New York City and Los Angeles quality arts classes in Rockford!
Empowering Minds is thrilled to welcome Miss Aubrey who is sharing her New York City and Los Angeles professional artistic experience in Rockford.
Trained at The School of American Ballet, part of the New York City Ballet, Miss Aubrey has worked as an actor dancer and professional consultant throughout the United States particularly in Los Angeles and New York City.
She has expertise far beyond that of other dance cheer or gymnastics teachers- she’s spent years working with doctors specializing in sport and dance medicine to learn how to prevent injury in dance sports and gymnastic classes.
Her proven curriculum based on this exclusive work has earned her clients that range from professional and Olympic athletes to professional dancers singers and actors. Now she has taken her unparalleled curriculum and added it to Empowering Minds’ Programs!
2025 Mini-Sessions!
Mini Sessions start the week of April 7th and are scheduled to end the week of May 26th.
Mini Session students are eligible to participate in Historical Immersion Camps/Workshops!
Acting Program
Call or text 815-324-4776 to Register
KIDS
Acting 101- Mini-Session April 7th- May 26th
Mondays 5:30-6:30
An introductory course in the dramatic arts including movement and stage play, improvisation costumes and make up. This creative course is a healthy outlet that helps teach children how to manage and safely direct their energies and emotions. Ages 8+
Performance for family on the last day of class.
ADULTS
Acting 101
This intentionally over the top introduction to acting was created for those who have social anxiety, anxiety and stage fright but is just as fun for those that don’t! This informative and hilarious class makes this art accessible to anyone.
Dance Program
Professional and Recreational Dance (Just for fun!) Dance Classes in Rockford Illinois .
Call or text 815-324-4776 to Register
Dance builds physical strength and strength of character!
Much More Than The Average Dance Class!
Empowering Minds’ Dance Program is a one-of-a-kind curriculum developed through dance and sport injury prevention training and research, academic integration, and the desire to create a happier, healthier dance class.
More About Injury Prevention? See below.
Miss Aubrey’s one-of-a-kind academic integration and injury prevention program builds focus, mathematical thinking, foreign language, attention span, goal setting, physical strength, and most important – confidence. Students also develop unparalleled discipline and the skill to transfer that focus to every other aspect of life.
Mini-Sessions! Only open to new students.
Call or text 815-324-4776
Wee Dance* Ages 4-7
Week of April 7th- Week of May 26
Mon 6:30-7:15 or Weds 5:30-6:15
Classes focus on the fun elementals of dance and movement; acting, coordination, balance and flexibility through music and games, always keeping physical safety paramount. Students are also introduced to beginning level conversational French.
*Teaching ballet foot positions and movements before age eight has been known since the 1950s to cause lasting harm. No formal ballet will be taught at this level.
A Level Ages 8+
Mini-Session (for new students only)
Week of April 7th- Week of May 26
Mon 5:30-6:30 or Weds 6:30-7:30
This class is for new dancers as well as dancers with previous experience. Class is based upon the culmination of Miss Aubrey’s training and includes elements of School of American Ballet, Russian, French, and Royal Academy of Dance methods of training. The same care is taken with this age group as they are introduced to Empowering Minds’ dance curriculum including age appropriate ballet training and acting fundamentals. Students also begin to learn tap jazz and folk/character dance. Beginning-Intermediate level French is also taught.
More On Injury Prevention
Sadly, even professional dancers and dance organizations still promote unhealthy practices. They do not have training in basic physical development of children- how and when their bones and muscles develop-before teaching movement or sports to children. And it shows-in injuries.
Many “traditional” dance steps and practices have been proven by medical professionals to cause harm to the body. These often don’t cause pain at the time but is inflicting “structural damage” that may not show up for years.
Academy Level**
Level 1 Ages 10+
Students are introduced to more advanced training, and begin learning professional ballet choreography from classical ballets such as Swan Lake and the Nutcracker. Pre-Pointe/Pointe is introduced in the last year of this level.
Level 2
Students are rewarded with what they've worked so hard for- pointe shoes! But no nasty toes in sight. Damaged toes or bruised toenails is a sign of a problem. Students will begin learning corps de ballet work en pointe. Some movements in pointe shoes have little artistic merit and have a high risk of injury. For this reason such steps are omitted from training.
Level 3
Students are completing their dance training. This includes learning solo variations.
$350/month
**Academy level classes have a greater time and financial commitment. Classes meet three times a week, the addition of pointe shoes at approximately $100 and professional tutus which are made to last them until they complete training cost approximately $100.
Parent Observation/Performances
We do not believe in the additional stress and financial burden of the traditional dance recital or dance competitions. Dance recitals often cause children to quit dance and add several hundred dollars in expenses. Children who wish to perform may participate in a select performance group that performs classical works in the community.
Class uniforms are designed to be professional and performance ready. Students perform at the end of the year in the studio for parents. Their uniform is their costume.
Parent observation is welcomed at announced dates. For the safety of students no other observation is allowed.
