Smuin Contemporary Ballet to Launch Free Weekly Dance Classes for Children Ages 6-9

Smuin Contemporary Ballet is launching ConfiDANCE!, free weekly dance classes for children ages 6-9. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Francisco, these classes aim to help students build self-confidence and self-esteem through exciting dance-based exercises. The first ten-week session of Smuin’s ConfiDANCE! classes will take place September 11 – November 13, 2023 (Mondays from 4-5pm) at the Smuin Center for Dance, 1830 17th St, San Francisco. Registration is available at bit.ly/smuinconfidance. Parents or guardians should register under their own name and email, and a form will be sent out one week prior to the start of the session to collect information about the student who will be participating. For further information, the public may contact classes@smuinballet.org.

Led by instructors from a variety of dance genres, ConfiDANCE! classes will incorporate a wide range of styles and techniques. The program encourages the development of skills such as coordination and musicality while building a sense of accomplishment, achievement, and self-worth. During the ten-week session, students will enjoy a progressive syllabus in which each class builds on the principles of the previous week. Consistent attendance is required for participation. ConfiDANCE! is held in large part through a grant from the Rotary Club of San Francisco in partnership with Smuin Center for Dance.

 For 30 years Smuin has pushed the boundaries of contemporary ballet within a distinctly American style, engaging and delighting audiences with uncommon physicality and expression. Founded in San Francisco in 1994 by Tony and Emmy award-winning choreographer Michael Smuin, the company is committed to creating work that merges the diverse vocabularies of classical ballet and contemporary dance. Artistic Director since 2007, Celia Fushille has celebrated Michael Smuin’s legacy while enriching the company’s impressive repertoire by collaborating with inventive choreographers from around the world, commissioning world premieres, and bringing new contemporary choreographic voices to the Smuin stage. Smuin moved into its first permanent home in San Francisco in the fall of 2019 and began offering dance classes to the community.

Smuin Rehearsal Director Amy London was tapped by Artistic Director Celia Fushille to launch the classes, which have grown to offer a wide array of dance styles and fitness classes for all levels. London has been Smuin’s Rehearsal Director for 16 years, and with more than two decades of experience as a dance educator and program director she was ideally suited to create the program. The company has led hundreds of aspiring and professional dancers, as well as those simply looking for a fun class to stay in shape, through a variety of movement including ballet, tap, jazz, and more. Smuin’s dance training and education programs continue to expand through new initiatives such as ConfiDANCE! and and other community-based programming. For more information, visit smuinballet.org.

Photo credit: Maggie Carey

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