When you think of quality dance instruction and competitive dance teams you probably don’t think about your local park district. You probably think that park districts are more recreational, for less serious dancers and not older students. Lake Zurich Parks and Recreation Dance Program is out to change your mind about that.
Academy of Perforing Arts Lake Zurich
Mollee Johnson the director of the program has a passion for dance as a lifelong dancer with almost 15 years of experience as an instructor or director. Mollee feels strongly about providing quality dance instruction at a community level. That doesn’t just mean affordable dance instruction that means developing a program with a focus on technique and instruction. The Lake Zurich program is entering its third year under Mollee’s direction.
The program offers classes for children as young as 18 months in a Mommy & Me setting all the way up through leveled ballet. They offer ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip-hop as well as a competitive poms team and dance company. The Impulse Dance Company and the Academy of Performing Arts Ballet program are audition or invitation-only based programs.

The Academy of Performing Arts (APA) Ballet offers a progressing-level ballet track for the more serious dancer. Students will be trained in the Royal Academy and Cecchetti methods. All class fees in the program include instruction fee for the year, leveled leotard, tights, hip belt, bun kit, and costume for recital.
The competitive poms and dance company both compete in at least two competitions and the Impulse Dance Company will travel to one convention. The dance company will focus on Jazz, Ballet, and Contemporary dancing under the direction of Amy Hill.
The APA ballet students will put on a winter ballet performance presented in January. The entire dance program puts on a recital in May. To make the recital a positive experience for everyone there are three different recitals held and children will perform in one of the three recitals.

Classes have already begun for the fall but you can still join in! Contact Mollee Johnson at 847-438-5146 x 4 or email her at [email protected]. Classes are held at Buffalo Creek Dance Studios A & B, 675 Old Mill Grove Rd.
Lake Zurich, IL 60047.
Find the Fall class schedule in the Parks and Recreation Guide.
Disclosure: This post is part of a promotional exchange with the Lake Zurich Park and Recreation Department.

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