Dance Programs
Spring 2023 Health & Safety Guidelines
Learn MoreDance at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts
MCA’s dance division includes class offerings for ages 18 months to adult, beginning through advanced levels.
Genres offered include: ballet, pointe, creative movement, contemporary, tap, hip hop, Irish classes. Classes focus on the development of technique as well as artistry. Courses within MCA’s core curriculum incorporate yearly written evaluations completed by the student’s instructor and the director of dance and include recommendations for level placement and advancement. Performance opportunities are made possible through participation in the Dance Repertory Company productions and special events such as National Tap Dance Day Celebration. Opportunities to apprentice classes and to join MCA’s National Honors Society for Dance Arts Chapter help provide dancers with valuable dance and life skills.
MCA’s dance division offers students exciting technique classes and performance opportunities in a nurturing and rigorous but non-competitive environment with qualified instructors. MCA successfully prepares students for future arts-related professional and educational pursuits. Students and alumni have studied at or performed with: American Ballet Theatre, Anaya Dance Theatre, Ballet Chicago, Butler University, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Colorado Ballet, Columbia College, Continental Ballet, Jeffery Ballet, Juilliard, Limon Dance Company, Milwaukee Ballet School, Minnesota Ballet School, Radio City Music Hall Rocketed, St. Paul City Ballet, Texas Christian University, Twin Cities Tap Festival, The Alban Institute, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota Twin Cities,University of Oklahoma, and Wichita State University among others.
About MCA's Dance Program
MCA is an affiliate program of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Department of Theatre and Dance. Students at the university, or those taking a post-secondary education option (PSEO) for high school, can get university credit towards their major, minor or PE credit, when they take an upper level MCA dance class. Our younger dancers also get the opportunity to perform in main-stage university productions, due to this connection, such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Le Corsaire, etc.
The Conservatory's Dance Repertory Company puts on a biannual Nutcracker, as well as a full-length performance every April. This production is either a full-length story ballet, or contemporary dance concert choreographed by a variety of professional choreographers from across the region. For the winters in years that there is not a Nutcracker, MCA produces a dance showcase in our black box theatre for the younger dancers, as well as pieces choreographed by students that have taken the Choreography class at the Conservatory. When possible dance classes also perform at local establishments and events. MCA's dance program does not participate in competitions, nor does it do recitals.
MCA's dance division offers students exciting technique classes and performance opportunities in a nurturing and rigorous but non-competitive environment with qualified instructors. MCA successfully prepares students for future arts-related professional and educational pursuits.
Students and alumni have studied at or performed with:
- American Ballet Theatre
- Ananya Dance Theatre
- Ballet Austin
- Ballet Chicago
- Broadway
- Butler University
- Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet
- Chicago Human Rhythm Project
- Colorado Ballet
- Columbia College
- Continental Ballet
- Eastman School of Music – Rochester University
- Joffery Ballet
- Juilliard
- Limon Dance Company
- Milwaukee Ballet School
- Minnesota Ballet School
- Minnesota Dance Theatre’s The Dance Institute
- Radio City Music Hall Rockettes
- Saint Olaf College
- St. Paul City Ballet
- Texas Christian University
- The Laban Institute
- University of Iowa
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- University of Missouri Kansas City
- University of Oklahoma
- and Wichita State University among others.
Whether you or your child dreams of dancing professionally or just want to reek the benefits of a fun, enriching, quality dance education MCA has a program for you!
To ensure the continuous education of both our instructors and students MCA is a proud member of the National Guild for Community Arts Schools and National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). As a member of NDEO MCA is also sponsors Junior (6th-8th grade), Secondary (High School), and Collegiate National Honors Society for Dance Arts Chapters to help recognize dancers accomplishments and commitments and further the field of dance education.
Dance Program Dress Code
Dance Division Dress Code
MCA students are asked to follow the below dress code. Adhering to this policy promotes safety and injury prevention, allows instructors to view the student's bodylines and placement to make corrections, and provides a sense of tradition, discipline and respect. Please note: no jeans may be worn for any classes. Basic dance shoes and attire may fitted and ordered through MCA's Dance Boutique. If the cost of dance attire makes participation in MCA programs difficult please contact our office at 507-453-5500, we would love to see if we are able to help provide gently used donations.
Ballet:
Students Identifying as Female – pink tights or appropriate skin-toned tights, pink ballet slippers/pointe shoes or appropriate skin-toned shoes, and a black leotard, hair pulled tightly off the face and neck in a bun. A ballet skirt may be worn for pointe and variations classes. On Saturdays, students may wear a ballet cut leotard in a color of choice.
