self-esteem, personal growth, and provides professional dance instruction in a variety of dance formats for all age groups.

Our goal is to provide an instructional setting which fosters all areas of the performing arts. The Dance Arts Staff strives to instill appreciation for dance through professional experiences and instruction shared with each student. The dance training, discipline, and other skills learned during dance instruction will follow the student throughout life.

Performances

Programs

Ballet - Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus
The Academy has grown to become the largest, most influential examining body for classical ballet in the world. The Children’s Syllabus is taught in more that 50 countries, setting high standards for dance training for some 160,000 children every year. The safe and correct training of your children is one of our major goals, which is why the Grades Syllabus has been devised with great care. It progresses a child in slow stages, demanding no more of a young body than it can easily cope with. Not only is this syllabus great fun for children to dance, it also helps coordination, fitness, sense of rhythm, musicality and self expression, as well as promoting self-discipline and boosting confidence.

• Pre-Primary: When you are a child, anything is possible...be a pirate, or a princess, skip, hop and gallop in the air! Pre-Primary in Dance is a unique syllabus specifically suited to firmly and safely introduce ballet technique, while matching the cognitive and physical needs of children ages 6-7. It enables children to develop musicality, co-ordination, body awareness and control through simple, fun and energetic exercises and dances that encourage a young child's imagination. Please see Children's Beginning Ballet for Spring and Summer classes.
• Primary: A direct continuation from Pre-Primary, the Primary syllabus offers a solid foundation for beginning ballet training for 7-8 year olds, whilst still maintaining a child-centered, fun and imaginative experience. Children will master more complicated exercises, improve posture and control, and experience a wide variety of musical pieces, rhythms and atmospheres..
• Grade I: Beginning classical arm movements and small jumps will be started this year. Hungarian folk dances will be introduced. Character shoes and skirts are required.
• Grade II: Free movement (modern dance) will be introduced in Grade II. More Hungarian folk dance steps will also be added to the students repertoire. Character shoes and skirts are required.
• Grade III: Pirouette turns will be introduced this year, as well as more sophisticated allegro work. Students will be required to perform a classical variation, a free movement (modern) solo, and a Russian Character Dance. Character shoes and skirts are required.
• Grade IV: More pirouette turns will be taught, adagio work becomes more mature, and the Russian character work becomes more refined. Character shoes and skirts are required.
• Grade V: More allegro work is developed, and Grand allegro is introduced. Polish character work will begin this year. Character shoes and skirts are required.
• Grade VI: Artistry becomes an important element in this class. Most of the centre work could be considered small solos. Polish Court style character work will be taught. Character shoes and skirts are required as well as a mid-calf length chiffon skirt.
• Grade VII: Along with the ballet training, a vocabulary of Hungarian Court steps and styles will be taught so that in reaching Grade VII, the student will easily recognize some of the steps when watching traditional productions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppelia.
• Grade VIII: The examination in Grade VIII is a culmination of work taught in past years, now performed in a series of solos.
• Intermediate Foundation and Intermediate:  A basic knowledge of fundamental technique and the physicality and flexibility to execute class work is needed.  Intermediate exercises are short and to the point, which enables the student to focus on refining their classwork.  The class will include pointework, but is also appropriate for students in soft shoes.

Supplemental Technique Classes
For students of all ages who are the once-a-week dancer or for students who want extra classes to perfect their technique. These classes are also taught with the care and expertise of the Academy.

• Creative Movement (Ages 3-4): Classwork includes exercises to help children fine-tune motor skills, coordination, and body and spatial awareness, while nurturing their natural love of dance and creativity.
• Creative Movement (Ages 5-6): Classwork encourages musicality, physical coordination, self esteem, and incorporates fundamentals of formal dance training. This class is offered during the Fall semester only. Students will proceed into Children's Beginning Ballet for the Spring and Summer sessions, and then into Pre-Primary the following Fall.
• Children's Beginning Ballet: Students are encouraged to explore their creative side, by learning how to express themselves through dance! Basic ballet and free movement techniques will be taught. Please note: Children's Beginning Ballet will be offered in Spring & Summer sessions only.
• Adult Ballet I: In this beginning class, positions of the feet, arms, and body are introduced. Exercises are given to create strong, yet supple footwork at the barre and then in center. Small jumps, usually 2 to 2 feet will begin this year. Beginning French terminology and theory are taught. Students remain in this class for 1 full year.>
• Adult Ballet II: Barre work becomes more sophisticated. Much more work en l'air is done in Adult 2 and demi-pointework is greatly expanded upon. Turns, and more petis allegro are introduced in center. Some larger jumps will be done also. Character and some Modern dance may be taught in this class. Students are encouraged to remain in this class for 2 to 3 years.
• Adult Ballet III: Students should be fluent in the French terminology and theory of their training up to this point. Barre work should be stable and clean. More complicated turns and jumps will be covered. Additional, more mature Character work may also be taught in this class.
• Apprentices: Ages 8 and up, with 2 to 3 years of training.
• Corps de ballet: Ages 10 and up, with 3 to 4 years of training. Adults with the same amount of training are welcome in this class.
• Soloists: Ages 12 and up, with 5 to 6 years of ballet. Adults with the same amount of training are invited to take this class.
• Principals: Ages 14 and up. This class is for students who are dedicated to the art form, and plan to continue to study academically and/or professionally. Please note: Junior and Senior Company Classes are free to students already enrolled in two or more classes with Dance Arts.
• Junior Company Class: Ages 8 and up. Apprentices, Corps de ballet, and adult students with 2 to 5 years of training are invited to this class
• Senior Company Class: Ages 12 and up. Soloists, Principals, and adult students with at least 5 years of continuous training.

