Welcome to Vashon Center for Dance!
VCA is following the guidance of the Vashon Medical Reserve Corps to determine our Covid safety protocols. For Fall Term we are offering indoor classes for vaccinated teens and adults. Classes for students under the age of twelve will begin in our outdoor teaching spaces and will move inside when we receive approval from the MRC to do so. Please direct any questions to Wendy Finkleman at wendyf@vashoncenterforthearts.org.
The deadline to register for Fall Term dance classes is September 10th. The deadline to apply for fall dance scholarships is September 8th and the link to the application can be found below.
Vashon Center for Dance (VCD) is honored to have served the Vashon Community for more than 2 decades. Whether students are pursuing a career in dance, or study dance because they love it, all students are provided the same excellence in training in a supportive, challenging, and nurturing environment. Confidence, dedication, self-motivation and creative thinking are qualities and skills we seek to instill our students – qualities that will serve them well in all aspects of their lives. Our 2 spacious studios are in the historic Oddfellows Hall, which we refer to as the “Blue Heron Education Center”.
VCA is proud to offer scholarships! Please click the link below for more information.
For more VCD Performances Click Here
For info, registration, and questions please contact us at 206-259-3005
Advanced student and professionally choreographed work set on VCA dancers and Vashon performers.
A 20+ year tradition celebrated with photos, testimonials and video!
4 Original Works dances reworked for video in 2020.
Modern and Choreography III & IV
Modern and Choreography III & IV
Mondays, Sept 13-Dec 6 | 4:00-5:00 pm
Tuition: $220
Instructor: Vanesa Wiley
Location: Outdoor Studio
Miss Vanesa teaches students the movements that are the foundation for classical modern dance and helps students develop their creative voice. Contractions, spirals, basic floor work, and the concepts of Modern dance (space, time and force) are the building blocks of Modern dance and are taught in a manner that is encouraging and fun.
Find out more »Early Release Friday Dance Lab: AFROBEAT DANCE!
Early Release Friday Dance Lab: AFROBEAT DANCE! September 24th | 2-4pm Tuition: FREE Instructor: Kiné Camara In this open level Afro dance workshop, we will explore urban Afro grooves and popular steps through drills, exercises and a short combo. Afro dance is an umbrella term that includes several urban genres originated in Africa over the past 20-30 years, including Afrobeats, Coupe Decale, Afrohouse, Ndombolo and Amapiano to name a few. This workshop will be primarily based in the Afrobeats style…
Find out more »Ballet III
Ballet III
Ages: 8-11
Tuesdays & Fridays, Sept 14-Dec 10 (skip Nov 26) | 4:00-5:30 pm
Tuition: $640
Instructor: Vadne White and Vanesa Wiley
Location: Outdoor Studio
At this level, dancers train twice weekly (Tuesday and Friday) for skill acquisition and injury prevention. Dancers will be introduced to turns, more intricate combinations, and proper technique will be a focus. If the student would like to participate in our 2021 Nutcracker, rehearsals are an additional 45-minute session following the Tuesday class.
Find out more »Beginning Tap
Beginning Tap
Ages: 8-12
Mondays, Sept 13-Dec 6 | 5:00-5:45pm
Tuition: $165
Instructor: Joy Ghigleri
Location: Outdoor Studio
Trying on tap shoes for the first time? Let’s get you learning the fundamentals to tap steps! We’ll have you shuffling, paddle and rolling in no time! No dance experience required.
Find out more »Intermediate Tap
Intermediate Tap
Ages: 13+ (younger with permission from instructor)
Monday, Sept 13-Dec 6 | 5:45-6:30pm
Tuition: $165
Instructor: Joy Ghigleri
Location: Outdoor Studio
Building on the fundamentals of tap, students with begin rhythm hoofing and time stepping and more! Must have dance and tap experience.
Find out more »Advanced Jazz
Advanced Jazz
(Proof of vaccination required)
Mondays, Sept 13-Dec 6 | 5:00-6:15 pm
Tuition: $275
Instructor: Vanesa Wiley
Location: Upstairs Studio
Miss Vanesa gives a fabulous class for advanced dancers in our treasured American dance genre that includes a warm-up, stretching, across the floor combinations and fun choreography that builds every week. This class is open to level V dancers and above.
Find out more »Advanced Modern
Advanced Modern
(Proof of vaccination required)
Mondays, Sept 13-Dec 6 | 7:30-9 pm
Tuition: $380 (includes $50 production fee)
Instructor: Vanesa Wiley
Location: Upstairs Studio
Modern dance is important training for all dancers. Miss Vanesa’s experience teaching and choreographing this style of dance is extensive, and her classes are fun and energetic. At this level, Graham, Cunningham, Limon and other modern disciplines are covered. Class will perform in Vashon’s Nutcracker (production fee included).
Find out more »Ballet IV
Ballet IV
(Proof of vaccination required)
Tuesdays, Sept 14-Dec 7 | 4:00-5:30 pm & Thursdays, Sept 16-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) | 4:15-5:45 pm
Tuition: $640
Instructor: Vadne White and Madeline Morser
Location: Upstairs (Tuesday) and Downstairs (Thursday) Studios
Ballet IV meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, and combines elements of pre-pointe and beginning pointe work, as well as intermediate combinations, stretches, turns, and jumps. Twice weekly training is the minimum requirement for skill acquisition, and students are encouraged to take the Ballet III class for supplemental training at no extra cost. If the student would like to participate in our 2021 Nutcracker, rehearsals are an additional 45-minute session following the Thursday Ballet IV class.
