A cornerstone of Luna since 1992, Studio Lab Kids was developed as an alternative after-school program with the explicit goal of providing young dancers, ages 5 through 17, with a course of study to develop as choreographers—dancemakers with a keen sense of their bodies moving in space. As children progress, they receive a complete dance education.
What they learn
All classes provide safe yet challenging opportunities for students to discover, invent, perform, respond, and connect. They learn to create dances through active participation, guided discovery, and critical reflection. As choreographers, students need the most extensive range of strength, coordination, and flexibility possible. Thus, Luna embeds technical training, grounded in Bartenieff fundamentals, in all classes. This looks different than in classes with a more traditional follow-the-teacher format.
Creative Rigor
At Luna, we honor children’s natural propensities to learn through movement, curiosity, and imagination. The rigor of creativity can be seen in children’s play and improvisation. Inspired by that rigor, we structure our programs so that children can delve into their capacity to explore, improvise, compose, and express original ideas in developmentally appropriate ways. Each semester, courses are offered based on age and experience, are designed to repeat for up to four semesters, and there are entry points for those new to dance at every level.
Creative Dance
5-7 years
Children expand range of motion, body articulation, and spatial awareness as they learn to solve movement problems and create simple dance phrases. They increase their knowledge of how to use the elements of space (line, path, level, size, and focus) and energy to express ideas or feelings.
Dance Improvisation
7-12 years
Through consciously using the elements of energy, space and time, dancers learn body mechanics, gain strength and flexibility, and increase range of motion and coordination. Dance fundamentals develop in the context of serving expressive ideas. Movement invention is encouraged as dancers create phrases, make choices within a score, and synthesize their life experiences into movement.
Dance Composition
8-17 years
After learning to take risks, play with movement ideas, and develop basic competencies through improvisation, dancers enter the composition series. Three levels of composition allow dancers to explore choreographic principles with increasing breadth and depth. Students develop the technical skills necessary to execute their works safely and with an increasing awareness of the audience.
Level 1 curriculum involves committing to an idea, memorizing sequences, creating and editing phrases, developing performing skills and rhythmic phrasing. In Level 2, students make longer dance phrases and learn choreographic forms and structures. They deepen their use of the 17 choreographic devices and learn to edit. Level 3 students deepen their knowledge of group forms and create full dances. They have begun to develop a portfolio of solos, duets, and small group works. They demonstrate a full commitment to performance for a variety of audiences and learn skills of directing and being directed.
All Dance Composition courses have prerequisites.
By the time students are at Dance Composition Level 3,
they are often teenagers, and ready for Teen Choreo Lab.
Winter/Spring 2025 Class Schedules
Registration
Register now for Studio Lab classes!
Join us in our new state-of-the-arts, ADA-accessible studios.
