acting
Wendee Cole is one of Hollywood’s premiere kids Acting Coaches. Wendee’s unique Acting training technique is a sure-fire method for commercials, tv, film, theatre, improv, voiceovers, and even stand-up comedy. The results are astounding!
Her young students and clients have landed spots on National Commercials such as Target, Toyota, Bausch & Lomb, and AT &T, and DDPAC’s talented Lucy Bollier recently nabbed the title role of “Matilda” at Thousand Oaks Civic Center.
Ms. Cole’s discovery at Dance Dimension’s, Nate Potvin, started out guest and co-starring on tv’s “Jessie,” “CSI,” “Haunted Hathaways,” and “The Middle,” (to name a few), and went on to star in major TV shows such as Disney’s XD’s “Mech X-4,” Kerry Washington’s Facebook Watch’s “Five Points,” plus 3 seasons of a recurring guest role on Netflix’s “Alexa & Katie.” You can soon catch him starring opposite Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corbin in Netflix’s musical “The Prom.”
Ms. Cole holds a BA in Theatre from UCLA, and her background comes from Musical Theatre. She was one of the original stars of Off-Broadway’s long-running smash hit musical review, “Forbidden Broadway,” and was Hollywood’s first female “warm-up” artist, entertaining sitcom studio audiences with her hilarious comedy for over fifteen years. Throughout these past years of teaching and coaching children, Wendee has also written, produced, and directed “Family & Friends Shows”; Industry Showcases such as “Camera Ready Kids” Showcase at Dance Dimensions; Readers Theatre; and clever parody musicals including “When Harry Met Sally Potter.”
Ms. Cole is thrilled to be returning to Dance Dimensions again this year to teach her amazing acting technique, and is excited to train and discover many more talented kids!
Her young students and clients have landed spots on National Commercials such as Target, Toyota, Bausch & Lomb, and AT &T, and DDPAC’s talented Lucy Bollier recently nabbed the title role of “Matilda” at Thousand Oaks Civic Center.
Ms. Cole’s discovery at Dance Dimension’s, Nate Potvin, started out guest and co-starring on tv’s “Jessie,” “CSI,” “Haunted Hathaways,” and “The Middle,” (to name a few), and went on to star in major TV shows such as Disney’s XD’s “Mech X-4,” Kerry Washington’s Facebook Watch’s “Five Points,” plus 3 seasons of a recurring guest role on Netflix’s “Alexa & Katie.” You can soon catch him starring opposite Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corbin in Netflix’s musical “The Prom.”
Ms. Cole holds a BA in Theatre from UCLA, and her background comes from Musical Theatre. She was one of the original stars of Off-Broadway’s long-running smash hit musical review, “Forbidden Broadway,” and was Hollywood’s first female “warm-up” artist, entertaining sitcom studio audiences with her hilarious comedy for over fifteen years. Throughout these past years of teaching and coaching children, Wendee has also written, produced, and directed “Family & Friends Shows”; Industry Showcases such as “Camera Ready Kids” Showcase at Dance Dimensions; Readers Theatre; and clever parody musicals including “When Harry Met Sally Potter.”
Ms. Cole is thrilled to be returning to Dance Dimensions again this year to teach her amazing acting technique, and is excited to train and discover many more talented kids!
acro
Acro incorporates tumbling, aerials, flips, cartwheels, backbends, splits, leg extensions, pikes, pitches and round-offs. Stretching, core strengthening, and floor work are also taught in Acro. This technique is sometimes used in dance routines.
aerial
Our aerial classes consist of Aerial Silk, Aerial Hammocks and a Trapeze/Harness class.
Aerial Silk is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a special fabric. Performers climbs the suspended fabric using the strength of their bodies. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, fall, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions. It is widely known from the “Cirque Du Soliel” shows.
Aerial Hammock is the same material as aerial silks, however, the fabric loops back up to the ceiling to create a U-shaped hammock-like silk. This allows tricks to be done inside the opened fabric as well as outside of the fabric, bridging ground and aerial movement. In this class, students will learn a wide variety of basic tricks and skills on the hammock such as mounts, dismounts, transitions, balance, inversions, spinning, swinging, poses and choreography. Students gain strength and improve flexibility.
One of the most classic of all aerial apparatus, Aerial Trapeze consists of a bar suspended by two ropes. Students will learn basic mounting and dismounting skills, static and dynamic tricks, balancing and swinging techniques, and the basics of phrasing. There is focus on strength training and flexibility specific to the apparatus.
Aerial Harness: If you have ever seen a performer fly through the air on cables, bounce on bungees, or dance on walls, that is probably harness work. Students will begin by learning basic harness wearing and safety techniques. As class progresses, students will spin, swing, invert, and fly. Both static harness and bungee harness flying will be taught.
Aerial Yoga: Utilizing a hip-height Ariel Hammock, with emphasis on breath and posture, Salina leads you through exercises and poses to strengthen, lengthen and center Your whole being. Zero compression inversions are accessible and fun with clear progressions. The class is designed to help you access poses which are much less accessible on the floor, and actually more beneficial in the aerial hammock. At the end of class you’ll experience a floating shavasana, AKA cocoon nap. This results in bringing the best ”you” to the world around you.
