CLASSES
The Performance Garage hosts a diverse schedule of dance classes in a variety of styles including, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Egyptian, West African, and Fitness.
Ballet Classes
with Alexei Borovik
Wednesdays 6:15pm – 7:45pm
Open Ballet (90 min., in-person, Performance Garage, W). This comprehensive class is for intermediate dancers to keep learning and improving technique and for advanced dancers to stay in shape. Pointe (30 min., in-person, Performance Garage, W). With a focus on exercises for strength and placement, this class is an add-on option for those taking the Wednesday open class. Floor barre (30 min., in-person, Performance Garage, W, optional). Use gravity to find the right muscles for ballet movements and improve upper body position and aplomb. Floor barre is a great way to start your day whether or not you're using it as a warm-up for a ballet class. Private classes/coaching (By arrangement, Performance Garage) For beginner through advanced dancers, private classes and coaching are based on the individual's level and goals. About Alexei's classes Expect a warm welcome from both teacher and fellow students. We are here to learn from and with each other as we explore this beautiful art form. In all classes, Alexei's focus is on full-body coordination, deepening students' awareness of the body in space and the parts of the body in relation to each other. Open ballet classes are geared to all levels from advanced beginner through professional, with support for those who are new to Alexei's classes and opportunities for advanced dancers to challenge themselves. Those whose main movement discipline is not ballet but who want the foundation that ballet provides are also welcome.
Egyptian Dance
with Habiba
Tuesdays 6:00pm – 7:30pm
single class $25. 10-weeks $200. Drop in or sign up for the full session About Belly Dance The solo interpretive dance that Americans popularly call "belly dance" is actually called raqs al sharqi in the Middle East. It means "Eastern dance." It is one of the oldest documented dance forms and can be traced back to ancient Egypt. It has a long history as a women’s art form done by professional entertainers at weddings and celebrations of all kinds, but it also has a long history as a social dance that everyone, both men and women, know as soon as they are old enough to stand. Belly dance has attracted adherents around the globe because it is a perfect vehicle for women to express their femininity and their strength.. In the Middle East, dance and music are inseparable from daily life, a vital part of weddings, feast days, and family gatherings. In the belly dance performance the dancer actually “becomes” the music through movements of the torso, hips and arms. About Habiba Habiba is internationally recognized as a performer, choreographer, teacher and authority on dances of the Middle East. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad in nightclubs and on concert stages. She is a leading researcher of the dances of Egypt and Tunisia and teaches belly dance as well as the traditional folkloric dances that have been performed and passed down for many years. She has published numerous articles for national dance magazines. The American Academy of Middle Eastern Dance (AAMED) inducted her into the Belly Dance Hall of Fame in 1997 and The International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance named her Ethnic Dancer of the Year 2001
Early Childhood Music
with Mister John's Music
Fridays 9:00am – 12:00pm
Cost is $190 for each 8-week Session - Sign up is pro-rated Classes are 45minutes • Spring 1 Session - 2/27-4/30 • Spring 2 Session - 5/1-6/25 Classes are held on FRIDAYS in Fairmount o 9am - MINIS - 12-24months § We’re discovering everything – how to speak, how to sing, how to make new sounds! Your toddler will begin to notice that there are other people around and that means we’ll learn all about making friends. On top of all of that – it’s movement time! As your toddler begins to crawl and graduates to walking, Mister John will guide the class in group movement play. We’ll swim through the ocean, we’ll hike through the woods, and we’ll learn the most important of dance moves – stir the soup, raise the roof, twist it out and “John Travolta.” Come and experience why we are Philly’s favorite early childhood music classes! o 10am - MIGHTIES - 2yrs+ § We’re figuring it out! Mister John’s Mighties come ready to play, jump, sing, and use their imagination. Your two-year-old will become an active participant in the direction of the class – “What song do you want to sing today?” “A Godzilla song!” “Alright then!” We’ll explore the basics of music creation (tempo, dynamics, pitch, etc.) through activities that stimulate your child’s body, voice, and mind. In addition to music instruction, Mister John and caregivers model social skills like sharing, teamwork, empathy, and appropriate expression of emotions to help these little ones understand how to interact with peers. Come and experience why we are Philadelphia’s favorite early childhood music classes! o 11am - NEWBIES/TEENIES - 0-12months § We’re wide awake! In this class, Mister John encourages you and your baby to sit up and get hands-on. We’ll rock and roll, shake and sway, crawl and dance. Our music styling will get a little more upbeat, our activities will get a little more rambunctious, and the props and puppets will burst out of the bag. We’ll begin to make music with our little ones, exploring how we all can generate sounds together – from shakers to group mooing. Moooooo… Come and experience why we are Philadelphia’s favorite early childhood music classes!
Dance Workout
with (Toya Boss Chick)
Tuesdays 7:45pm - 8:45pm
The Boss Chick Dance Workout® is a ladies-only hip-hop, dancehall, soca & afrobeats twerkout rockin the dance fitness scene worldwide. The class features extensive twerk movements, strength training, and choreography. The mission of The Boss Chick Dance Workout® is to create a body positive space for all women with an interest in improving or maintaining their health & fitness through a fun, sexy, and challenging dance workout. The workout aims to empower women to feel strong, confident, and sexy, inspire women to get fit, and provide a safe space for women to let loose. Our ultimate mission is to create an empire of strong, confident, and healthy women worldwide.
Ballet
with Alexei Charov
Sundays 11:30pm – 12:30pm
ALEXEI CHAROV Born in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, Mr. Charov began his ballet training at age nine and graduated from the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg – home of the famed Russian ballet traditions. His studies there included Classical Ballet, History of Theater, History of Art and Music, Acting, Stage Makeup, History of European and American Ballet, Character, Historic Dance, Fencing and Pas de Deux. From school and throughout his career, Mr. Charov had great teachers who helped him to achieve his goals (Veniamin Zimin, Professor Nikolai Serebrennikov – greatest teachers of Mariinsky ballet – Sergei Berezhnoi, Vladlen Semenov, and Irina Kolpakova, just to name a few).
“I love the space! It's inspiring to my students to be able to practice and learn in such an incredible environment."
Molly Curran-Burns | Irish Dance Instructor, Ryan-Kilcone School