Dance Styles

                80's Physical

                     Dig out your lycra, sweat bands & leg warmers as these classes are designed for the 80′s
                     footloose.  Get physical with this totally awesome dance workout that will get you fit 80′s
                     style.  With a combination of cardio dance moves and floorwork that would make Jane
Fonda proud, 80s Fit will get you rocking that bitchin’ body.
... One hour classes will have you dancing, sweating, thrusting, pumping, stretching and toning, all
while laughing and singing along to your favourite 80′s tunes.Class routines are changed monthly
allowing you to master the steps while enjoying the music of different 80s genres and themes.

Ballet

Ballet is a formal style of dance. It is excellent for improving agility, coordination, flexibility, grace and strength. Ballet teachers use a 'barre' (bar) for support during ballet exercise. These exercises consist of repetitive moves in a variety of set positions.

One of the most popular dance styles, ballet is best known for the “point” technique where dancers use shoes that are especially created for dancing on their toes. However, this is only one facet of ballet – one that requires a whole lot of training before the dancer masters this move.

Some of the most famous ballets include Giselle, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.

Brazilian Samba

Brazilian Samba comes from Brazil and is known for it's fast footwork, booty shaking, body isolating exciting movements. Brazilian Samba is especially great for fitness as it is continuously moving. Brazilian Samba is danced to drums and beats from Brazil and is high energy both musically and the dance style.

Breakin'

Modern dance styles come and go but Break Dancing has become a classic, one that is likely to stay. Also known as breaking, this dance style falls under the very expansive banner of Urban Dance. Breaking is growing increasingly popular, with so many people learning how to perform it, not to mention the attention this dance style is generating from both the media and entertainment industry.

Breaking includes top or up rock, footwork, spinning moves (power moves), and the freeze. While people tend to pick up power moves most of the time, there is so much more to breaking than just these types of dance moves. In fact, even people with less physical strength can perform breaking.

Broadway Jazz

Broadway Jazz or New York Jazz belong to dance styles that emphasise performance and characterisation skills that is centred on jazz as seen in large musical productions like Chicago, Moulin Rouge and Mamma Mia. Beginner classes are perfect for people looking for some fun and wanting to get fit. The more advanced dance classes ideally cater to dancers who are up for the challenge.

Capoeira

Distinctive among the other dance styles, Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that merges elements of music, self defence techniques, acrobatics, dance and tradition. It was created by the African slaves in Brazil around the XVI Century as a way to resist oppression and fight for freedom.

Capoeira is a dance like a fight, a fight like a dance. Capoeira is a "jogo" (game), where partners exchange movements of defence and attacking a constant flow utilising the rhythm of the music. Other dance styles focus on fluid movements and grace but Capoeira is different. It is a combination of ritualised combat, trickery and grace. Capoeira is an acrobatic and beautiful avoidance of physical combat. Capoeira also helps develop other skills such as concentration, self defence, endurance, balance, flexibility, co-ordination, rhythm and confidence. It is an excellent cardiovascular practice to keep you fit while having fun.

Capoeira Angola

With the advent of Mestre Bimba's Capoeira Regional in the 1930's, the traditional Capoeira Angola is generally performed to a slower rhythm. Movements are closer to the ground as compared with Capoeira Regional. Angola games usually last longer and a premium is placed on the body dialogue, the aesthetic qualities of the game and the 'malandragem' (a tricky or deceitful act).

Capoeira Regional

Among all of the Capoeira dance styles created in Bahia in the 1930's by Mestre Bimba (Manuel Do Reis Machado). Bimba modified many of the existing kicks in the traditional Capoeira to create a more upright and aggressive style. Capoeira Regional is usually practiced to a much quicker beat while dance rhythms are created by Bimba. Today the Regional style of Capoeira practiced by Bimba and his pupils is rarely seen. Contra Mestre Bene created the Associacao Batukege Capoeira at the end of the 1990's in Salvador Bahia. Instructor Vira Lata has been involved in the development of the group since 2000 in Brazil, the United Kingdom and now in Melbourne, Australia.

www.gmmel.com.au 

Commercial Jazz

Commercial Jazz combines many styles of jazz and a bit of hip hop to produce a sexy energetic style and would be seen in video clips and commerical performances. It is a great fuse and technique and personal style.

