This engaging class introduces your child to the foundations of both ballet and tap in a fun, supportive environment. Each week, our young dancers will explore ballet technique and vocabulary through simple barre and floor exercises, helping them build balance, coordination, and flexibility. In tap, students will practice rhythm, sound clarity, and fun combinations that encourage musicality and movement. The class follows the Royal Academy of Dance Standard, ensuring a well-rounded introduction to these beautiful dance styles.

What makes this class special? Our small class sizes allow for personal attention and tailored corrections, ensuring that each dancer feels confident and nurtured. The alternating focus on ballet and tap keeps lessons fresh and exciting, giving students the chance to experience two distinct but complementary forms of dance.

Perfect for young beginners, this class is not only a fantastic introduction to dance but also a chance to develop new skills, build confidence, and have fun! Come join us and let your little one discover the magic of dance with us.

Some of our 4–5 year old dancers performing in the 2025 Nutcracker

Join us for Beginning Ballet, a welcoming class for young dancers ages 6–10 who are new to ballet or continuing to build their early technique. Using a combination of the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and the Tempo-Level-Energy and Shapes program, students develop a strong foundation in classical ballet through age-appropriate training in technique, vocabulary, posture, musicality, and classroom etiquette.

Classes include structured barre and center work designed to improve strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, focus, and confidence. Dancers will learn the fundamentals they need for continued ballet training while being encouraged to develop discipline, creativity, and a genuine enjoyment of movement.

This class is appropriate for dancers with little to no previous ballet experience, as well as students with some prior training who would benefit from additional practice and reinforcement of foundational skills.

This new Monday class is currently forming, with an anticipated start in early October. We will begin classes once we have enough interested dancers to create a strong, consistent class experience.

If you are interested in having your child attend, please email us at info@dtnw.org. Once we have enough students ready to enroll, we will confirm the official start date with interested families.

Join us for Beginning Ballet, a lively and supportive class designed for young dancers ages 6–8 with 0–2 years of dance experience.

Using a combination of the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and the Tempo-Level-Energy and Shapes program, dancers are introduced to classical ballet in a way that keeps them moving, learning, and excited to come back each week.

Classes combine barre and center work with age-appropriate exercises that develop coordination, balance, flexibility, musicality, posture, and ballet vocabulary. Along the way, dancers build strength, focus, confidence, and the classroom habits that will support them as they continue their training.

Most importantly, we want young dancers to discover how much fun ballet can be. Our goal is to give them a strong technical foundation while encouraging creativity, discipline, self-expression, and a genuine love of dance.

Designed for young dancers ages 8-13 with 0 or more years of experience, this classical ballet class offers an excellent foundation in ballet technique. Following the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and incorporating the renowned Tempo-Level-Energy and Shapes program, students will develop essential ballet skills through structured barre and floor exercises. Emphasis is placed on building muscular strength, improving mental focus, vocabulary, and mastering proper posture. In addition to technique, students will learn the importance of classroom etiquette and discipline, setting them up for success in both dance and personal growth.

This class is open to students with 0-2 years of dance experience. No prior ballet training is necessary, making it an ideal starting point for young dancers eager to learn. 

Our 8–13 year old dancers onstage during The Nutcracker

Intermediate Ballet is for young dancers who are ready to take the next step in their training and challenge themselves in a more focused, rewarding class environment.

Using the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus as a foundation, dancers work through more advanced barre and center exercises designed to strengthen technique, improve coordination and control, expand ballet vocabulary, and develop greater musicality and artistry.

As students progress, they are encouraged to move beyond simply learning the steps and begin thinking about how they dance — with intention, confidence, expression, and attention to detail. Classes are structured and challenging, but still supportive, giving dancers room to grow, take risks, and feel proud of what they are accomplishing.

This class is intended for students with at least two years of ballet training who attend ballet regularly and are ready for a more committed level of study.

Youth Jazz is a fun, energetic introduction to jazz dance for students who are ready to explore a new style, build confidence, and discover a different way to move.

This class is a great fit for dancers who are new to dance altogether, as well as ballet students who would like to add jazz to their training. No previous jazz experience is required.

