Recreational and Competitive Dance At Every Age and Every Stage
Dance Classes in Ottawa
At Common Ground, we offer a mix of recreational and competitive dance programs for children and youth aged 2-18 years.
Our programs keep joy in the art of dance. Whether you enrol in one of our recreational classes or wish to join our competitive company, we provide a friendly and welcoming learning environment to grow as a dancer, and a commitment to a quality dance curriculum.
Competitive Programs
For Driven Dancers With a Passion to Perform
Common Ground provides dancers the opportunity to dance competitively and strive for excellence. In our competitive programs, students have the opportunity to challenge themselves, learn new techniques and grow as dancers.
Competitive dance students will perform in multiple competitions, learning how to perform under pressure and support their teammates. We are committed to preparing dancers to compete and take pride in themselves and their team!
Dancers should understand that joining the Common Ground Dance Company is a serious commitment. This requires dedication of both time and energy. The CGDA instructors will choose members for solos, duets, trios, small groups and/or large groups based on commitment, attitude, dedication, technique and ability.
For more information, please speak to our artistic director.
Dance Styles
ACRO
Dance at a higher level (literally!)
In this class, you will learn how to complete acrobatic movements safely, so you’ll be flying high in your next dance performance. The progression of this class will increase flexibility, balance, strength, control and confidence.
Ballet
Explore grace and strength.
In ballet, dancers build coordination and posture, while also strengthening mental focus and social skills.
We recommend all our dancers study ballet because it is the foundation of all other dance styles. A strong background in ballet technique and steps allows dancers to excel at a faster pace in other styles of dance like jazz, contemporary, and acro.
We follow the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus – an established ballet program with more than 100 years of dance education history. The RAD style focuses on creating a well-rounded dancer: skilled in technique, expression, and character.
Hip Hop
Find your groove.
Have a funky kid who loves hip hop music? They’d be great for this class. Our hip hop classes include a variety of styles of street dance, from popping and locking to funk and breakdancing. Hip hop is all about strength, energy, and style.
Jazz/Contemporary
It’s all about energy!
Jazz focuses on strength in the lines of the body combined with modern musical expression. Our classes integrate the ADAPT syllabus – an internationally-recognized dance education program to guide dancers in technique, strength, and choreography.
Contemporary dance uses a combination of ballet, jazz and modern techniques. This form requires control and strength to execute dynamic changes in tempo and improvisation.
Little Dancers
Children are born to move!
Our Little Dancers program is perfect for young children ages 2-5 interested in starting their dance journey in a fun environment.
At this age, children learn the basics of dance through ballet-based foundational techniques. Instructors use a mixture of creative movement and dance technique to help the children develop both coordination and musical expression.
Strengh & Conditioning
Refine your dance skills.
Strength and Conditioning classes help dancers improve their stability, coordination, balance, alignment, and flexibility. This class is important because muscle strength and proper technique is key to preventing injury. We recommend at least one of these classes per week for most dancers.
TAP
Making music with your feet.
This style teaches dancers rhythm and musicality using the sounds created with the taps on the shoes. Tap classes will include the ADAPT syllabus to teach the dancers terminology, technique and choreography.
Zumba
Feel the rhythm.
Our child Zumba classes provide a dynamic, energetic dance experience in a fun setting. Zumba fuses latin and international music, blending aerobics and interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms.
Class Schedule
Dress Code
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I register?
You can register here. If you need to set up an account, just click “Set Up Account” and each page will guide you along each step.
How long is each class session?
Each class ranges from 30 min to 75 min. For our recreational program, we have full year and seasonal options (4-6 weeks). Our competitive program runs year-round September-June.
What should my child wear?
Common Ground has a dress code for specific dance types. You can view our dress code for each dance style here.
Can I watch my child’s dance lesson?
Yes, we have windows and a viewing area in Studios 1 & 3 for parents and family members to enjoy watching dance classes. We ask you to remain in this area so that dancers can remain focused during their class.
