SOTA stands for The School of the Arts. This is an acronym for the program’s name title. SOTA is a school round (September-May) program for dancers with an emphasis on serving the Lord with the gifts and talents and hard work of worship dance in a Christ-centered environment. Our program is level based, focusing on the strength of our dancers but never losing the focus and mission of dancing for the Lord and sharing Him with others through discipleship and fellowship with other believers, SOTA is a dance & discipleship program like never seen before.

Lower School

The Lower School comprises our Children’s Division and Boy’s Athletic Division. The age range is 3-9 years old for both boys and girls.

Children’s Division

For dancers (both boys and girls) at the age of 3-9 years old. With a variety of styles, and levels but all must be mastered at the ground level before rising up to the next level. Ballet is the foundation of this program, and supplemented with lyrical, jazz and hip-hop.

Boys Division

In this division, classes are geared towards the boys' development as boys and young men. For some, dancing is a means to sharpen their athletic skills, agility, endurance, strength and stamina. For others, dancing is why there are in the program. Regardless, we want to create a safe, encouraging, and rewarding environment for our boys and young men to grow as athletes and dancers while growing their walk with the Lord.

Upper School

The Upper School comprises our Youth Division, DEEP Training, and Pre-Professional Level Program. The age range of this part of the school is 10-18 years old for both boys and girls. Each of the divisions of this school are built on top of each other. You must complete the Youth Division before you are eligible to be in DEEP Training and the same applies to the PPL Program. All our divisions have a ballet foundation and supplemented are contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and more.

Youth Division

For dancers (both boys and girls) at the age of 10-18 years old. With a variety of styles, and levels, but all must be mastered at the ground level before rising to the next level. This is the entry into the other divisions of the Upper School. Dancers must master our syllabus in order to be eligible for DEEP Training. Think of this as the foundational building blocks of dance.

DEEP Training (DT)

As a continuation of our levels program for the Upper School, dancers who master the Levels 1A-1C are eligible to move on to a deeper form of training. Our training also includes a holistic approach to our dancers with special education training on healthy minds and bodies.

Pre-Professional Level (PPL)

This is the highest level of our syllabus and requires a dedication to training and performance. Dancers who reach this level are being trained for our professional dance company (Salt + Light Company). Dancers aren’t required to be in our professional dance company, nor guaranteed as a PPL student but are given the opportunity if they feel led to. At this level, dancers are challenged, equipt, and transformed into professional dancers with a heart to serve the Lord as ministers of His gospel in the entertainment world. Our training also includes a holistic approach to our dancers with special education training on healthy minds and bodies.

Young Men”s Athletic Division

In this division, classes are geared towards the boys' development as young men. For some, dancing is a means to sharpen their athletic skills, agility, endurance, strength and stamina. For others, dancing is why there are in the program. Regardless, we want to create a safe, encouraging, and rewarding environment for young men to grow as athletes and dancers while growing their walk with the Lord.

Community Dance Division

This division is for community members who want to dance with First Position but aren’t looking for vigorous training. This division has a more laid back approach but still creates a place to have fun, dance and worship the Lord. Classes will have our classical structure with a dance class and a bible study.

Our written curriculum and syllabus have been developed and broken down into levels (think like grades at a school) and are built on each other to prepare the student for the next level, but only when mastery of the lower level has been achieved to the students full potential.

Placement classes, and evaluation of dancers will identify where a dancer needs to be placed, and is based on many factors, such as: movement execution, artistry, teachability, teamplayer, attitude and commitment. We believe that a dancer doesn’t just achieve a new level solely based on skill, but who the dancer is as a whole. We look at physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

“Excellence is the standard but grace is the word” is a standard we hold, meaning that dancers are human and are not perfect and in our SOTA program are never expected to be perfect. Placement classes and evaluations are meant to put them in the best level for their individual growth.

Pre-Ballet

For dancers 3-5, our pre-ballet levels are broken down into:

Pre-Ballet 1

Pre-Ballet 2

Beginner Ballet

For dancers 6-9, our beginner ballet levels are where all 6-9 dancers will begin. We believe ballet is the foundation of all dance and ballet is the foundation of our SOTA program. Dancers will all start at Beginner Ballet 1, and must complete in order to move on to the next level.

