DMA DANCE DIVISIONS

Ballet

Our ballet program provides a clear pathway for dancers to grow from beginning through advanced and pre-professional levels. Students develop strong technique, artistry, discipline, and confidence while learning from experienced instructors who are committed to helping each dancer reach their full potential. As dancers progress, they are continually supported, challenged, and provided opportunities to advance their training.

Pointe

Pointe is an advanced level of ballet in which dancers perform on the tips of their toes using specialized pointe shoes. Because pointe requires significant strength, balance, and technical skill, dancers spend years building a strong foundation before beginning pointe training. Readiness is carefully evaluated to ensure dancers can train safely and successfully.

The DMA Difference

DMA's partnership with Chicago Repertory Ballet (CRB) gives students a unique connection to the professional ballet world. As a professional dance company, CRB provides dancers with opportunities to learn from working artists, experience professional rehearsal and performance environments, and gain insight into what ballet looks like beyond the studio setting.

As students advance in their training, they may have opportunities to train with CRB artists and participate in special performance experiences alongside the company. This real-world connection helps dancers see a future beyond the classroom while providing mentorship, inspiration, and experiences that extend far beyond a traditional dance school education.

Contemporary, Modern & Lyrical

Our contemporary, modern, and lyrical program provides a clear pathway from foundational training through advanced and pre-professional levels. Students develop strong technique, artistry, creativity, and performance quality while learning to connect movement with music, emotion, and storytelling.

Lyrical is expressive and storytelling-focused, combining ballet and jazz technique to help dancers connect emotion and movement.

Modern focuses on creativity, body awareness, strength, and movement exploration. As a foundational dance form, it helps dancers understand how the body moves and builds the skills needed for more advanced contemporary training.

Contemporary blends elements of ballet, modern, and jazz into a versatile style that encourages artistic expression, musicality, innovation, and personal movement discovery.

In addition to technical training, students may explore improvisation, conditioning, dance history, injury prevention, and other topics that support healthy, well-rounded artistic development.

The DMA Difference

Few dance schools can offer what DMA provides: an in-house partnership with Trifecta Dance Collective (TDC), a professional contemporary dance company. This unique relationship gives students direct access to professional artists, mentorship, creative collaborations, and performance opportunities that connect studio training to the professional dance world.

As dancers advance, they may have opportunities to train alongside TDC artists, participate in original works, and experience the creative process of a working professional dance company. It's more than dance training—it's a direct connection to where dance can lead.

Our jazz program helps students build strength, coordination, flexibility, and strong technical skills in a fun and energetic environment. Dancers are introduced to a variety of jazz styles, including Broadway Jazz, Jazz Funk, Contemporary Jazz, and Classical Jazz, giving them the opportunity to explore different forms of movement and performance.

As students progress, classes become more challenging and continue to build on the skills learned at each level. This step-by-step approach helps dancers develop confidence, versatility, and a strong foundation for future growth.

Our tap program introduces students to the art of creating rhythm through movement. Dancers develop coordination, timing, musicality, and precision while learning a variety of tap styles and techniques.

As students progress, they explore Broadway-style tap, rhythm tap, and the rich history of this uniquely American dance form. Classes are designed to challenge dancers at every level while building a strong technical foundation, confidence, and a deeper understanding of music and movement.

Our hip hop program provides a clear pathway for dancers to grow from beginner through advanced levels. Students develop coordination, musicality, confidence, and performance skills while learning the foundations of hip hop movement and culture. As dancers progress, they are introduced to more advanced choreography, styles, and techniques that encourage creativity, versatility, and personal expression.

Dancers explore a variety of hip hop styles, including foundational street styles such as popping, locking, and breaking, while building the strength, control, and performance quality needed to succeed in today's dance industry.

The DMA Difference

DMA's partnership with Infinity Collective gives students a unique connection to the professional hip hop world. Through access to working artists, specialized training, mentorship, and performance opportunities, dancers gain real-world insight into the artistry, culture, and career opportunities within hip hop.

What sets this program apart is its commitment to honoring hip hop as more than a dance style. Students are encouraged to learn about the history, cultural roots, and evolution of hip hop, helping them develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the art form they are studying.

As students advance, they may have opportunities to train with professional artists, participate in special projects, and experience the creative process of the professional dance industry. It's more than learning choreography—it's an opportunity to engage with the culture, history, and future of hip hop.

Our poms program provides a clear pathway for dancers interested in high school poms and beyond. Students develop strong technical skills, precision, performance quality, flexibility, and athleticism through age-appropriate training designed to prepare them for future success.

As dancers progress, classes become increasingly challenging, helping students build the confidence and skills needed for high school poms auditions and team participation.

The DMA Difference

Through exclusive partnerships with the nationally recognized Glenbrook South Titans Poms program and Resurrection College Prep Bandettes, DMA students gain access to opportunities that extend beyond traditional studio training. Dancers have the chance to learn from, train alongside, and perform with current high school poms dancers, providing valuable mentorship and firsthand insight into successful high school programs.

These unique connections create a direct pathway to future poms opportunities while helping students understand the expectations, commitment, and skills needed to thrive at the high school level and beyond. It's a level of access, training, and real-world experience rarely found in a traditional dance studio.

DMA is an Acrobatic Arts Certified studio, utilizing a nationally recognized curriculum designed to help students progress safely and successfully. Dancers develop strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and acrobatic skills through a structured, age-appropriate training program.

The Acrobatic Arts curriculum incorporates proper technique, body awareness, and skill progressions to ensure students build a strong foundation before advancing to more complex skills. Developed with input from leading experts in dance, gymnastics, fitness, and child development, it is recognized as one of the most respected acro training programs in the industry.

Our Aerial Arts program combines the creativity and artistry of dance with the strength, flexibility, and skill of aerial training. Students learn to climb, suspend, and perform on aerial silks while developing body awareness, coordination, confidence, and artistic expression.

As students progress, they build both technical skills and performance quality, learning how to combine strength and movement into beautiful, expressive routines. In addition to aerial silks, students have opportunities to train on the Lyra (aerial hoop), expanding their skills and exploring different forms of aerial performance.

Great dancers are built through consistent training. DMA offers a variety of supplemental classes designed to help students strengthen specific skills and accelerate their progress. Options may include Leaps, Turns & Tricks, Conditioning, Floorwork, Ballet Variations, Pointe Prep, and more.

These classes provide additional opportunities for dancers to improve technique, build strength and flexibility, increase confidence, and refine the skills that support success across all styles of dance. Whether a student is looking to master a specific skill or take their training to the next level, supplemental classes offer focused instruction to help them reach their goals.