ABOUT US
Premiere Dance Academy opened it’s doors for the first time in April of 2015. After dreaming of owning a dance studio since she was a little girl, our owner/director, Theresa Pelicata, made it a reality.
Premiere strives to not only create a well rounded dancer, but a better person overall. Dance is a more than easy exercise. It’s an art. A discipline. Dance teaches you the value of teamwork, the results of hard work, self-love, and determination. It’s not just “dance”, life lessons are being taught. Our young are being groomed to take on leadership roles.
Offering classes in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and pointe, Premiere is looking to create a well rounded dancer that can keep up anywhere the dancer wants to go, and book as many jobs as the dancer hopes to land. We offer the best training in all techniques, and expect nothing but our student’s best at all times.
At Premiere, we will take trips to see professional dance performances, take part in showcases, take master classes, and explore all areas of dance. We never know if we are creating a dancer, dance instructor, choreographer, lighting designer, costumer, stage manager, etc. But, they will be prepared for whatever our students decide to do.
OUR MISSION
To Create a Well Rounded Individual that Exemplifies Great Technique in Each Area of Dance.
FOUNDER/OWNER
Theresa Pelicata began her dance training at age 3 at La-Cher-Tari dance studio (Philadelphia, PA). From there, her studies led her to the Wissahickon Dance Academy, Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), Philadanco’s Training Program and the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University BFA program. While in college, Theresa began performing with the Fred Benjamin Dance Company and became a member of the World Famous Radio City Rockettes. Upon returning from her first year with the Rockettes, she began teaching dance at local Philadelphia dance studios and at her HS alma mater.
Theresa has spent the last 9 years as the Dance Director of the Young Performers Theater Camp (Phila.,PA) and for several years she has been teaching at various local dance studios. Theresa spent 12 years with the Radio City Rockettes, and has performed on the Today Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Meredith Vieira Show, America’s Got Talent, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just to name a few. Theresa is currently a teaching artist with The Rock School’s outreach program, RockReach.
CLASSES OFFERED
.jpeg)
INTRO TO DANCE
An hour and a half introduction to dance designed for children 3-5 years old. During this time we will explore the “bare bones” of basic ballet movements, and ballet terminology. We will also introduce rhythmic movement and stretching as we explore basic jazz movements with the children. Lastly, we will explore the basics of tap dance. We’ll work on isolating toe and heel sounds while learning tap basics such as flap, shuffle, hit, and dig.
BALLET
Cecchetti along with Vaganova technique are used to create proper technique, body alignment, and longevity for the dancer. Dancers will learn ballet technique, terminology, and discipline. Classical ballet sets the framework for many other styles of dance including jazz and modern.
JAZZ
Jazz classes explore traditional, Broadway and contemporary styles in a fun, energetic atmosphere. Classes begin with a warm-up that stresses technique, flexibility, coordination and strength, followed by progressions across the floor, center work and combinations.
POINTE/PRE-POINTE
Beginners will start in pre-pointe, with no pointe shoes (often barefoot) to work on foot and ankle articulations well as strength. When the teacher feels the students are strong enough to advance, pointe shoes will be introduced to the dancers still focusing heavily on ankle, core, and leg strength before moving away from the ballet barre and working center floor.
MODERN
Modern dance class will incorporate elements of Horton, Graham, and lyrical techniques. Dancers will start with a center floor warm-up, followed by movement across the floor and ending with a combination. Dancers will be able o identify which technique they are working on as well as modern dance vocabulary.
TAP
Focusing on musicality, rhythm and syncopation, dancers will learn tap steps, terminology, as well as a fusion of different forms of tap techniques. i.e Rhythm tap and Broadway style tap.
HIP-HOP
Students will learn the foundation and fundamentals of street dance in this fun, energy packed class. Students will work center floor and across the floor while incorporating strengthening exercises and terminology.
COVID-19 POLICY
COVID-19 Precautions and Measures
What does returning to Premiere look like?
1. We believe the safety of our dancers and families at Premiere is of the utmost importance, and accordingly, have implemented the following protocols to ensure everyone’s safety:
a. Studio floors are mopped with Lysol daily.
b. Cubbies for storing belongings are being wiped and disinfected between classes and students.
c. Ballet barres are disinfected after each use.
d. Acrobatics mats are disinfected and cleaned by staff with commercial grade disinfectant following manufacturer guidelines after each use.
e. The bathroom is cleaned and disinfected throughout the day to limit the spread of germs.
2. Dancers will be required to sanitize their hands prior to entering the studio to prevent the spread of germs across changing areas and studio floors.
5. Anyone entering the studio MUST wear a mask. Dancers will also be required to keep their masks on during their class times.
6. Staff will also be temperature checked upon arrival to the studio, be required to sanitize their hands, and will be required to wear masks while teaching.
What are we asking of parents during the new season:
1. Please help up screen your child for illness. No- contact temperatures will be taken prior to dancers entering the studio. Any dancer with a fever, visible illness, or cold or flu-like symptoms will not be permitted to take class. Please help us by keeping your dancer home if they are feeling ill in any way, have had any known sick contacts, or were ill in the past 24-48 hours prior to their class time.
2. Dancers should arrive to the studio in their dance clothes. This helps limits the number of people in and out of the bathroom or lingering by the cubbies to change.
3. We ask that parents and siblings wait in their cars instead of inside the studio. This limits the number of people in the building and also keeps our dancer safe. Dancers with extended breaks between classes (more than 15 minutes) must be picked up from the studio and returned at their next class time.
4. Please do not drop off your child more than 5 minutes before the start of their class, and please be punctual in picking them up.
5. Please talk to your dancer about the importance of wearing a mask and hand hygiene when sharing a space with other people. We will reinforce it in the studio as well, but this will need to be a team effort in keep each other safe and accountable.