Find out more »Ballet V-VII – WAITLIST
Ballet V-VII - WAITLIST
(Proof of vaccination required)
Tuesdays, Sept 14-Dec 7 | 5:30-7:15 pm & Thursdays, Sept 16-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) | 4:15-5:45 pm
Tuition: $690
Instructors: Vadne White, Vanesa Wiley and Madeline Morser
Location: Upstairs (Tuesday) and
Downstairs (Thursday) Studios
Students at this level are trained in intermediate to advanced pointe work, partnering, controlled adage, adept petit allegro, as well as more advanced combinations, turns, and jumps. Scholarly articles are shared with students in the areas of conditioning, nutrition, wellness, flexibility, and more. Twice weekly training is the minimum requirement for skill maintenance, and students are strongly encouraged to take the Ballet IV class for supplemental training at no extra cost. Because these dancers have many roles in Vashon’s Nutcracker, rehearsals are an additional session following the Tuesday and Thursday classes.
Find out more »Ballet V-VII Nutcracker Rehearsal
Ballet V-VII Nutcracker Rehearsal
(Proof of vaccination required)
Tuesdays, 7:15-8:30 pm & Thurdays, Sept 14-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) 5:45-6:30 pm
Tuition: $530 (includes $100 production fee)
Students will work with VCA choreographers to learn and rehearse for Vashon’s Nutcracker.
Adult Ballet – Tuesdays
Adult Ballet
(Proof of vaccination required)
Ages: 13+
Tuesdays, Sept 14-Dec 7 (skip Nov 23) | 2:15-3:15 pm
Tuition: $205
Instructor: Kathleen Bonner
Location: Upstairs Studio
One of our two weekly adult ballet classes taught by island dancer/teacher/choreographer Kathleen Bonner. Class focus is technique, choreography, and fun.
Find out more »Choreography
Choreography
(Proof of vaccination required)
Wednesdays, Sept 15-Dec 8 (skip Nov 24) | 3:15-4:15 pm
Tuition: $205
Instructor: Madeline Morser
Location: Upstairs Studio
Sometimes choreography can look like that scary blank sheet of paper before the essay is written or the painting is painted. But what if you knew how to expand, reverse, invert, and morph a single move into twenty new moves? This class is the toolbox builder for both new and continuing choreographers level V and above. Every two or so classes, we will begin work on a new element or tool of choreography, discussing what we have made, and viewing examples of professional work exemplifying the same concepts. Students are encouraged to use the material they create in this lab style class for their own choreography, as pure experimentation, or any combination thereof.
Find out more »Beginning/Intermediate Contemporary
Beginning/Intermediate Contemporary
Wednesdays, Sept 15-Dec 8 (skip Nov 24) | 4:15-5:30 pm
Tuition: $255
Instructor: Madeline Morser
Location: Outdoor Studio
This class is aimed at introducing level III and IV dancers to Contemporary dance. An umbrella term for various mixtures of Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, and foreign dance styles, Contemporary dance is a wonderful opportunity to dive into learning complex, detailed, and satisfying phrase-work to a variety of pop and indie music choices. Following a full body warm up standing, upside-down, and on the ground, we will learn across the floor progressions and longer phrases.
Find out more »Advanced Lyrical
Advanced Lyrical
(Proof of vaccination required)
Wednesdays, Sept 15-Dec 8 (skip Nov 24) | 5:30-7:00 pm
Tuition: $305
Instructor: Madeline Morser
Location: Upstairs Studio
Hone your fluidity, expression, and grace in Advanced Lyrical! Lyrical dance is most often defined as a combination of ballet and jazz techniques, with emphasis on graceful, fluid motions that often mirror the lyrics or theme of the music. Class will start with a center warm up including both standing exercises and daily workshops for jumps, turns, and falls to be used in phrase-work. We will use the second half of class for traveling progressions as well as longer phrases/group dances. This class is an advanced level open to level V dancers and above.
Find out more »Advanced Contemporary
Advanced Contemporary
(Proof of vaccination required)
Wednesdays, Sept 15-Dec 8 (skip Nov 24) | 7:00-8:30 pm
Tuition: $305
Instructor: Madeline Morser
Location: Upstairs Studio
Advanced Contemporary includes a full body warm up with combos standing, upside-down, and on the ground followed by phrase work and some feel-good across the floor progressions. Let’s have a blast with our favorite music while taking apart and getting into the nitty-gritty details of timing, floor-work, inversions, and a powerful grounded center. We will also begin building a group piece in class. This is an advanced class open to level V dancers and above.
Pre-Professional Ballet
Pre-Professional Ballet
(Proof of vaccination required)
Thursdays, Sept 16-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) | 3:00-4:15 pm
Tuition: $255
Instructor: Vadne White
Location: Upstairs Studio
Pre-Professional Ballet is a companion class to Ballet V & VI and provides advanced training to dancers who are serious about their craft and have a desire to dance at the professional and/or collegiate level.
Ballet IV Nutcracker Rehearsal
Ballet IV Nutcracker Rehearsal
(Proof of vaccination required)
Thurdays, Sept 16-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) | 5:45-6:30 pm
Tuition: $265 (includes $100 production fee)
Students will work with VCA choreographers to learn and rehearse 2 or more roles in Vashon’s Nutcracker.
Adult Ballet – Thursdays
Adult Ballet
(Proof of vaccination required)
Ages: 13+
Thursdays, Sept 16-Dec 9 (skip Nov 25) | 6:30-7:30 pm
Tuition: $205
Instructor: Kathleen Bonner
Location: Upstairs Studio
One of our two weekly adult ballet classes taught by island dancer/teacher/choreographer Kathleen Bonner. Class focus is technique, choreography, and fun.