Tap & Ballet Classes

Does your child love moving to music and performing for the family? These classes are the perfect way to introduce them to the world of dance while improving balance, posture, and rhythm. Your child will learn the basic steps and positions while building flexibility, strength, and coordination. These classes are a great way for children to improve listening skills and adjust to the group setting. Each child will need one pair of ballet/tap shoes (depending on the class) and clothing appropriate for dance.

Fee          $10 per session (4 classes)

Location   Deterding Community Center, 1415 Rushden Drive, Sacramento 95864

Registration Deadlines: June, Register by May 27th / July, Register by July 1st / August, Register by July 29th

Elaine Hunter began her dance training at the age of four. She studied ballet under Marguerite Phares, Stuart Carrol, and Sharon Newton and danced with both the Theater Ballet Company and Capitol Ballet Company. Elaine has studied several other dance styles including tap with Joanna Summerhays and Krei Mathews, hip hop, lyrical, and jazz.  Elaine has competed at the national level with her high school dance team; and has taught several dance clinics and tap classes. Elaine is a supportive and devoted teacher whose love of dance is shared with all of her students. 

Jessica Aron began studying dance at age 4.  She was introduced to ballet by Margurite Pharas and continued training with Stuart Carrol and Sharon Newton. She danced with the Theater Ballet Company as well as the Capitol Ballet Company for many years.   At the age of 7 she was introduced to tap dance by Joanna Summerhays and fell in love.  She continued more extensive tap training at Broadway Dance Center in NYC for many summers and danced under Germaine Salsberg and Savion Glover.  Jessica has studied many other forms of dance such as Modern, Jazz, and lyrical. After dance related injuries she was encouraged to stop intensive training and has most recently danced with the Arch Dance Company at American River College and has began taking classes at California State University Sacramento.  She is a very positive and motivating teacher who’s goal is to help each child reach their personal best.

Sarah Gwen Thomas has been a dancer and musical theater lover for most of her life. She also has a strong passion for education and teaching. Her style of teaching can be described as energetic, creative and motivational. Sarah grew up in the bay area where she danced and competed with dance companies such as Pam Drakes Dance 10 and West Coast School of Dance.   She has been classically trained in ballet, tap and jazz since the age of 9 and included musical theater dance styles in her repertoire the beginning of her 9th grade year of high school.  During her undergraduate college years, she also served as Western Placer Dance Director of S.T.A.R. education program in the town of Lincoln. There, she taught a combination of ballet, tap and jazz to students in K-7th grades. In May 2010, she will possess a Masters of Arts degree in Education with a concentration in School Psychology from Sacramento State University, California where; she also received a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Dance.  At CSUS, she participated in theatrical avant garde student performance pieces and annual Faculty Dance Concerts under the direction of Lisa Ross and Laureli Bayne. Dance and theater continue to be important parts of Sarah's life and she is dedicated to sharing her passion for dance and creativity with all of her students.