Jazz IV - Intermediate  (9-11)

Requirements: Students have a solid understanding of all Beginning Level technique and terminology. They understand and are comfortable with the concept of expressing their personality through dance. They are able to perform with confidence and maximum energy.

Objective: Students will build up on existing technique through complex combinations and exploration of the concept of “suspension and release". They will learn how to employ this concept dynamically to their advantage. This class will have a strong focus on developing flexibility, muscular control, and balance. Students will be preparing their bodies for leaps, Jumps, and turns basics. Class can begin preparing to perform in a competitive environment in the 2nd and 3rd semester.

Movement Goals: (In addition to all beginning level material)

- Floor lunges (palms up, arms out to side and arms in front, balance each one)
- Combine with 16 knee push ups
- Combine with floor stretches
- Combine with floor Tendue Jete (sides and front)
- Barre stretch (Coupe, passe, extend leg to barre. Slide out to split, pull back x2 both legs. Outside arm, stretch to toe. Inside arm, stretch away from toe x2. Demi Plie releve x4, balance in releve.)
- Partnering straddle
- Squat, stretch legs, roll up to standing, slide into all three splits
- Center split against wall
- Coupe releve (add twist)
- Passe releve (add twist)
- Releve, slow transition, floor drop (slide on side)
- Quarter, half outside turns
- Quarter inside turns
- Releve/floor drop
- Piquet walks
- Passe with hop
- Passe twist (releve) balance
- Flat back (focus on head position)
- Floor lunges (palms up, arms out to side and arms in front, balance each one)
- Combine with 8 knee push ups and 2 full body
- Hold push up position, slowly lower
- Combine with floor stretches
- Jazz square (rotating arm combination)
- Chasse ball change (focus on height and lean back)
- Body roll from head to toe (isolate parts, prepare for non-stop sequential)
- Half outside turns
- Half inside turns (finish 4th position lunge)
- Walks x3 with attitude on flat foot (hold position)
- Jazz runs/low stag/follow through
- Low hitch kick
- Passe with hop
- Passe twist (releve)
- Attitude with hop (front and back)
- Windmill, twist to floor (focus on sequential isolations)
- Floor rolls, high fan kick (lean back, full extension)
- Releve, slow transition, floor drop (slide on side, introduce concept of rapid level changes, focus on suspension and release, note qualitative differences)
- Half outside turns
- Half inside turns (finish 4th position lunge)
- Releve/floor drop
- Walks x3 with attitude on flat foot (hold position, rise to releve)
- Layout (eventually combine with hitch kick, focus on back arch and toe initiation)

Jazz V - Intermediate (10-12)

Requirements: Students have completed Jazz 1, and have a strong foundation in Flexibility, control, and balance. They can execute movements with energy and precision and understand the difference between movement qualities and dynamics; perform different qualities back to back in a combination.

Objective: develop a consistent, effortless quality kicks, leaps, turns, and level changes while maintaining complete body control. Students in this level will learn long pieces of choreography, and possibly compete.

Movement Goals: (In addition to Jazz 1 goals)

- Floor lunges (palms up, arms out to side and arms in front, balance each one)
- Combine with 8 knee push ups and 4 full body
- Hold push up position, slowly lower
- Floor contractions (on back, arms elevated palms down, press middle back into floor, release)x8
- Combine with floor stretches
- Combine with floor Tendue Jete (sides and front)
- Floor battements (sides only)
- Step digs (changing arm combination)
- Side steps (deepen level changes, new arm combo)
- Body roll from toe to head
- ¾ outside turns
- Half inside turns (finish 4th position lunge)
- Releve/floor drop
- Knee spin (add arms) with kick ball change (connect movement to be fluid)
- Chasses around room 3x finish at corner
- Walks x3 with attitude in releve
- Chasse Grande Pas de Chat
- Jazz runs/low stag/follow through (jump preparation)
- Low hitch kick, layout (focus on back arch)
- Passe with hop
- Passe twist (releve)
- Attitude with hop (front and back)
- Battement with hop (front and back)
- Partnering straddle – hold partner’s shoulders
- Heel dig
- Jump touch
- Grapevine (add rolling shoulders)
- Pas de Bourree (jazz arms)
- Jazz square (create new arm combo)
- Leg swings (front and back at barre)
- Battement at barre (front, side and back)
- Windmill (releve), twist to floor (focus on sequential isolations)
- Floor rolls, high fan kick (lean back, full extension)
- Releve, slow transition, floor drop (slide on side, introduce concept of rapid level changes, focus on suspension and release, note qualitative differences)
- ¾ outside turns
- Half inside turns (finish 4th position lunge)
- Turning battements (turning arm combo)
- Piquet turns
- Walks x3 with attitude in releve
- Jazz runs/low stag/follow through (jump preparation)
- Low hitch kick, layout (focus on back arch)
- Attitude with hop (front and back)
- Battement with hop (front and back)
- 2nd position jump body wrap
- Leg swings (front and back in center)(arms in 2nd position)
- Tendue jete, sides in center (add slight attitude)
- Full outside turns
- ¾ inside turns (finish 4th position lunge)
- Releve/floor drop
- Knee spin (add arms) with kick ball change (connect movement to be fluid)
- Chasses around room 3x
- Beginning hip hop traveling to corner
- Chasse step, high stag
- Jazz runs/low stag/follow through (jump preparation)
- High hitch kick (above 90 degrees, layout (at 90 degrees)
- Airplane stag, quarter twist (from static position)
- Fuete
- Teur Jete

Jazz VI Intermediate (11-13)

Requirements: This class is for our most advanced jazz students who have completed all the previous levels. Students are very flexible and competent in all technique and terminology up through Jazz II. They can perform long combinations with sustained power and energy. They are able to clearly articulate qualitative differences in their dancing. They pick up sequences and learn new material quickly and apply movement from the right side of the body to the left without much direction.

Objective: This class is for dancers who are very serious about their jazz training, and are excited about frequent rehearsals and performances/competitions. The class moves quickly, introduces advanced technique, and focuses on long pieces of choreography.

Movement Goals: (In addition to technique from all levels)

- Flat back (focus on head position)
- Floor lunges (palms up, arms out to side and arms in front, balance each one)
- Combine with 8 full body pushups
- Hold push up position, slowly lower
- Floor contractions (on back, arms elevated palms down, press middle back into floor, release)x8
- 8 crunches
- Leg swings (front and back in center, arms in 2nd position)
- Tendue jete, sides in center (add slight attitude)
- Coupe releve (add twist)
- Passe releve (add twist)
- Intermediate hip hop traveling to corner
- Chasse step, high stag
- Jazz runs/low stag/follow through (jump preparation)
- High hitch kick(above 90 degrees, layout (at 90 degrees)
- Airplane stag, quarter twist (from static position)
- Hip walks
- Full outside turns
- Full inside turns
- Double knee spins
- Chasses around room 3x
- Beginning salsa
- Intermediate hip hop traveling to corner
- Half coupe turns (with slide, hands on hips)
- Airplane stag, quarter twist, spiral to floor
- Body halfs (preparation for barrel turn)
- Toe top drop
- 10 full body pushups
- 32 crunches
- Combine with floor stretches
- Combine with floor Tendue Jete (sides and front)
- Straddle pike circle
- Jump tuck
- Airplane stag, quarter twist, spiral to floor roll
- Chaines with leap
- Split leap
- Body halfs (preparation for barrel turn)
- Barrel turn
- Toe top drop (balance)