About Our Studio
South Valley Creative Dance Studio was started in 2004. Our studio carries on the dance traditions of Miss Virginia Tanner and Miss Pearl Wagstaff Garff. We strive to nurture the child as an artist using creative movement and modern dance based training to encourage each student to relate, reflect, and respond to the world around them.
Please explore below to learn more about our process and philosophy. You will find photos of our studio below.
If you would like to sign up for a FREE trial class – please visit the CLASSES page.
What We Do
Using natural movements such as skipping, twirling, leaping, running, etc. we explore a variety of concepts that educate the dancer, not only about their body and how it moves, but what is around them.
We explore language arts, science, math, rhythm, and coordination through movements of all kinds. Our classes incorporate fun, playful music, colorful props, and stories to create a classroom setting that encourages exploration.
Growing and Developing
When students reach an older age, emphasis is shifted from natural movements to more concrete modern dance training. Working with clarity of line, body articulation, position, fluidity and continuity of motion, students begin to explore and train in a more rigorous fashion.
We incorporate ballet training, stretching, and strengthening exercises to ensure that each student is able to move with power, grace, and awareness. While the emphasis shifts away from natural movements to more concrete choreography and complex steps, we continue to develop each student as a creative thinker and artist as well as a performer.
Our Philosophy
Our goal as a studio is to help every student understand the unique and wonderful ways dance, movement, and art can be a part of their daily life.
We are not a competition studio and do not stress or teach routines/steps or encourage cookie-cutter performances from our students. We value each child’s unique individuality and encourage its development. We allow each child to explore and make choices in the moment and encourage creative problem solving over ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers.
We strive to give each student unique tools, ideas, and lessons that they can apply throughout their life and encourage them to always look at the world as artists, art lovers, and creative thinkers.
Creativity In Action
We look for ways that our students can put into practice everything they learn in classes. Once students are older enough (6th grade and up) they are welcome to join Creativity in Action – a performing group that meets during its own class periods on Thursdays.
Dancers in Company have the opportunity to work with guest choreographers, develop their own choreographic ideas, and work to build a show that is performed several times throughout the year. In addition, Company puts on its own end of year production that showcases the creative work done over the past year.