Contemporary

Contemporary is among the most distinctive dance styles often described as earthy. An artistic combination of ballet techniques and naturalistic movements, contemporary dance style includes a lot of floor work and turn in of the legs.

Dancehall

The Dancehall or Ragga sound as it is also known can be identified mainly by digitized rhythms, sounds and strong bass beats. Just like the music genre, the dance style is energetic, powerful and raw whilst maintaining fluidity and control. This unique style of Dancehall is blended with a hint of afro flava and adapts a variety of street dance moves and other ethnic dance styles. 
The classes start with a thorough warm up which progress into drills and foundational moves to introduce students to the style. This will also equip you with the ability to freestyle. And then the class finishes off with a routine that utilizes foundational moves and more.

Hip Hop / Funk

Hip Hop is one of those dance styles that belongs to the Urban Dance banner. The most famous of all dance styles, hip hop has become widespread as seen in music video clips especially urban performers. In fact, this dance style has grown so popular, you may even find it in video clips of more mainstream artists such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

Hip Hop choreography makes use of the same components and techniques found in other forms of Urban Dance. These include Popping, Locking and Breaking. Meanwhile, martial arts dance styles like Capoeira are also looked to for inspiration.

A regular Hip Hop class begins with a short warm up then proceeds to stretching. Once the warm up and stretching is done, the class performs a series of isolation exercises. These special exercises teach dancers how to move different parts of their body separately. The last section of this class is where the teacher puts together a short routine using a choreography that is both distinctive and can be performed along with the music chosen for that set.

Funk dancing is like the dance styles performed in the latest music videos. These classes are so much fun and patterned after the latest music trends. Funk is a great workout because you won’t even realise that you are exercising. It’s a great beginning for new dancers, especially for those who have never taken a dance class before. A class normally begins with a funky warm-up, light stretching, a special routine and finally, a short cool down.

Jazz

Jazz is a combination of dance styles that come from the musical theatre arts. Also known as modern dance or jazz ballet, it is often used in musical theatre, commercials and music video clips. Jazz takes some technique from Classical Ballet.

A typical jazz class begins with a warm up that is focused on stretching and isolating different body parts. Then the class starts learning separate moves like turns, jumps, leaps and pirouettes. A short, step-by-step routine is taught accompanied by popular music (i.e. Top 40, Pop or RnB). The class ends with a short cool-down and stretching.

Le Bop Modern Jive

Le Bop, also known as Modern Jive, has origins that can be traced back to France in the 50’s. It was very popular in the nightclubs of Europe. Over time the style has developed to encompass an eclectic mix of hot moves from Jive, Lambada, Dirty Dancing and many other styles of dance. This collage of dance styles against a backdrop of retro and today’s dance music can be heard on commercial radio stations and at nightclubs.

You do not need to bring a partner with you as everyone gets the opportunity to dance with everyone in the class. As a social night, it is a great way to meet some fantastic people.

Beginners with absolutely no previous dance experience need not worry as Le Bop is easy to learn. In fact, we guarantee to have YOU dancing after the first lesson! If you already have some dance experience, Le Bop can encompass some of the moves you already know, while leaving plenty of room for self expression. Currently there are over 400 moves, with more dance moves invented almost weekly. Of course, you can get away with knowing far fewer.

Lyrical Jazz

Lyrical Jazz combines the styles of ballet, jazz and contemporary and is commonly set to popular music. Lyrical dance uses the lyrics of the music as inspiration to express emotion and gesture.

Technique

This particular style of dance involves different combinations of kicks, jumps and turns that will test and enhance your jazz technique, movements and dance styles.

Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a mixture of Jamaican and Latin American influences blended with Hip Hop and Electronica beats. It’s a combination of dance styles from the modern era.

Tap

Tap is a style of dance distinguished by percussive footwork that marks out precise rhythmic patterns on the floor. Tap Dancing was developed in the United States, but owes much of its development to dance styles that include Irish solo step dance, the English clog dance, Spanish Flamenco and African dance movements.Tap shoes, leather soled shoes that have had metal taps and sound plates attached to them, are recommended. Beginners can make do with street shoes until they decide to purchase tap shoes.