Pre-Professional Program

Our Pre-Professional Program is the only program of its kind in Mercer County. It is based on professional dance programs. It is for dancers who wish to pursue a career in dance, or for those who simply love to dance!

This year’s amazing, loyal, dynamic, hard working Pre-Pro Dancers:

 Gianna

Eleanor

Kyla

Adriana

Naomi

Kylee

The Pre-Professional Program consists of; Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip-hop, and Musical Theater and includes a weekly technique and choreography class.

• A trip to New York City for dance class is an added feature of this program. ON HOLD DUE TO COVID.
• Pre-Pro students also perform their own piece of choreography in the recital.
• Ages 8 and up are eligible. You must apply and be accepted into this program.

*Choose the classes that are best for your schedule except for choreography/technique which is set on Saturday.
*Please note that students may only go on to advanced classes with Director’s Permission.
*Some class levels need to be approved by the Director.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Master Classes

                                                                                       Kobi Rozenfeld

Kobi Rozenfeld’s professional reputation and heightened demand in the dance industry has led him to work with some of the best entertainers and most notable celebrities in Hollywood such as Beyonce, Britney Spears, Natasha Bedingfield, Macy Gray and “Wonder Woman’s” – Gal Gadot. His most recent television credit featured himself, as World Judge and Expert for CBS’s new hit talent show “The Word’s Best”. This tv show, premiering directly after Super Bowl LIII to an audience of 26 million viewers, featured superstars James Corden, Drew Barrymore, Ru Paul, and Faith Hill.

Slam

“Slam” Salim Gauwloos’s career started when he began training in his native Belgium, at the Ballet of Flanders in Antwerp. At the age of seventeen, He auditioned in Belgium for a scholarship to a prestigious Dance School in New York City. Out of the 2,000 dancers that auditioned, he was one of the two dancers who were awarded the scholarship. In 1990 he began his association with Madonna. He is most famous for his performances in The Blond Ambition Tour, the documentary film, Truth or Dare, and he is also the Face of her infamous Vogue iconic video. In addition, he has performed artists like George Michael, Aretha Franklin, Toni Braxton, Taylor Dane and Britney Spears, to name a few. He has worked with Mia Michaels‘ company R.A.W and with Margo Sappington’s Company, The Daring Project, where he performed with Valentina Kozlova. He performed in New York City Opera’s productions of Salome, Daphne, and Candide. His Broadway credits include Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida on Broadway, and Mambo Kings, The Workshop.
His Fashion credits include choreographing a Revlon commercial with supermodels, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen, and Claudia Schiffer, shot by Bruce Webber, a Gianni Versace Campaign shot by Herb Ritts, a Philip Morris Campaign shot by David Lachapelle, featuring Slam Rochelle Aytes, the Wella Trend Vision ads shot by Alexi Lubomirski, as well as the Sebastian Trilliant ads featuring Charlotte Ronson, and most recently he choreographed an advertising campaign and video commercial for Longchamp, featuring supermodel Coco Rocha shot by Max Vadukul, anda Cover and editorial spread with Anne Hathaway as a face of One Billion Rising, the global movement to end violence against women shot by Alexei Hay. Slam will also made a guest appearance the reality TV show called “The Face”.
“Actually the best thing in Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour may well be the Belgian dancer Slam, the audience has special eyes for him.”  By Liz Smith for the Daily News

Jojo Siwa

Jojo Siwa from Dance Moms came to assist with classes and for a meet and greet! Vincent Sylvester taught the class. It was a great event, her mom Jess was here and happy to take pictures too! Jojo has her own TV show and tours the world for her millions of fans.

Carlos Garland

Carlos Garland was born on July 4, 1988 and was raised in Jacksonville Florida.He started dance at the age of 13 at Lavilla School of the Arts. Originally in drama, he was brought into dance through a bet by a friend in the 7th grade. He graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, studying dance all four years. During this time he performed in the First Coast Nutcracker as lead the Russian Doll for 6 straight years. In 2005 Carlos was the winner of the Mille Lewis America’s Models and Talent Competition in dance. In his senior year of highschool in 2006 he received a Merit Award in the NFAA (National Foundation of Advancement of the Arts) in hip hop. Carlos has attended Jacksonville University, double majoring in dance and computer science. Carlos is trained in ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, and breakdance. He has a previous background in Taekwondo of 7 years and reached a second degree black belt. Carlos and his dance crew has won BET’s 106th and Park dance competition on Wild Out Wednesday twice in a row, and has been in national and international commercials such as for Head Tennis Rackets. Carlos has worked with Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys Of Dance. With the company he has toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. Carlos recently has been a top 20 finalist on the Fox TV dance show “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 10. Carlos is currently residing in NYC teaching at Broadway Dance Center and Steps On Broadway while also touring the U.S. teaching for competition conventions such as Dance Masters America, Showbiz Talent and Fierce Dance Challenge. He is also currently performing in the off broadway show “iLuminate.” 

Jonathan Lee

Guest teacher Jonathan Lee has worked with various recording artists such as Grammy Award winners/nominees Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Tracy Chapman, Mya and Joe as a backup singer, dancer, and choreographer. His Film/TV credits include You’ve Got Mail, The View, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and Guiding Light. Theatre credits include Once On This Island (Daniel), The Wiz (Tin Man), West Side Story (Bernardo), The King & I (Lun Tha), Miss Saigon, and Candide. He has worked with networks such as Disney, MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH1. Jonathan has also been seen or heard in several commercials, recordings, and print ads for Verizon Wireless, NIKE, Optimum Online, Texas Instruments, Wendy’s and WeeBee Tunes. Currently Jonathan teaches Hip-Hopat Steps on Broadway and Dance Space Center in NYC and is working on a solo R n B singing career.

Matthew Powell
Matthew Powell received his scholarship with the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. As a professional, he has performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and has danced principal and soloist roles in over fifty works by renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Michael Smuin and more. Most recently, he portrayed A-rab in the International Tour of West Side Story, directed by Joey McKneely. As a teacher, Matthew was a faculty member with the Kansas City Ballet School, and has taught at numerous institutions such as the Universities of Iowa and Alabama, Marymount Manhattan, and Ballet Academy East. Additionally, Matthew served as the company ballet teacher for the West Side Story International Tour. He worked as Assistant Director for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Pirates of Penzance, and his choreography received a fellowship from the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of the New York City Ballet.

Lindsey Lafountain
Lindsey came to ATJ to teach an amazing Modern Master Class. Lindsey has
danced all over the country. She was a company member of Giordano Dance Chicago, SLJ Arts Initiative, and many more companies.

Lucas Trina
Lucas from the tv show Dance Moms was here for a hip-hop class taught by Miss Maddy and he stayed for a meet and greet. He is such a talented young man
we are so excited to call him a friend. His mom Brigette from Dance Moms was here as well for the event.

Other past Master classes include:
Wicked the musical
Fosse the musical
Isadora Duncan workshop
NY Dance Jamz with Tammi Colucci

 

 

Silver Lining Dance Company

Silver Lining Dance Company was created by Miss Debby in 2010 and is based out of ATJDA. Watch for audition information!

Audition info:
$10 audition fee per dancer, includes technique help and critique. ON HOLD DUE TO COVID.