ADAPTIVE DANCE
At Grand Rapids Ballet School, we believe in the therapeutic power of dance. That’s why our Adaptive Dance program offers “Explorer Dance” for children with disabilities and “Moving with Parkinson’s” for individuals with the disease. These classes allow participants of all abilities to experience the joy of dance within a supportive community while building camaraderie with others.
We also take the power of dance to our community through partnerships with schools throughout Grand Rapids and West Michigan with Dance Immersion and Escape to the Ballet.
Classes are held at our Meijer-Royce Center for Dance as well as at satellite locations throughout West Michigan. Specific details regarding schedule and location information can be found below.
Explorer Dance
“Explorer Dance” is a 60-minute, beginning-level ballet class that emphasizes balance, coordination, and creative expression for children and young adults, ages 10-19, with disabilities. The class focuses on maintaining a consistent routine and structure by encouraging students to follow a set of expectations set in place by our trained faculty.
The class features an inclusive and respectful space with an emphasis on developing a positive class environment. Instruction moves at a slower pace, using more frequent teacher-modeling and making connections between shapes that are created with the body. Instruction includes more explanations and breaking down of concepts. Although the class includes technique instruction, the focus centers more on engagement and celebration of movement.
The warm-up includes the “Brain Dance Method,” which warms up the body and brain to increase blood flow by moving through developmental movement patterns (tactile, core-distal, cross-lateral, and body-side). The class also includes opportunities for the dancers to move creatively through improvisation. Students enjoy interacting and building community with their fellow classmates and receiving support from one another each week.
2022-23 Explorer Dance Class
Ages
10-19
Dress Code
Girls: Black leotard, black leggings, and pink ballet shoes
Boys: Black pants, black socks, black ballet shoes, and plain white t-shirt
Tuition
Grand Rapids Ballet is proud to offer this class free of charge. A $20 non-refundable registration fee applies.
2022-23 Explorer Dance Schedule
Grand Rapids Ballet School
Mondays, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Moving with Parkinson’s
Moving with Parkinson’s is a dance therapy class made specifically for people with Parkinson’s Disease, geared towards mobility. GRBS is proud to continue to partner with the Parkinson’s Association of West Michigan to offer free weekly classes throughout the year for adults in the West Michigan community with Parkinson’s Disease. We offer classes at our Grand Rapids facilities as well as satellite classes in Holland. Moving with Parkinson’s dancers enjoy spending time in a supportive community, focusing on holistic and restorative movement.
Dress Code
Comfortable, loose clothing
Cost
Grand Rapids Ballet is proud to offer this class free of charge.
SCHEDULE
| DAY | TIME | LOCATION |
| Monday | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Holland Home |
| Tuesday | 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Grand Rapids Ballet School |
| Wednesday | 12:15 p.m. -1 p.m. | Evergreen Commons in Holland |
| Friday | 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m.
12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Snap Fitness Allendale
Evergreen Commons in Holland |
GRBS offers classes in-person at Grand Rapids Ballet School, Holland Home, Evergreen Commons in Holland, and Snap Fitness in Allendale. Please contact the School Office with any questions.
Evergreen Commons
480 State Street
Holland, MI 49423
Snap Fitness Allendale
6101 Lake Michigan Drive
Allendale Charter Twp, MI 49401
A generous $7,500 grant from the Parkinson’s Association of West Michigan allows us to offer Moving with Parkinson’s classes free of charge. This is the third grant we have received from them with contributions of over $17,500.
A generous $15,000 grant from Spectrum Health supports both our Moving with Parkinson’s classes and Explorer Dance, while also securing their position as our official sports medicine provider.
Payment Options:
Families may select to pay for the year-in-full (receiving a 8% discount), by the semester, or monthly* (incurring a 8% processing fee). Students that have a tuition credit from our 2019-20 school year are welcome to apply the amount to our fall semester.
*Monthly payment option requires payment by credit card, kept on file. Scheduled holidays, breaks and weather-related school closings do not alter monthly tuition.
Terms and Conditions:
Grand Rapids Ballet School maintains a policy of offering no refunds. Once the program in question has begun, tuition is non-refundable and if unused will be received as a donation.
All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Students with outstanding balances from the previous term will not be permitted to re-enroll until all accounts are made current.
All students are charged a $20 registration fee.
Please note: The School does not accept responsibility for injury or trauma incurred by any student.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Each year the GRBS awards $68,000 in financial aid to students who demonstrate financial need or artistic excellence. The financial aid fund is made possible through contributions by Wege Foundation, Beusse & Porter Family Foundation, James H. Schindler, and Stephen Dunker Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Families interested in applying for financial aid should submit an application form to Grand Rapids Ballet School. Click here to download the 2021-22 application form
DANCE EDUCATION
