PLACEMENTS & PROGRESSIONS
Acrobatics Program
Acrobatics Placement & Progression
At ZION, placement in our Acrobatics Program is based on a student's skill development, strength, technique, control, flexibility, and overall readiness—not simply their age or the number of years they have participated. Acrobatics is a progressive discipline in which each level builds upon a solid technical foundation, making mastery of fundamental skills essential before advancing.
Tiny Tumblers (Ages 4–6) introduces our youngest students to the fundamentals of both dance and acrobatics in a fun, encouraging environment. Students begin developing body awareness, coordination, balance, flexibility, strength, listening skills, and classroom etiquette while learning age-appropriate introductory skills.
Acrobatics 1 is designed for beginner through advanced beginner students. At this level, the emphasis is on building proper technique, body control, flexibility, strength, and confidence while establishing a strong dance foundation. Before advancing, students are expected to demonstrate consistent proficiency in fundamental acrobatic skills, including forward and backward rolls, straddle rolls, bridges, cartwheels, round-offs, kick-ups to handstand, backbends, kip-ups, candlesticks, kick-overs from a bridge, back limbers, inside-outs, and handstand falls to a bridge. Students must perform these skills with proper technique, control, and consistency.
Acrobatics Levels 2–3 is for intermediate through advanced students who have mastered the foundational skills. These levels focus on refining technique while introducing more advanced acrobatic elements such as front and back walkovers, one-arm cartwheels, Valdez, connected acrobatic series, handsprings, aerials, advanced leaps, intricate floor work, and increasingly challenging dance combinations. Students continue to build strength, flexibility, artistry, and performance quality as skills become more complex.
Advancement within the Acrobatics Program is based on overall readiness rather than a single skill. Instructors evaluate technical proficiency, strength, flexibility, body control, consistency, safety, ability to retain choreography, musicality, focus, work ethic, and classroom behavior. Students may progress at different rates, and each child is encouraged to develop at the pace that best supports long-term success.
Placement on ZION's Competitive Acrobatics Teams is determined separately from class placement. Team members are selected based on their acrobatic skill level, dance ability, technical execution, performance quality, stage presence, ability to learn and retain choreography, teamwork, attendance, commitment, and overall readiness for the demands of competitive performance.
BALLET PROGRAM
At ZION, ballet advancement is based on each student's individual readiness rather than age or years of experience. Because ballet is a progressive art form built on a strong technical foundation, students are evaluated on their technique, strength, flexibility, musicality, coordination, focus, work ethic, ability to retain choreography, classroom behavior, and application of corrections. Unlike acro, where progress is measured by specific skills, ballet growth is reflected in the quality of movement and mastery of foundational principles. Our instructors carefully assess each student's progress throughout the year to ensure they have the knowledge, confidence, and technical ability to succeed at the next level. Spending additional time in a class is never considered a setback, it is an opportunity to build a stronger foundation for long-term success and a lifelong love of dance.
Our ballet program is carefully designed to build strong, confident dancers through progressive levels of training. Students begin in Pre-Ballet (ages 3–4), where they are introduced to basic ballet movements, classroom structure, musicality, coordination, and creative movement in a fun and encouraging environment. Minis Ballet (ages 5–6) continues to develop foundational ballet technique while improving balance, posture, flexibility, rhythm, and listening skills. Ballet 1 (beginner–advanced beginner, ages 7+) focuses on establishing proper ballet vocabulary, body alignment, strength, flexibility, and the fundamentals of barre and center work. Ballet 2 (intermediate) expands on these skills with increased technical difficulty, improved control, turns, jumps, artistry, and performance quality. Junior Advanced (ages 10–13) emphasizes precision, strength, endurance, musicality, and more complex combinations while preparing students for advanced technique. Senior Advanced (ages 14+) is designed for experienced dancers who demonstrate a high level of technical proficiency, artistry, discipline, and performance ability. Students who possess the required strength, alignment, technique, and maturity may also be invited to participate in Pointe training.
TAP
Our tap program develops rhythm, coordination, timing, musicality, and precision while helping students build confidence and performance skills. This season we will offer Beginner Tap classes for ages 4–5, 6–8, and 9+, where students will learn the fundamentals of tap technique, basic terminology, proper footwork, and rhythm through age-appropriate instruction. As students' progress, they develop greater speed, accuracy, coordination, and the ability to perform more complex combinations. Our Intermediate–Advanced Tap class is designed for experienced tappers who have mastered the fundamentals and are ready to refine their technique, improve clarity and musicality, increase speed and endurance, and explore more intricate rhythms and choreography. Advancement is based on each student's technical ability, rhythm, coordination, performance quality, and overall readiness rather than age alone, ensuring every dancer builds a strong foundation for continued success.
Competitive Dance Teams
Junior & Senior Teams
ZION's Competitive Dance Teams are designed for dedicated dancers who are passionate about performing and committed to taking their training to the next level. Team members receive focused instruction in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and other styles while developing strong technique, artistry, versatility, and performance skills. Dancers participate in one regional competition each season, along with select studio performances, gaining valuable stage experience, confidence, teamwork, and lasting friendships in a positive and encouraging environment.
JUNIOR TEAMS are ideal for intermediate to advanced dancers who are ready to grow both individually and as part of a team.
Requirements: Dancers should demonstrate solid technical foundations, learn choreography quickly, perform with confidence and expression, and maintain excellent attendance, teamwork, and a positive attitude. Ballet is highly recommended for ages 9–11. Junior Elite (ages 12–14) requires 2–3 years of Ballet Level 1 or higher training.
SENIOR TEAM is designed for advanced dancers who are committed to refining their technique, artistry, and performance while preparing for advanced training and performance opportunities.
Requirements: Dancers must demonstrate advanced technique, flexibility, control, and the ability to learn choreography quickly. Strong commitment, coachability, teamwork, and consistent attendance are expected. Ballet is required, or dancers must have completed at least 3–4 years of Ballet Level 1 or higher training.