Irish Dance Classes
Learn about Irish culture through dance.

• Children's Beginning Irish 1 and 2: The Children’s Beginning class is for girls and boys (ages 6 to 8) who are new to Irish Dance. Students will learn the Introductory Jig and Reel. Children’s Beginning 1 will only be offered in the Spring and Summer sessions.  Children’s Beginning 2 will run from September to August.
• Children's Advanced Beginning 1:The Advanced Beginning class is for students who have completed 1 year of Beginning and have mastered the Jig and Reel steps taught at the beginning level. Students will learn more advanced Jigs and Reels, as well as a new dance called the Slip-Jig. This class may also include older beginning level students (ages 8-12) with the permission of the instructor.
• Children's Advanced Beginning 2: Students in this class must have completed 1 year of Advanced Beginning 1.
• Children's Intermediate 1: A continuation of work started in Advanced Beginning 1 and 2. Students must have completed the 2 years of Advanced Beginning.
• Children's Intermediate 2: Students must be confident of steps learned in the past 4 years of training. More advanced work on the Jig, Reel, and Slip Jig. Hardshoe training will begin this year.
• Children's Intermediate 3: Students must be well on the way to mastering all of the work in the past 5 years of training. More advanced Hardshoe as well as more intricate Jigs and Reels will be taught.
• Advanced: Dancers must have technically mastered previous vocabulary and be well acquainted with Hardshoe.
• Adult Beginning: New students ages 13 and up will learn proper foot placement and begin work on the Introductory Jig, Reel, and Slip-Jig.

Instructors

Our dance program strives to maintain a standard of excellence through quality instruction and when possible, live piano accompaniment. The dance faculty members have each received professional dance training and collectively represent a wide spectrum of performance and educational backgrounds. The dance accompanists are professionally trained pianists with specialties in performance, theory, composition, and more. The expertise of both the instructors and accompanists greatly enhances the quality of the dance program.

Members of the core dance faculty:

• Kimberly Reynolds-Burson, RAD - Director, Ballet
• Jessica Bengtson, Ballet
• Sarah Jane Carlton, Ballet
• Kate Justine Insolia, Ballet
• Tobey Jayne Martinez , Ballet
• Katie Quick, Irish
• Eileen Scully, Irish
• James Schaffnit, Accompanist
• Meaghan Sweeney, Irish
• Margot Valentine, Ballet

Kimberly Reynolds-Burson
Head Dance Instructor
Royal Academy of Dance Certified Teacher
Kim began her training at age 8 with the Butler University Special Instruction Division in Indianapolis. By age 15, she was a Soloist with the Jordan Dance Theatre, the school's performing company. During this time, Kim performed lead roles from Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, and in many original ballets choreographed by Karl Kaufman, the company's Director. Kim spent 3 summers on scholarship at a school run by Anna-Marie Holmes in Portugal where she was coached by an international staff and performed in Paquita, Scheherezade, La Bayadere, and Firebird.

Kim began teaching for Dance Arts in 1984, and has received her Teaching Certification from the Royal Academy of Dance. She recently completed the Royal Academy of Dance Teacher’s Course for the new Intermediate Foundation and Intermediate syllabi.  Since becoming the Director of Dance Arts in 1986, Kim has diligently worked on changing the look of Dance Arts performances, bringing them from just students performing classwork on stage in tights and leotards, to a 100 dancer, triple bill performance including a full-length ballet with over 140 handmade costumes.

Jessica Bengtson
Jessica began her training in Decatur, Illinois where she was an exam candidate with the Royal Academy of Dance. At age eleven, she was accepted to the National Academy of Arts in Champaign where she trained until its closure in the spring of 1987. Jessica has trained and performed under a variety of notable teachers to include Petrus Bosman, David Keener, Robert Dicello, and Mark Schneider. Jessica has been a Dance Arts instructor since 1989 where she has taught all levels of Royal Academy of Dance ballet syllabus classes, as well as all levels of Adult Ballet.

