Dance classes
Dance is a sport in which you use almost every muscle in your body. By dancing you train your endurance and balance, but also your memory and creativity. The many different styles in dance all require different techniques. With more static movements in urban dance and more flowing and stretched movements in contemporary jazz. Dance is a competing and a performance sport, which makes it different from many other sports, since it is also seen as an art form. Therefore, attention to expression and improvisation is also very important to include in trainings and workshops.
The Student Dance Factory will offer classes and workshops in multiple dance styles. For now, the focus will lay on urban and contemporary, but we hope to include more dance styles in the future. All classes that will be offered, will include a warming up, technical exercises, improvisation exercises, choreographies and a cooling down.
Regular classes
Urban
Every alternating Wednesday from 21:00 – 22:00 at Sporthal de Vlinder, Wageningen
Urban dance has its roots on the streets of New York. Originally it all started with breakdance, which formed the foundation for hiphop. Throughout the USA different urban styles were formed due to the fusion with other dance styles. Examples are house dancing that comes from club dancing, and popping & locking, that comes from funk dance. Over time these dance styles have spread all over the world and the urban dance scene is still developing. Popular recent styles are for example Afro Hiphop or and Hiphop New Style. Urban dance is not just dance, but part of a street culture that also includes rap and graffiti for example.
Nowadays it is widely taught at dance schools. In the Netherlands it is very popular among all ages. Also among students it is a popular sport and many dance crews compete with each other all over the country. In competitions different dance crew’s show their choreographies and are judged by a jury. The jury will judge different aspects such as the choreography itself, the difficulty, synchrony, technique, creativity and execution. Next to the crew competitions, a lot of individual or duo battles are organized every year. Those battles are all about performing, creativity and freestyle. The jury, but also sometimes the audience, may decide who is the winner.
Regular classes
Contemporary
Every alternating Wednesday from 21:00 – 22:00 at Sporthal de Vlinder, Wageningen
Contemporary is a dance style merged out of ballet and modern dance. Technique is really important in this style and requires a lot of training. Originally, this style was developed because a new generation of choreographers, that did not want to follow the strict rules and fixed moves of classical ballet and jazz, stood up. Therefore, relatively more attention is given to improvisation and creativity in this style compared to other classical and technical dance styles.
Developing new moves, creating new dynamics and expanding the boundaries of dance were the central ideas for the development of this style. It is a lyrical way of dancing and often includes floorwork. Most of the time, a lot of emotion is used in the choreographies. Where in urban styles, often is danced on sneakers, contemporary is mostly danced on bare feet or socks.
Selection team
Wagalicious dance crew
Every Friday from 19:30 – 21:00 at Sports Centre de Bongerd Sports Hall 3, Wageningen
Wagalicious Dance Crew is the selection team of the Student Dance Factory. The crew consists of dancers who are more experienced or advanced, and who like to perform and participate in dance competitions. Both urban and contemporary styles are given during the classes.
To become a part of Wagalicious Dance Crew you have to join the auditions at the start of the academic year in September. It is only possible to join the crew if you are a member for a whole year and pay selection contribution. By paying the selection contribution you are also allowed to follow the regular classes.
Workshops
Periodical Workshops
Once every period of the academic year, check our social media for exact date and time.
Workshops will be organized once every period of the academic year (five times a year). These classes will focus on different dance styles that are not given in the regular classes. Some examples are classical ballet, breakdance, Irish dancing and so on. Afterwards, there can be a possibility of having a drink with each other.
Members of the Student Dance Factory are able to join these workshops (sometimes for a small fee). People from outside the association will have to pay and need to be in possession of Sports Rights.