LA JUNTA — The OJC Dance Studio is beginning Fall Semester classes this week. There is still time to register for classes offered in all levels of Ballet, Pointé, Tap, Tumbling, Hip Hop (for ages 11 and over), and Jazz (for ages 7-11). Openings are still available in Movement Exploration classes for 3-4 year olds, 4-5 year olds and Tot Trot classes.

Instructors in the OJC Dance Studio include Director Jennifer Jackson, Denise Balicki and Debby Hansen. Jackson and Balicki are long time OJC Dance students and now are instructors in the studio where they began their dance education. Debby Hansen joined the studio last spring.

Utilizing the expertise and years of experience with Pre-School age children, Debby Hansen has created some new curriculum for the Tot Trot and Movement Exploration classes. Tot Trot is for 3-4 year olds and will prepare the dancer for pre-school as well as higher levels of dance education. The Movement Exploration class is for 4-5 year olds and will supplement what children are learning in pre-school. The class has also been expanded to include tumbling for these very active dancers.

For 5-6 year olds, the dance program is offering Pre-Dance, a mixed class including ballet, tap and tumbling. Dancers will rotate between the disciplines each week learning basic steps and exposing them to the different dance styles.

Formal training in Tap, Tumbling, and Ballet begins at age 6. A graded syllabus guides students from this level through advanced levels including Pointé.

New this year is Junior Jazz for dancers ages 7-11. Basic jazz dance steps are learned in this class that will progress to Hip Hop at age 11. Hip Hop levels 1 and 2 are for dancers age 12 and over. Hip Hop is the popular style of dancing seen in many music videos and in the popular TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

The highlight of the Fall Semester will be the production of The Nutcracker. It has been four years since The Nutcracker has been seen on the OJC Dance Studio stage, and on December 12 and 13, The Nutcracker will return. For two days in December, the stage will come alive with dancing flowers, dolls, snowflakes, fighting soldiers, mice, dancing candy and of course, Clara and her beloved Nutcracker Prince.

Dancers who are Kindergarten age and older will have the opportunity to participate in the show. Auditions are Saturday, August 23 starting at 10 am and are open to the public. Anyone interested in being a part of this holiday classic story are invited to audition. No dance experience is necessary as simple dance combinations will be taught to those auditioning. Rehearsals will be held on either Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings depending on the schedule of the instructors.

Information about classes, the full schedule, and information about The Nutcracker production and auditions can be found at www.ojc.edu/dance, or by calling the dance studio office at 384-6812 or Director Jennifer Jackson at 241-0118.