Dancers will build a strong foundation in jazz technique through dynamic warm-ups, stretching, isolations, floor work, turns, jumps, and across-the-floor combinations. Classes introduce students to the energy, rhythm, and expressive quality of jazz while giving them experience with a variety of movement and choreography.

Along the way, students develop coordination, flexibility, rhythm, musicality, expression, and performance quality while learning to move with greater strength, precision, and confidence.

For dancers who want to continue progressing, this class also provides an excellent foundation for moving into more advanced jazz and musical theater training as their technique and experience grow.

Students may also have opportunities to participate in recitals and staged productions, giving them the chance to take what they have learned in class and bring it to the stage.

Whether jazz is your first step into dance or your next step after ballet, this class is an exciting way to try something new, build new skills, and find your own style.

This new class is currently forming, with an anticipated start in early October. We will begin classes once we have enough interested dancers to create a strong, consistent class experience.

If you are interested in having your child attend, please email us at info@dtnw.org. Once we have enough students ready to enroll, we will confirm the official start date with interested families.

Experience the joy of ballet in our Absolute Beginner Ballet classes, designed for those discovering ballet for the first time or returning after a long break. These classes provide a supportive and welcoming environment where everyone can feel comfortable exploring the art of ballet.

Students will learn the foundations of classical ballet, including proper posture, alignment, and essential vocabulary. Each class incorporates barre and center work, with exercises that build balance, strength, and coordination while introducing the beauty of musicality and expression. The pace is steady and encouraging, allowing participants to work at a level that feels right for them.

No prior dance experience is required. These classes are perfect for anyone seeking fitness, fun, and artistic growth in a positive, community-focused setting. With personal attention and clear instruction, dancers will gain both confidence and grace while discovering the transformative benefits of ballet.

Preregistering each week is required to secure your spot and receive the focused attention you deserve. You can click HERE to register for this class each week.

This beginner-level class is the ideal progression from our Absolute Beginners class, designed to further develop fundamental ballet skills. Students will focus on mastering correct posture and the classical positions of the feet, arms, and head. With slightly more intricate exercise progressions, this class aims to solidify foundational techniques in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Intended for students who have some prior ballet or dance experience, this class offers an opportunity to refine and enhance ballet fundamentals. It’s perfect for those looking to deepen their understanding of ballet in a structured and friendly setting, allowing each dancer to develop at their own pace.

Welcome to the Advanced Beginners class, a specially designed course for dancers who wish to elevate their ballet training while enjoying a stable and enriching environment. This class bridges beginner fundamentals and the challenges of intermediate ballet, focusing on enhancing ballet terminology and refining techniques through more complex combinations and exercises. These sessions are tailored to build strength, flexibility, and precision, essential for advancing in ballet.

While the Advanced Beginners class is structured to prepare dancers for intermediate levels by methodically building upon existing skills, it is also a perfect place for those who find fulfillment at this stage of their ballet journey. You are welcome to continue enjoying and refining your skills in this supportive setting without the pressure to move to more advanced levels. This class nurtures growth and deepens ballet practice, making it an ideal choice for those who wish to progress at their own pace or maintain their current level of enjoyment and achievement.

Participants should have at least one year of ballet experience at the beginner’s level. This foundation ensures that all students have the necessary skills to benefit fully from the advanced beginner curriculum.

Our Classical Ballet – Intermediate classes give teens the opportunity to refine alignment, posture, and turnout while exploring more challenging barre and center combinations. Students expand their ballet vocabulary and focus on musicality, phrasing, and dynamics, learning not only how to execute steps but how to bring artistry and expression into their dancing.

Classwork includes sustained balances, clean turns, fluid linking steps, and developing stronger, more controlled jumps. Barre and floor exercises are designed to build core strength, stamina, and coordination, along with the mental focus needed for increasingly complex choreography. Classroom etiquette and discipline are also emphasized, helping students grow as performers and as individuals.

This level bridges foundational training with more advanced work, providing the tools for continued technical progress while encouraging creativity and a genuine love of dance.

Students should have at least 2 years of ballet training. The classes are open to dancers who are ready to continue expanding their ballet skills and technique.

Beginning pointe is an exciting achievement, but it is only one part of a dancer’s overall ballet education. At DTNW, students are introduced to pointe when their technique, training consistency, physical development, and instructor evaluation indicate that they are ready.

