Darcy’s Dance Academy

Both my daughter age 6 and I (an adult) have taken ballet and tap dance lessons from Darcy. I take ballet, and my daughter takes tap and ballet. When I chose to go to Darcy’s, I made my decision based on three things:
1. Fun for kids
2. Skilled teachers able to impart solid technique
3. Good dance recitals
First of all, I wanted somewhere where my daughter would have fun, but also lay a foundation for true dance skills as she gets older and more coordinated. Darcy is very good with little kids. My daughter absolutely loves Darcy, and enjoys the class. The tap music teaches kids the names of each step. My daughter knows all the names of the tap moves she can do, and can perform them with age-​appropriate dexterity. In ballet, Darcy uses clever techniques to help the young kids learn to perform the basic positions and steps. My daughter loves her dance class and has a lot of fun!
I am a beginner in ballet, but with previous dance experience in other styles. I was looking for someone who could teach me solid technique — I wanted to develop strength, flexibility, and grace, not just slop through the basic motions. Ballet is Darcy’s strongest dance style. She is excellent at helping each dancer gain strength and technique. If you have specific weakness, she’s always willing to show you an exercise to build strength in that area. She will help you be as driven as you want to be, catering to those who simply want to have fun and also to those who really want to improve their technique. The adult class is a lot of fun, but it’s also been a great learning experience. I have seen marked improvement in my flexibility, stamina, and technique. I can do many dance steps that I was physically unable to do at the beginning of class. Obviously, I am not aiming to be a professional ballerina, but I want to become a skilled dancer on an amateur basis. I feel I am really learning and developing well under her guidance.
The last aspect I was seeking was a good recital. Darcy’s recitals are well-​done. The dances are adjusted for the level of skill that each dancer possesses. Some girls perform solos showcasing their advanced skills, while the kids’ classes are easy enough to allow them to perform as a cohesive group during the recital. As with any dance studio, the older kids are generally more impressive in their skills, while the younger kids have simple moves that they run through as well as you can expect for a young child. The costumes are ordered from the leading dance costume catalogs — top notch stuff. Professional DVDs of the recital are available for purchase. The cost is definitely reasonable for both the instruction and the recitals –a great value for a fun activity! I highly recommend it not only to the kids, but for adults who need to get back in shape in a fun way. I lost 15 pounds of stubborn post-​pregnancy weight (those last few pounds that just won’t go away) largely due to my ballet class this year. Thank you to Darcy!