Beginner Ballet 1

Beginner Ballet 2

Beginner Ballet 3

Beginner Lyrical

For dancers 6-9, these levels can be “unlocked” after completing Beginner Ballet 1. Dancers need a solid foundation of ballet before adding other styles to their training.

Beginner Lyrical 1

Beginner Lyrical 2

Beginner Jazz

For dancers 6-9, these levels can be “unlocked” after completing Beginner Ballet 1. Dancers need a solid foundation of ballet before adding other styles to their training.

Beginner Jazz 1

Beginner Jazz 2

Beginner Hip-Hop

For dancers 6-9, these levels can be “unlocked” after completing Beginner Ballet 1. Dancers need a solid foundation of ballet before adding other styles to their training.

Beginner Hip-Hop 1

Beginner Hip-Hop 2

Boys

For boys specifically, these classes will combine the styles of ballet, lyrical, jazz, acro, breakdancing, and strength and stretch training all together to build a strong dancer and athlete in a non-threatening and godly environment. Boys are welcome to join the Children’s Division if they choose but there is an option if they would prefer to be in an all boys class tailored to them. Not based off levels, but based off age.

Boys 1 (3-5)

Boys 2 (6-9)

Young Men

For young men specifically, these classes will combine the styles of ballet, lyrical, jazz, acro, breakdancing, and strength and stretch training all together to build a strong dancer and athlete in a non-threatening and godly environment. Young men are welcome to join the Youth Division if they choose but there is an option if they would prefer to be in an all boys class tailored to them. Based off levels.

Young Men 1

Young Men 2

Youth Division

Dancers will have the opportunity to take ballet technique, JLC (jazz, lyrical, contemporary) technique and variation classes in these levels.

Level 1A

Level 1B

Level 1C

DEEP Training

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Pre-Professional Level

Dance has many different forms that make up the dance which we call styles. All dance is derived from ballet, which in the SOTA program is the foundation of all our dancing. There are many styles of dance, but SOTA focuses on these specific styles:

Ballet

An artistic dance form performed to music using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet is characterized by light, graceful, fluid movements and for some dancers, the use of pointe shoes.

Lyrical

Taking the ballet style, adding music with words and taking the precise and formal movement and giving it breath, creating more of a worshipful style of ballet.

Jazz

The African dances that built the foundation of Jazz were explosive, grounded, and rhythmic. And like Jazz music, Jazz dance was centered around improvisation and a call and response format that allowed dancers to create a conversation between the musicians, the instruments, and their bodies. Now the form has taken on dancers like Fred Astarie, Fosse, broadway, and more. Jazz dancing is high energy, fast, and will always get the audience and dancer smiling and clapping along!

Hip-Hop

Hip-hop dance is a fusion dance genre with influences from older street dance styles created in the 1970s. These include uprock, breaking, and the funk styles. These styles, usually done to hip-hop music, are fundamentally built off the groove of the dancer. In the secular world, Hip-Hop is not god glorifying but thanks to the Christian music industry, we can make hip-hop appropriate, modest and enjoyable for both the dancer and the audience.

Contemporary

Mixing all styles together in a melting pot, you get contemporary. This is where there are no rules artistically and you aren’t confined to a set style to move in. Want a little ballet and precision, or pop out some hip-hop moves, all is correct. Contemporary is a controlled while looking out of control style of dance that requires incredible technique, body awareness, and vulnerability.

Musical Theater

Though not a style of dance, it takes the styles of dance and puts them to musical style songs. Usually lip-syncing and storytelling is involved in musical theater making it a fun way to put acting and dance together.

Acro

Acrobatics is adding a gymnastics flare to the dance floor. Not a style of dance but through flips, and tricks…dancers create a diverse and interesting performance. This style takes incredible strength, flexibility and technique.