Most dancers need at least two years of regular ballet technique classes before pointe should even be considered. Reaching a particular age or watching classmates receive pointe shoes does not mean every dancer will be ready at the same time.

Students preparing for pointe begin with Pre-Pointe Foundations before progressing into Beginning Pointe. As their technique develops, they may advance to Advanced Beginner Pointe, where center and traveling work become a greater part of class, and eventually to Pointe & Variations – Advanced/Intermediate, where dancers work with more sophisticated pointe vocabulary and classical repertoire.

Our instructors evaluate dancers individually before advancement. Spending additional time at one level is not falling behind; it is often exactly what allows a dancer to develop the foundation needed for successful pointe work later.

Our goal is not simply to get dancers into pointe shoes. It is to prepare them to dance en pointe well, safely, and with confidence for years to come.

Pre-Pointe Foundations, taught by Artistic Director Melanie Kirk-Stauffer, is designed for youth and teen dancers who have developed a solid ballet foundation and are interested in working toward pointe.

Dancers focus on the strength, control, and technique needed to safely progress toward pointe work, including foot and ankle strength, turnout support, core stability, placement, articulation through the feet, balance, and the mechanics of rising correctly. Barre exercises, conditioning, and individual coaching help students develop the physical and technical habits instructors look for when assessing pointe readiness.

Because every dancer develops at a different pace, participation in Pre-Pointe Foundations does not automatically mean a dancer is ready for pointe shoes. Students progress according to their individual strength, technique, alignment, maturity, and consistency in regular ballet training.

Students should consult with their ballet instructor to determine when it is appropriate to begin Pre-Pointe Foundations. Because every dancer develops at a different pace, instructors can help determine when a student has the technical foundation, strength, and consistency to benefit from the class.

Students are required to bring an exercise band to class.

Beginning Pointe is designed for youth and teen dancers who have been approved to begin pointe work and are ready to develop confidence, control, and proper technique in their pointe shoes.

Class begins with strengthening and conditioning exercises before moving into carefully structured pointe work at the barre. Dancers focus on proper placement, articulation through the feet, controlled rises and lowers, balance, weight transfer, alignment, and developing the strength needed to work safely and effectively en pointe.

Because this is an introductory pointe class, the emphasis is on learning clean technique and building good habits from the very beginning. Exercises progress gradually as dancers become stronger and more secure, with careful attention to control, consistency, and correct execution.

Instructor approval is required before attending Beginning Pointe. Students should consult with their ballet instructor to determine when they are ready to begin pointe work.

Students are required to bring an exercise band to class.

Advanced Beginner Pointe is designed for youth and teen dancers who have developed a solid understanding of basic pointe technique and are ready to take the next step in their training.

Classes continue to strengthen and refine pointe work at the barre while introducing a greater amount of center work. Dancers focus on balance, weight transfer, coordination, control, clean transitions, and maintaining proper placement and alignment without the support of the barre.

As strength and confidence develop, exercises become progressively more challenging, helping dancers move with greater stability, precision, and independence en pointe. The goal is to build secure technique while preparing students for the increased demands of intermediate pointe work.

This class serves as an important bridge between Beginning Pointe and more advanced pointe training, giving dancers the time and repetition needed to become comfortable and confident working both at the barre and in the center.

Instructor approval is required before attending Advanced Beginner Pointe. Students should consult with their ballet instructor to determine when they are ready to move into this level.

Advanced/Intermediate Pointe is designed for experienced youth and teen dancers who are secure working en pointe and ready for the increased technical and artistic demands of higher-level training.

Classes include challenging barre and center work with longer, more complex combinations, advanced balances, turns, traveling steps, transitions, and increasingly sophisticated pointe vocabulary. Dancers work toward greater precision, stamina, control, and ease while learning to connect movements with confidence and musicality.

A significant part of this level is learning to apply technique beyond individual exercises. Classical variations give dancers opportunities to develop artistry, performance quality, stage presence, and an understanding of repertoire while putting their pointe skills into practice.

Partnering and introductory Pas de Deux work may also be incorporated when appropriate, allowing dancers to develop coordination, trust, weight-sharing, and the technical awareness needed to work safely and confidently with a partner.