Aerial Bungee Cords allow for an extremely innovative workout. The stretch in the bungee cord, which is suspended from the ceiling provides the perfect amount of resistance because it’s controlled by your body weight. This level of resistance provides a fun fitness experience giving you high cardio and muscle building at the same time
Aerial Silk is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a special fabric. Performers climbs the suspended fabric using the strength of their bodies. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, fall, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions. It is widely known from the “Cirque Du Soliel” shows.
Aerial Hammock is the same material as aerial silks, however, the fabric loops back up to the ceiling to create a U-shaped hammock-like silk. This allows tricks to be done inside the opened fabric as well as outside of the fabric, bridging ground and aerial movement. In this class, students will learn a wide variety of basic tricks and skills on the hammock such as mounts, dismounts, transitions, balance, inversions, spinning, swinging, poses and choreography. Students gain strength and improve flexibility.
One of the most classic of all aerial apparatus, Aerial Trapeze consists of a bar suspended by two ropes. Students will learn basic mounting and dismounting skills, static and dynamic tricks, balancing and swinging techniques, and the basics of phrasing. There is focus on strength training and flexibility specific to the apparatus.
Aerial Harness: If you have ever seen a performer fly through the air on cables, bounce on bungees, or dance on walls, that is probably harness work. Students will begin by learning basic harness wearing and safety techniques. As class progresses, students will spin, swing, invert, and fly. Both static harness and bungee harness flying will be taught.
Aerial Yoga: Utilizing a hip-height Ariel Hammock, with emphasis on breath and posture, Salina leads you through exercises and poses to strengthen, lengthen and center Your whole being. Zero compression inversions are accessible and fun with clear progressions. The class is designed to help you access poses which are much less accessible on the floor, and actually more beneficial in the aerial hammock. At the end of class you’ll experience a floating shavasana, AKA cocoon nap. This results in bringing the best ”you” to the world around you.
Aerial Bungee Cords allow for an extremely innovative workout. The stretch in the bungee cord, which is suspended from the ceiling provides the perfect amount of resistance because it’s controlled by your body weight. This level of resistance provides a fun fitness experience giving you high cardio and muscle building at the same time
BALLET
The foundation for all other forms of dance commonly practiced today, Ballet is a classical dance form dating back to the fifteenth century that involves formal technique including arm, leg, and foot positions to make lines with the body. Balance and correct body posture are the basis for turning, lifting and jumping. Instruction in Ballet is an important first step for any new dancer and needs to be continued throughout a dance life!
In their Ballet classes at DDPAC, children are treated to a fanciful and creative introduction to dance, and older students are offered technique, proper body alignment and musicality.
In their Ballet classes at DDPAC, children are treated to a fanciful and creative introduction to dance, and older students are offered technique, proper body alignment and musicality.
BOLLYWOOD
India’s Bollywood Dance has been seen in many Hollywood movies such as MOULIN ROUGE, CHICAGO and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. The Bollywood dance style incorporates the fusion of Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Salsa, African, East Indian Classical and Folk.
CONTEMPORARY
Contemporary is a hybrid of ballet, jazz, lyrical and modern dance styles. It is a ballet-based technique that allows a greater range of movement than the strict body lines and foot work found in traditional schools of ballet. Contemporary Ballet exposes dancers to a wide range of techniques that fosters versatility. This class focuses on centering, strengthening the body, increasing flexibility, improving balance, proper placement, body alignment, fluidity and emotion. The dancer learns to let the music and their own passion guide the movement. The class consists of a warm up with stretching, ballet barre, centre work, and a full dance routine at the end of the class which is all set to contemporary music. The class will let you express yourself through dance and is a benefit to all levels of dancers.
DUNHAM
Dunham Technique is a combination of dance disciplines: Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Cultural dances from Haiti, Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and African. Created by Katherine Dunham, the technique kept evolving until her transition in 2006. Most recently before her passing, Katherine Dunham started her work in Chakras, which is East Indian– Using those energy points and colors with dance by tapping into all 7 chakras, according to movement. The Technique has an amazing barre, it then moves to center floor for isolations, followed by progressions across the floor and lastly combination. I call it “The Gumbo of Dance… with all the spices!’ –as it includes quite a few dance disciplines all in one technique!!
HIP HOP
In Hip Hop, movements are bouncy, fast, and funky. It is foot oriented, but uses body isolations, popping, and break dancing. Hip Hop is highly energetic and allows the dancer to perform with freedom of movement. This dance is ideal for developing improvisational skills as well as musical interpretation.
INJURY PREVENTION
Sugarfoot Therapy is a revolutionary conditioning program created by Doctors of Physical Therapy in collaboration with the many competitive and professional dancers they work with at their Los Angeles-based Physical Therapy practice (MOTI Physiotherapy). Used by dancers and dance educators worldwide, Sugarfoot Therapy brings the exercises of sports physical therapy to dancers. When practiced regularly, these exercises are scientifically proven to help reduce injury risk and enhance performance.