Pre-Pointe

Pointe is not a style of dance but a level of ballet that not every dancer will achieve. Pointe dancing is taking the technique of ballet and no longer dancing with soft shoes but in wooden shoes on your toes. This level of ballet requires strong technique, strength and dancers development must be strong. Dancers who have flat feet, weak ankles or other physical related stressors may not be able to dance on pointe. Pre-Pointe is the training that happens before dancers can ever get on their pointe shoes. This training focuses on strengthening the feet and ankles, as well as the calves and legs. Dancers also learn the mental technique behind this level of ballet.

Pointe

Once a dancer is ready and given doctors approval, dancers can begin training on pointe.

Breakdancing

An energetic style of dance typically performed to hip-hop music, characterized by stylized footwork and acrobatic or athletic movements. From headstands, to stalls, breakdancing is famous in the hip-hop dance world and requires strength, flexibility and coordination as a dancer.

Strength & Stretch

Our strength and stretch training is designed to build up the dancer through body weight and weight training, and stretching training to maximize flexibility in a safe way.

The foundation of our program is The Gathering. A block of time dedicated each week to dancers formal training, bible study and fellowship with the dancers. The Gathering will be held for homeschool students and afterschool students. The Gathering is designed to illuminate segregation of the levels, build teamwork and family among the students, study God’s Word together, and still get the formal training needed. The Gathering will look like:

Lower School Gathering

2 hour block of time

Worship, Bible study, group discussion

Ballet training

Dancers will learn their ballet variation during this time.

All other variations will be on separate days.

Upper School Gathering

3 hour block of time

Worship, Bible study, group discussion

Ballet Technique Class

Jazz/Lyrical/Contemporary Technique Class

Dancers will not learn a variation in these classes. Tech training.

All other variations will be on separate days

Variations

Variations is a fancy word for “dance”, or “choreography. This is the dance they will perform at the performance or production. We offer variations in many styles for all ages.

Performances

Our performances are primarily spring performances at the end of the school year. This is our chance to share Jesus with our audience and create a beautiful performance that our dancers will be giddy to participate in! The Lower School dancers in the Children's Division, Boys Division as well as our Upper School dancers in the Youth Division and Young Men Division will dance in these performances.

Production

Our productions are our storytelling shows that require multiple dance numbers, high level of dance ability and lots of choreography to memorize. These productions are primarily performed by our ABIDE company dancers, with special auditions from our other divisions. Shows like “The Promise, The Hope Show, A Christmas To Believe In” are examples of productions we will perform.

Giving our dancers opportunity from both our Lower and Upper School to perform outside just the spring performance. Our companies are a place to allow our dancers to get into the community to fulfill our mission of going out and sharing the Gospel. These companies are by audition, and requirements must be met in order to receive eligibility to audition. Dancers accepted into a company will have extra rehearsals, and perform in many different venues and situations. Each company holds a different function based on levels in the program that would be eligible for that particular company.

Alpha

For ages 8-12 years old. Dancers that are eligible to audition must complete Beginner Ballet 2, and are taking Lyrical or Jazz 2. This company will perform in styles of ballet, lyrical and jazz. Performance opportunities will include: small performances at nursing homes, special events locally, church services..etc. They also will have the opportunity to audition for upcoming productions if dancers of this age are needed. Weekly rehearsals.

Omega

For ages 12-18 years old. Dancers that are eligible to audition must complete Level 1A, and are taking Lyrical or Jazz. This company will perform in styles of ballet, lyrical and jazz. Performance opportunities will include: small performances at nursing homes, special events locally, church services..etc. They also will have the opportunity to audition for upcoming productions if dancers of this age are needed. Weekly rehearsals.

Anchored Crew

For ages 8-18, broken into 3 levels. Anchored Crew is primarily a hip-hop company. Dancers who are eligible to audition must be taking a Hip-Hop class. Performance opportunities will include: small performances at nursing homes, special events locally, church services..etc. They also will have the opportunity to audition for upcoming productions if dancers of this age are needed. Weekly rehearsals.

ABIDE

For DEEP and PPL students. Dancers will be our core dancers in our productions. They also will get the chance to perform across the state of Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota in special performances and our productions. Between 1-2 productions will be performed a year. Dancers in ABIDE will have weekly rehearsals.