This page is under construction — but you can still find everything you need here!
Jump to:
Class Offerings
(scroll down for two NEW offerings “Unwinding: Stretch Flow,” “Dance Stands: Handstands” and “Befriending the Floor”)
Open Level Modern + Contemporary
Wednesday 6:30-8:00pm (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Balletschool, Studio B
OR
Saturday 10:30-12:00pm (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Studio 20, McGuffey
Teachers: Marge, Katy, Antonella, and Amanda.
Class runs solidly intermediate, with modifications provided for beginner and advanced level students. Warmup, technique and skills, traveling sequences and short center combination, sometimes will focus on a longer choreographic combo at the end of class.
Int/Adv Modern Technique
Monday 6:30-8:00pm (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Studio 20, McGuffey
Teachers: Olivia, and other guest instructors.
For practiced dancers with intermediate-to-advanced dance experience. Floor work to open and invigorate the body, standing warmup sequences to refine alignment and clarity of movement, traveling variations to explore spatial relationships and phrase work or choreography to expand our movement vocabulary.
NEW Classes
Unwinding: stretch flow for dancers (and all kinds of movers)
Wednesday 6:00-6:50pm (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Studio 20, McGuffey
Teacher: Marge
Designed as a supportive practice for dancers and movers, this class lives between rest and movement, offering space to stretch, soften, and reconnect to the body without pressure or expectation. Through grounded floor work and simple standing sequences, we explore release, circulation, and movement maintenance, with gentle conditioning woven in as appropriate.
Taught in a primarily follow-along format, ample variations are offered alongside ongoing encouragement to adapt, pause, or modify in service of your own energy and needs on any given day.
Mats are optional; kneepads, socks, or bare feet are all welcome.
All Levels, Beginner-friendly. Restful.
Befriending the Floor
Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Studio 20, McGuffey
Teacher: Marge
Slithers, inversions, and rolls - oh my! Come get down (literally) with Marge - an enthusiastic lifetime movement mutt whose offerings are informed by modern dance technique, yoga asana, and contemporary circus training. This class will be spent mostly (you guessed it) on the floor, where participants can expect to explore grounded movement vocabulary while drawing upon components of strength, mobility, proprioception, spatial awareness, and innate creativity. Class will culminate in with brief phrase work of skills accumulated throughout the hour. Come befriend the floor!
All Levels, Beginner-friendly. Challenging options will be provided for more Advanced movers. By the time we’re done, the floor will be your new BFF!
Monday (monthly) 6:00-7:00 (see calendar or scheduler page for dates)
Studio 20, McGuffey
Teacher: Marge
Do you want progress towards a freestanding, balanced handstand? There’s a pathway and progression, but it’s hard work! Be ready for some conditioning. Commit to practicing a few short drills on your own outside of class to make progress towards your handstand goals.
Small group lesson with individual attention.
Prerequisite: basic baseline of core integration, upper body strength, and overall flexibility. Familiarity with putting weight in to the hands in primal movement patterns, or dance/gymnastics/yoga, or other complimentary movement practices is helpful. Body awareness to make subtle adjustments in response to instructor feedback and cueing.
Unsure if you’re ready for Dance Stands? A good place to start is with Befriending the Floor series or come to one of our Modern classes so we can see you move. Or, email studio@cumulusdance.org and we’ll help match you to the class that’s the best fit.
Dance Stands: handstands for dancers (and all kinds of movers)
What to wear
Footwear:
Bare feet is most typical for modern dance, although socks or other soft-soled dance shoes are helpful options to have on hand.
Attire:
Any comfortable clothing that you can move in. Long layers are recommended for floorwork, to enable sliding.
You may also want to purchase kneepads for floorwork. Any kneepad that is comfortable for you will work. If you don’t already own kneepads, we recommend Natural Felt kneepads from East West Company.
McGuffey Art Center
201 2nd St NW
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Located across the street from Monsoon Siam and Now & Zen restaurants.
Studio 20 is located on the the second floor.
Parking: around the back of the building — kindly park along the treeline, as the spots against the building are reserved for resident artists.
Getting in to the building: evening classes are held after hours — the art center will be closed. Sign up online (for drop-in, or series) so we can give you instructions for how to enter the building.
Locations
Classes are held at two main locations. Sign up online in advance to confirm class location.
Charlottesville Center for the Arts
(Balletschool)
2409 Ivy Rd
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Coming from Charlottesville, it’s your first right after you pass the Belair Exxon Market. Next to Pediatric Associates, same shopping center as Selvedge Brewing.
Studio A or B are through the lobby to the right as you enter.
The main entrance to Balletschool will be open when class is held. No special instructions needed for getting in.
Pricing
General
Default class fees represent the true cost of the class, our sustainable “break even” point for our not-for-profit operations.
Under 30
Pricing accommodation for students / rising young professionals under 30 years of age.
. . .
For anyone in our community for whom cost presents a hardship, cost assistance may be available; email studio@cumulusdance.org.