Lyrical Classes

Does your child like to sing along and dance to music by artists like Celine Dion and Sam Smith? Have you noticed them moving to the music and using their bodies to feel the groove? Lyrical dance just may be the right fit for them. What is lyrical dance and how does it differ from other styles of dance?

For starters, the history of lyrical is one that is not entirely clear, as it did not originate from just one person. There are three different choreographers that are known for being the innovators of lyrical dance: Jimmy Peters, Cheyla Clawson, and Phyllis Balanga-Demoret. Much like ballet, lyrical is a gentle style of dance that incorporates elements of grace and fluidity in movement and technique. Unlike ballet, lyrical is a style that was popular on competitive dance stages, making it attractive to many career-oriented dancers. Suzi Taylor, a Broadway choreographer, is commonly well known for being the mother of lyrical, utilizing movement through expression and musicality.

In recent history, the style of lyrical has evolved very much. Lyrical used to incorporate an emphasis on emotion and lyrics, but now the emotional aspect of lyrical is performed in a more abstract manner. It has a more individualistic approach focused on the message rather than the movements. The choreography is viewed as a guide, rather than a set routine. Lyrical is a style of sentiment; there is a lot of room for improvisation and free movement. Give your child the opportunity to explore movement and grace in a new way at Ascendance Studio

How do we dance lyrical dance at Ascendance?

At Ascendance Studio, we are highly proficient in the style of lyrical dance due to the expertise of our instructors and the grace/emotional application that our students display in class. Our lyrical classes are determined by age group and labeled “combo” classes because of the rotation of styles taught each week. These classes allow dancers to explore all types of movements within both lyrical and contemporary, making them more well-rounded performers. At Ascendance Studio, lyrical is taught to our older students, since understanding the emotional aspect of it does require a higher level of maturity.

Lyrical students are encouraged to let loose, understand musical accents, and create free movement in accordance to their own unique interpretation of the song. In addition, dancers practice technical skills essential to both styles including: turns, jumps, and progressions across the floor and are taught dance combinations at the end of class to practice the art of performance. Our instructors also incorporate improvisation skills within their classes to help students learn how to experiment with movement, interpret music and transform emotion. Encourage your child to explore their creative movement at Ascendance Studio!

Benefits of Lyrical

Lyrical is a style of expression and therefore can be a very effective stress reliever. The music associated with this genre of dance tends to be softer and more soothing than the music for other styles of dance. Dancers aim to correlate their movements to the changing rhythms of the music by utilizing the control and technical skills that they have learned in class. Lyrical teaches patience and determination when aiming to master new skills, especially those that require multiple weeks or even months to perfect. Lyrical also provides a healthy source of exercises that allows your body to gain a total body workout while making your brain focus on the task at hand. Lyrical dance combines mind, body, and spirit in a creative way and overall, is a beautiful form of dance that provides an emotional and physical outlet to dancers across the industry.

Objectives of Lyrical

• To teach self-expression and free movement
• To incorporate mind, body, and spirit via graceful movement
• To provide cardio-vascular exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle
• To gain body self-control and become motivated to learn more technical skills
• To enhance social interaction that can lead to long-lasting friendships
• To introduce a completely new style students have never experienced before