Dance
At Hamilton, students will explore a variety of dance styles and choreography methods, fostering confidence, creativity, self-expression, teamwork, collaboration, and cultural awareness.
Program Curriculum
This year students will delve into a new genre of dance every month and study a featured dancer. The focus will be on enhancing strength, flexibility, musicality, and choreography skills. As we progress through the months, each genre we explore will bring new challenges and learning opportunities. From the grace of ballet to the rhythm of hip-hop, every style will contribute to making us well-rounded and versatile dancers. Remember, every class, every new step learned, and every moment of hard work brings us closer to the annual dance concert. It's an opportunity to showcase all that we've learned and the growth we've achieved together!
Upcoming Events:
Nov 11th - ChiArtsAdmissions Info
Dec 14th- MiddleSchoolDance Concert
Feb 13th- PreK-5th GradeDance Concert
May 12-16th- MiddleSchool Musical
Jun 6th- Kindergarten Celebration
PreK -1st Grade
Dancers are actively getting ready for their upcoming concert performance. The students are concentrating on perfecting their formations while integrating the three levels of dance. Details regarding costume requirements will be shared in January.
2nd Grade-5th Grade
Students in grades 2 through 5 are presently learning about our highlighted dancer of the month, Savion Glover. During each session, students work on vital dance abilities like alignment, coordination, balance, musicality, core support, and facial expression. Dancers are actively getting ready for their upcoming concert performance. Details regarding costume requirements will be shared in January.
Middle School
Dance Performance Class:
Students will focus on daily conditioning to boost strength and flexibility. Tailored for students at any level, this class incorporates specific exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and overall conditioning, providing a comprehensive approach to dance training. Students will work in small groups to create original choreography and will learn various techniques for choreography development. Each day, a different student will lead a 5-minute warm-up. From Monday to Wednesday, students will focus on developing their choreography based on specific prompts, and on Friday, they will present their final choreographed pieces. To showcase their creations, dancers will take part in a culminating middle school dance concert in December and final caastone project.
WHAT'S NEXT
Annual Dance Concert
Please save the date for our annual dance concert on Thursday, February 13th, with performances at 9:30am and 1:15pm. Details about tickets and costume requirements will be shared at a later date. This year, we’re excited to introduce something new and unique to our concert—a Dad Dance! We invite all Hamilton fathers or father figures to join in a fun, less-than-2-minute dance during the show. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of the Hamilton arts community and meet other Hamilton dads while showing off your dance moves!
STAY IN THE KNOW
Rhythm in Motion
Meet the Teacher
Our teachers and staff make everything in our classrooms happen.
JHAIANNE
COOPER
Jhaianne Cooper’s passion for dance began at the age of three, and by 14, she was already teaching dance. She trained in a variety of styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Horton and Graham techniques, honing her craft at prestigious programs such as Joffrey NYC, Ballet Chicago, Deeply Rooted, Interlochen Michigan, and Mayfair Academy of Fine Arts. Jhaianne graduated from the Chicago High School for the Arts, excelling in both dance and academics, and later earned her degree from Alabama State University, where she was crowned Miss Alabama State University. She furthered her education with a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University Chicago, with endorsements in English as a Second Language and Dance. As a mother, educator, and dancer, Jhaianne continues to inspire others with her resilience and passion, dedicating herself to both her craft and community.