Sarah Jane Carlton (New Staff for Fall 2011)
Sarah began her dance training here in the Champaign-Urbana area and went on to receive a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Dance Studies from Humboldt State University in California and an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Hawaii.  She has performed with Astrum Dance Theater, Fusion Jazz Company, and the Humboldt Light Opera Company out of Arcata, California as well as with Dayton Ballet, the touring Company of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and works by choreographers Lotta Gosslar and Keiko Fujii.  As well as being a teacher and performer, Sarah is also an accomplished stage manager and lighting designer and has produced a number of shows showcasing her own work as well as others, including University of Hawaii’s Black Box Black Blocks summer Theater and Dance Festival.

Kate Justine Insolia
Kate Justine Insolia is a teacher, performing artist, and choreographer.  Ms. Insolia received her B.A. in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College and her M.F.A in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she was a Graduate Teaching Assistant.   She has taught at Ballet D’Enfant:  A Fairy Tale Ballet in Chicago and currently teaches dance at various studios throughout the Champaign-Urbana area.  Ms. Insolia has proudly performed in works by BRAT James and Thread Meddle Outfit in Chicago; for Rebecca Nettl-Fiol in the UIUC opera production of Hansel and Gretel; Angeline Holms at UIUC; Nick Duran at the American College Dance Festival’s Gala Performance and for Elizabeth Cassin at Dance Theater Workshop in New York City.  She has co-produced three full-length shows where she has showcased her own work "Just Remembering", "Feeling Stars", "International US,” and “MP."

Tobey Jayne Martinez
Tobey Jayne Martinez began her formal ballet training at the School of Ballet West in Salt Lake City , Utah. At age 17, she earned early admission into the University of Utah's Challenge Program, which afforded her the opportunity to further her training at the collegiate level. The following year, Tobey was awarded the William F. Christenson Scholarship, which she received for her academic achievement and artistic potential. Tobey attended the University of Utah where she was a member of the Utah Ballet Company. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Ballet. Tobey joined the Dance Arts faculty in 2005.  She has completed the 2009 Royal Academy of Dance Teacher’s course for Pre-Primary and Primary in Dance from the Graded Syllabus, and the 2011 Royal Academy of Dance Teacher’s course for Intermediate Foundation and Foundation from the Vocational Syllabus.  Tobey has also completed her CPR/AED training through the Champaign Park District.

Katie Quick
Katie Quick has danced at the Sullivan School of Irish Dance for a total of 15 years. Irish dance is something she is very passionate about - for the shows and the competition. She has taught Irish dancing at the Manhatten Park District for ages 4-8 and is very excited to continue doing so at the Champaign Park District.

Eileen Scully (New Staff for Fall 2011)
Eileen has danced with the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance for eleven years.  She is currently a student at the University of Illinois majoring in Kinesiology and Pre-Nursing.  She absolutely love Irish dance and especially enjoy performing and competing.  She previously worked as a show captain, running shows for Trinity Academy.  Eileen is also a member of the junior dance company, Trinity II.  She is a nine-time Mid-America Oireachtas team champion and her favorite thing about dance is the great friends she's made through it.  She is very excited to be teaching the Advanced Beginning 1 class here at Dance Arts.

James Shaffnit
James Schaffnit has been playing for dance classes since 1979 and has played for company classes for American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Arizona, Nevada Ballet Theater, and Hubbard Street Dance Company.  He was on staff at California Institute of the Arts from 1994-96 and is currently on staff at the University of Illinois and Springer Cultural Center in Champaign.  James has also worked as an exam pianist for the Royal Academy of Dance since 1991 and currently plays more than half of the Vocational Graded Exams in the United States.  He holds degrees in piano performance from Arizona State University and California State University, Northridge.

Meaghan Sweeney (New Staff for Fall 2011)
Meaghan began Irish Dancing at age four with the Mayer School of Irish Dance with whom she still trains and compete under.  She has been competing for fourteen years and has been dancing at the Championship level for the past six years.  In addition to many local feisanna, She has competed and ranked as high as 2nd at the MidAmerica Oireachtas, 13th at the North American Nationals, 27th at the All-Ireland Championships, and 31st at the World Championships.  Meaghan has previously taught some beginner classes and private lessons with the Mayer School or Irish Dance and enjoy helping others learn the sport she loves so much!

Margot Valentine (New Staff for Fall 2011)
Margot began her ballet training with the RAD program here at Dance Arts. She passed all grade level examinations. She also has passed the vocational Intermediate examination with RAD. After graduating from the school, Margot spent a year in Belgium where she studied ballet under Rosette and Hamid Targui and modern and jazz with Astrid Noirhomme. She is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying Global Studies and French. This is her first year as a member of the Dance Arts staff and she is thrilled to be here.