Mark your calendars! This Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 10:00 am dancers from the Coronado Academy of Dance will take center stage at Granzer Hall, located at Coronado Middle School. The performance, which offers free admission to the public, marks the 19th consecutive year that Dawn Tyler, the owner of the Coronado Academy of Dance, has graciously welcomed members of the community to enjoy a holiday themed performance by her students, ages two through adult.
Dawn grew up in Coronado, attending Coronado’s public schools from elementary school all the way through her graduation from Coronado High School. She loves owning and operating a dance studio in Coronado, and views the winter recital as her chance to give back to the community she adores. “Coronado is very special to me,” she says. “I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to have my business in my hometown. To be able to have the studio as a place where the teachers and I get to share and continue the love of dance with the new generation of children in this town is a tremendous opportunity for me.”
This weekend’s holiday inspired performance is entitled Making Spirits Bright, and features students from all of the Coronado Academy of Dance’s classes. “We keep it fun,” Dawn promises, noting that the winter performance is informal, giving many first-time dance students a great experience to dance on stage in front of an audience. “We highly encourage the Coronado community and public to come support our kids, and get in the holiday spirit! It’s such a wonderful show,” she says.
The Coronado Academy of Dance, located at 952 Orange Avenue in the alley by Panera Bread, has been in business since 1998. Each year they host two shows, the winter performance in December followed by a formal recital in late spring, typically the second weekend of June. The winter performance only features students, whereas the spring recital features performances that include the Coronado Academy of Dance instructors too.
Dawn serves as the owner and director, and has a team of five instructors at the studio. They offer a variety of dance classes, including tap, jazz, hippity hop, hip hop, ballet/pointe, and contemporary dance. There are combo classes for younger children to expose them to multiple dance styles as well, and classes are organized by age groups.
“We offer instruction for kids as young as two in the class Dance FUNdamentals. It’s a 30 minute class that introduces movements, music, and gross motor skills for toddlers with well known songs that children recognize to keep it fun while they’re learning,” Dawn explains. “Then we offer 45 minute Boogie Babies combo classes, which are tap and pre-ballet for preschool children, ages three and four, followed by hour long Twinkle Toes classes for four and five year old children. Kinder Combo, which is also an hour long, is for five and six year olds, and continues to build on the tap and pre-ballet concepts,” Dawn says.
Students between the ages of six through eighteen then can specialize in a variety of classes depending on their specific dance interest(s), meaning that a student who is interested in hip hop lessons can also take tap lessons since those classes are offered at different times. Dawn is proud to also offer dance classes to adults in the Coronado community. “Right now we offer an Adult Tap, and in January we are starting an Adult Hip Hop Fusion class that several moms have requested,” Dawn shares with great enthusiasm.
For any parents out there who have seen the sometimes controversial reality show on Lifetime called Dance Moms, Dawn laughs as she assures potential new students of all ages that the Coronado Academy of Dance is not a competitive dance studio. Her mission is simply to pass along her lifelong love of dancing, emphasized by the motto of the Coronado Academy of Dance, “It’s Time to Dance!” Dawn describes her dance studio as “a nice, nurturing environment,” adding that all dance moves taught are age appropriate.
Ballet instructor Madeleine Schoch, who moved here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin this past year, echoes Dawn’s sentiments in regard to ensuring that dancing is an enjoyable endeavor. She reflects on her role of teaching ballet to younger students as she says, “It’s teaching them how to learn. Yes, we’re learning dance skills, and we’re learning steps, but we’re also learning how to stand still, how to remember what comes next, and how to listen to the music. As they get older, they’ll be able to continue to apply these invaluable skills as they grow into accomplished dancers.” She concludes, “I was really lucky to start working at the Coronado Academy of Dance. I love it!”
Additional Information:
To view the Coronado Academy of Dance’s Facebook page click here.
