Down in the heart of Dixie, in the jubilant and jambalaya-filled land of Alabama, is a bunch of jubilant jumping jellybeans! Now, don't get confused, these aren't your regular candy aisle jellybeans. Oh no! These are the bouncing and boogieing children of Alabama with twirling toes and wiggling waists, engaged in the magical activity of Dance! Here, in the land of sweet tea and Southern charm, where crimson sunsets kiss cotton fields, our sprightly jellybeans spend their days turning cartwheels and pirouettes, their hearts beating to the fiddle's tune. Dancing isn't just a hobby for these kids; it's as essential as their breakfast grits and catfish! Enter our hero, Sir Wiggly Waist, a jolly green grasshopper with a shiny top hat, known far and wide for his twirling torso. Sir Wiggly was hailed as the 'Sultan of Swing', master of all dance forms - from the foot-tapping fandango to the elegant waltz. With his six nimble legs, Sir Wiggly could out-dance any creature in Sweet Home Alabama! Sir Wiggly was a friend, mentor, and guide to our tiny dancing stars. Each day he conducted fun-filled lessons under the shade of the oldest weeping willow, training the kids to leap like gazelles, twirl like daisies, and pop like popcorn. They twirled and swirled, hopped and bopped, till they could feel the dance in their soul. The kids of Alabama, tutored by Sir Wiggly Waist, danced with a joy that could light up the darkest corners. Their laughter echoed through the magnolia-scented air, their smiles mirrored in the sparkling Alabama rivers. They were the pride of Alabama, the dancing Jellybeans, spreading happiness one dance move at a time!
Read morebest dance programs in Birmingham, AL
What began in a humble New York City apartment with just a single student, Spark, has since blossomed into an enriching program impacting thousands of children. Our unique educational approach combines the elements of art, yoga, meditation, and nature to create a holistic learning environment. This distinctive blend is what sets Spark apart, allowing us to reach and inspire a multitude of children in truly meaningful ways. With an array of offerings to accommodate various schedules and needs, Spark has something for everyone. Our services extend beyond the standard after school and weekend classes to include holiday and summer camps, birthday parties, portfolio preparation, private classes, and custom pods. We also welcome homeschool groups and are thrilled to announce the recent addition of a forest school program to our repertoire. You can find Spark on-site in various schools and at our main studio located in the Upper West Side. But we're not stopping there - we're also planning to expand to the Upper East Side and Brooklyn. For our families in Pennsylvania, we run the program from our family studio there. And if you're not in close proximity to any of our locations, don't worry. We offer in-home instruction and virtual options to ensure that Spark can reach you, no matter where you are. We invite you to explore all the ways you can experience Spark and look forward to helping bring our program to you.
Jaclyn Horsley Shiflett is a Birmingham native who has had many opportunities to expand her knowledge of dance. Her teaching career began 20 years ago, and four years ago she founded The Dance Studio in Hoover, AL. Here she encourages young artists to pursue excellence in their chosen style of dance. Jaclyn specializes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Modern, and is also trained in Hip-Hop and Tap. She has studied extensively with Monica Barnett Smith of Exclusively Ballet, alongside Wes Chapman and Roger VanFleteran of the Alabama Ballet, and has also trained at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, The South Carolina Conservatory, STEPS, Broadway Dance Center, Pineapple London, and Birmingham-Southern College. Here she completed a double major in Dance and Business. As a performer, her favorite role was Dew Drop Fairy (Nutcracker).