Pre-Ballet for 4 & 5 Year-olds and Beginning Ballet female students are also invited to wear pink or white leotards and simple ballet skirts, pink tights or appropriate skin-toned tights, pink ballet slippers or appropriate skin-toned shoes and hair pulled tightly off the face and neck in a bun..
Students Identifying as Male – white t-shirt, black leggings/tights or shorts, and black or white ballet slippers (dance belt required for teen and adult male dancers).
Gender Non-conforming Students: fitted black t-shirt or leotard, black tights or leggings and black ballet shoes (dance belt as appropriate)
Modern:
Students Identifying as Female - Any colored leotard. Leggings, footless tights and or biker shorts may be worn and hair pulled off face and neck. No shoes needed, this class is taken barefoot.
Students Identifying as Male - Any color plain (no logos or design) t-shirt, dance pants, leggings, or shorts. Compression shorts and dance belts are required for teen and adult male dancers, respectively. No shoes needed, this class is taken barefoot.
Gender Non-conforming Students: fitted black t-shirt or leotard, footless black tights, leggings or jazz pants, and well-fitted socks (dance belt as appropriate). No shoes needed, this class is taken barefoot.
Creative Movement, Dance Adventures, My Grown Up and Me, and Boys in Motion:
All students: Movable clothing (not too baggy so as to hinder the instructor’s view of the student’s body lines), bare feet, hair pulled off the face and neck.
Tap:
All students: Movable clothing and oxford style tap shoes. Hair is to be pulled off the face and neck.
Contemporary Dance and Jazz:
Students Identifying as Female - Any colored leotard, black tights, leggings, or dance pants, black jazz shoes, jazz sneakers, or ballet slippers. Hair pulled off the face and neck.
Students Identifying as Male - Any colored t-shirt, dance pants or leggings, and jazz shoes or jazz sneakers. (dance belt as appropriate)
Gender Non-conforming Students: fitted black t-shirt or leotard, black tights, leggings or jazz pants, and jazz shoes or jazz sneakers, and hair pulled off the face and neck. (dance belt as appropriate)
Conditioning and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) classes:
All Students - Any colored t-shirt or leotard, dance pants or leggings that can be pulled up to the knee if needed, and bare feet. Hair will need to be secured very high or very low on the skull so that the dancer can lay flat on their back.
Dance Technique for Boys:
Students Identifying as Male: White t-shirt, black leggings, tights, or shorts, and black or white jazz shoes or ballet slippers.
Gender Non-conforming Students: fitted black t-shirt or leotard, black tights, leggings or jazz pants, and jazz shoes or jazz sneakers, and hair pulled off the face and neck. (dance belt as appropriate)
Irish:
Movable clothing (not too baggy as to hinder the instructor’s view of the student’s body lines), shorts or leggings are preferred, and Irish soft shoe Ghillies. Black ballet slippers are acceptable for beginners. Irish hard shoes are also required for dancers in Irish III & up.
Hip Hop
Movable clothing as desired. Hip Hop students wear clean tennis shoes or jazz sneakers. Hair pulled off the face and neck.
Adult & Other Specialty Classes
Oxford style tap shoes required for Clogging and Teen/Adult Tap students. Ballet slippers or jazz shoes for Teen/Adult Ballet. Barre students can be barefoot. Hair pulled off the face and neck.
Click Here to learn more about observation/ demonstration days, discounts, cancellation policy and more for dance classes.
Accreditation
PSEO Students in their junior and senior years of high school who participate in the Post Secondary Education Option (PSEO) may also take selected MCA classes for Saint Mary’s University credit offered through the Saint Mary’s dance minor. For more details, contact your high school or counselor.
Saint Mary's University Students have the option of taking upper level dance classes at MCA that are not offered on the SMU campus and performing with MCA's pre-professional dance company, The Dance Repertory Company (DRC) for credit. SMU students do not have to be a Dance Minor or even in the Theatre & Dance Department to participate in MCA dance classes or DRC. Please contact Tammy Schmidt, MCA Director of Dance and SMU Dance Department at: tschmidt@smumn.edu or 507-453-5502 for more info.
Cotter High School students who also participate in MCA dance classes and performances are able to track participation hours (MCA will validate) and turn them in to count towards Physical Education graduation requirements.
Other Memberships & Opportunities: To ensure the continuous education of both our instructors and students MCA is a proud member of the National Guild for Community Arts Schools, River Arts Alliance, National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). As a member of NDEO MCA is also sponsors Junior (6th-8th grade), Secondary (High School), and Collegiate National Honors Society for Dance Arts Chapters to help recognize dancers accomplishments and commitments and further the field of dance education.