JAZZ
Jazz
There are many forms of jazz dance; lyrical jazz, modern jazz, and street jazz. We will be focusing a little bit on all of these. Lyrical is slower and uses more extension in the moves, modern uses more contractions and off-center shapes, and street jazz (also called L.A. Jazz) involves more shoulder shrugs, hip isolations, and neck rolls emphasizing walking and moving on beat.
Classical Jazz (Adult)
Classical Jazz, after the fashion of Musical Theater icons Jack Cole, Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins. The class is open to anyone with previous training in jazz, ballet or modern. It’s great for those wishing to get (or stay) fit! This is an actual dance class, not an aerobic exercise class.
There are many forms of jazz dance; lyrical jazz, modern jazz, and street jazz. We will be focusing a little bit on all of these. Lyrical is slower and uses more extension in the moves, modern uses more contractions and off-center shapes, and street jazz (also called L.A. Jazz) involves more shoulder shrugs, hip isolations, and neck rolls emphasizing walking and moving on beat.
Classical Jazz (Adult)
Classical Jazz, after the fashion of Musical Theater icons Jack Cole, Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins. The class is open to anyone with previous training in jazz, ballet or modern. It’s great for those wishing to get (or stay) fit! This is an actual dance class, not an aerobic exercise class.
JAZZ FUNK
Jazz funk dance, a super-set of the Jazz form of dancing is influenced by the Hip Hop dance style. Much like the Hip Hop, Jazz Funk has been often fast-paced pointed gestures and quick movements. Most of the performances you will see will be emphasizing on feminism and intricate movements.
LYRICAL
Lyrical dance is a dance style that embodies various aspects of ballet, jazz, acrobatics, and modern dance. According to Jennifer Fisher, lyrical dance is “strongly associated with clearly displayed emotional moods, fast-moving choreographic strategies, emphasis on virtuosic display, illustration of song lyrics, and, in group form, exact unison.” The style is usually danced at a faster pace than ballet but not as fast as jazz.
MODERN
This class incorporates a combination of different styles of modern dance. Modern dance itself was first created as a rebellion against ballet and later became a fusion of new expressive ways of moving, incorporating technical dance forms. This modern class combines technique with a more athletic style of movement including fall and release, moving the body off its center, and learning how to use the floor and space in many different ways. This class allows for more exploration of movement, and more freedom to dance outside the specific form of traditional ballet. Students will learn combinations as well as use their own creativity in improvisation.
MUSICAL THEATER
Musical Theater teaches the dancing behind stage Musicals, using Jazz Technique and the theatrics of stage performance in order to create the character-driven movement that illustrates the story. It does not teach singing.
PARENT AND ME
Parent and Me is a creative movement dance class introducing the youngest dancers to ballet and dance class structure using great music and props. We work on dance steps and terms, balance, coordination, class structure and dance etiquette all in a fun, nurturing setting.
PERFORMANCE
Learn and explore various tools and techniques to enhance your performance skills- for stage, competition, camera, auditions and class! We will work with all the styles of dance you know to find how YOU can express yourself in the most authentic ways, from the inside - out, in each style. We will explore how to empower your own voices: the feelings, perspectives, vibes, stories, personalities and passions that makes each one of us perfectly unique, and then we learn how to bring all of that to the movement, combos, choreography and pieces you learn. Think of your all-time favorite dancers: how do they connect with you, not only through their technique, but the way they share themselves with you through their eyes, faces, hearts, voices... Their own unique glow- which makes their every movement even better?! Good news: Your voice and glow is already within you! This year we will dive deep, have fun and discover how to freely and confidently bring YOU to each performance, in every genre of dance. Because you, as the dancer, are in charge of bringing all the movement to life with your own unique voice.
POINTE
Pointe is an advanced ballet style with special shoes that allow you to dance on your toes safely. DDPAC must give you permission to go on pointe, if we deem you ready.
STRETCH AND STRENGTH
Stretch and Strength focuses on exactly that - stretching and strengthening the muscles that are particularly useful for dance. This class is usually circuit-based and uses apparatuses for additional resistance training.
TAP
Taps on the bottom of the shoes allow the dancer to make sounds. A unique vocabulary is used in tap, and each step allows the dancer to create different syncopated rhythms. A very energetic style of dance which develops foot control and balance to a high level.
TECHNIQUE
This class consists of Stretch and Strengthening, Leaps & Turns and Jazz Technique. These disciplines are crucial for any dancer who wishes to excel in any style.
OPEN
This class alternates between Contemporary and Jazz Funk, providing students with the opportunity to explore both styles. The focus is on learning choreography and mastering combinations, making it ideal for dancers who want to strengthen their ability to pick up choreo efficiently and perform with confidence. While technique is not the main emphasis, dancers will refine their artistry and adaptability in each style.