At this level, the focus is not only on what a dancer can execute, but on how they perform it. Students are encouraged to develop greater refinement, expression, individuality, and artistic maturity while continuing to strengthen and advance their pointe technique.

Instructor approval is required before attending Advanced/Intermediate Pointe. Students should consult with their ballet instructor to determine when they are ready for the technical and artistic demands of this level.

DTNW’s Junior Ensemble gives committed dancers the opportunity to deepen their training while gaining valuable experience as performers.

In addition to their regular weekly classes, ensemble members receive focused coaching and rehearsal time with Artistic Director Melanie Kirk-Stauffer, with an emphasis on refining technique, developing artistry, strengthening stage presence, and learning how to work as part of a performance ensemble.

A major part of the program is the opportunity to perform more frequently in recitals, staged productions, special performances, and community outreach events. These experiences help dancers become more confident and polished on stage while learning the discipline, teamwork, and professionalism that come with preparing for live performance.

Junior Ensemble is intended for dancers who are ready for a greater commitment to their training and would like additional opportunities to grow both technically and artistically. Ensemble members are expected to maintain a consistent weekly training schedule, including at least three ballet and/or pointe classes each week.

Participation is by audition. For more information about the program, upcoming auditions, and private audition opportunities, visit our Junior Ensemble page:

Learn More About Junior Ensemble

Musical Theatre is designed for youth and teen dancers who already have a solid dance foundation and are ready for a more challenging, performance-focused class.

Students work on choreography inspired by Broadway and contemporary musical theatre while developing stage presence, character, expression, musicality, and storytelling through movement. Classes combine technique, warm-ups, stretching, floor work, across-the-floor combinations, and increasingly complex choreography that asks dancers to bring both technical skill and personality to their performance.

This class moves at a faster pace and is best suited for dancers with previous training who are comfortable learning and retaining choreography and are ready to work at an intermediate level.

For dancers who are newer to dance or jazz, we recommend starting with Youth Jazz. That class provides an excellent introduction to jazz technique, musicality, coordination, and performance skills and can help prepare dancers for Musical Theatre as they gain experience and confidence.

At least two years of dance training is recommended for Musical Theatre.

Discover the fun and joy of tap dance in our Beginner Tap class, designed for adults and teens! This class focuses on Broadway-style and rhythm tap, introducing you to the foundational steps and rhythms of this energetic dance form. Learn a new vocabulary of tap moves, including brush, flap, hop, shuffle, stamp, stomp, and basic turns, all in a supportive and encouraging environment. Whether you’re brand new to tap or looking to revisit the basics, this class will help you develop coordination, timing, and musicality while having a blast.

No prior tap experience is required. This class is open to all adults and teens eager to explore the basics of tap dance.

Step into the rhythm and excitement of our Intermediate Tap class for adults and teens! This class focuses on Broadway-style and rhythm tap dance, blending classic time steps, breaks, and intricate footwork with expressive combinations and routines. Designed for dancers who already have some tap experience, this class will help expand your tap dance vocabulary while refining timing, coordination, and musicality. Whether you want to perfect your technique or bring more personality and style to your performance, this class offers the perfect opportunity to build skills and confidence in a fun, supportive environment.

With a mix of dynamic exercises and choreography, students will work on mastering rhythm, precision, and expression. You’ll leave each class with a deeper understanding of tap and an appreciation for its lively, energetic style!

This class is open to intermediate dancers who have prior tap experience and are ready to expand their skills and repertoire.

Teen/Adult Jazz is designed for teens and adults who are ready for a more challenging jazz class with a faster pace and greater emphasis on technique, musicality, and performance quality.

Classes include warm-ups, stretching, isolations, floor work, turns, jumps, and across-the-floor combinations, along with choreography that encourages dancers to develop greater coordination, precision, expression, and confidence.

While dancers do not need extensive jazz experience, this class is best suited for students who already have some dance background or are comfortable learning choreography at a quicker pace.

Younger dancers and students who are completely new to jazz may be better suited to Youth Jazz, which provides a more introductory approach and helps build the skills needed to progress into higher-level jazz and musical theatre classes.