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1. Warm-up: Gentle movements to “wakeup” the body. Movements are done to contemporary music.

2. Additional purpose: to gain control of the parts. A great time to teach specific names of muscles like: hamstring, calves, abdominals, biceps, triceps, etc.

3. Stretching exercises: Done with images (blowing candles out) flexing and pointing feet.

4. Rhythms: Work with increasingly complicated rhythm patterns, feeling the “beat” of the music; using props to discover rhythms (like chopsticks to click out the beats), clapping, using musical instruments to rhythms.

5. Technique: Introduction to ballet or jazz. Approximately 10 minutes on one of these disciplines in each class ---plies, tendus, passes, releves, balance, shuffle, toe/heel, parallel first and second, etc.

6. Musicality: Expressing different movement qualities to different musical selections --- soft, lyrical, marches, sad music, happy music, soft, slow, etc.

7. Relaxation exercises: Learning awareness of relaxation and tension, being able to control both relaxed energies and very big energies.

8. Creative acting/pantomime: To explore movement qualities -- float like a leaf, be a frisky kitten, sizzle like a piece of bacon frying in a pan --- pairing feelings with actions. A perfect time to incorporate movement stories.

9. Direction, pattern, and movement shapes in increasingly complicated, combinations. Sequencing and technical steps across the floor.

10. Exploring different uses of basic dance locomotor skills: walk, run, slide, gallop, skip, hop, leap.

11. Safe introduction to fundamentals of tumbling and acrobatics if requested.