Summer Dance Program on Long Island
AN OUTDOOR SUMMER DANCE CAMP EXPERIENCE
Dance instruction at Usdan is rigorous, caring, and fun. The Usdan Dance Department prepares children to participate in a creative, contemporary dance community. Dance Majors are taught by experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers. During their time in the studio, students build their technical and expressive skills, learn about dance traditions, and have opportunities to choreograph.
Campers with a wide range of previous training can find an experience that is right for their level and interests. While the majority of our classes welcome all levels, Classical Studies requires previous dance experience. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. In conversation with families, we register students for classes that we think will benefit them the most.
Usdan’s Dance studios are spacious and mirrored, with vinyl “marley” floors (except for tap dance), and generous skylights that provide natural lighting. Studios are open-air, with two sides completely open and exposed to the surrounding woodland campus.
SUMMER CAMP Busing FOR LONG ISLAND, NYC, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens Kids
For over fifty years, Usdan has offered an enriching arts, music, theater, creative writing and dance summer camp experience to children all over the region, from Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn in New York City, to Port Washington and Huntington, and all over Nassau and Suffolk counties. Usdan offers busing to and from camp from convenient central pickup locations. For more information on busing, please visit our Transportation page.
Classes
Broadway Jazz
4-Week A
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 4–12
Rec: Grades 4–12
4-Week B
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 4–12
Rec: Grades 4–12
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
Learn new and original choreography from legendary Broadway shows under the guidance of experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers. In this energetic class, students study various dance forms drawn from musical theater and jazz traditions. Dance studios are open-air and exposed to the beauty of Usdan’s wooded campus. Depending on student interest, the class may culminate in a performance showcasing what dancers have been working on. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. All levels are welcome. Classes are grouped according to age division and grade.
“I liked that we were able to have fun while learning cool musical numbers.”
—Janylee
Choreography
4-Week A
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
4-Week B
Major: Grades 6–12
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
For students interested in creating their own dances, Usdan’s Choreography Major provides an opportunity to work individually or in groups, guided by an experienced choreographer. Past classes have crafted works for the studio, for the stage, and even for the picnic tables! All styles—from modern to contemporary, salsa to hip hop, ballet to jazz—are welcome. Students often build strong bonds with one another as they work toward creating their showcase at the end of the session. Dance studios are open-air and exposed to the beauty of Usdan’s wooded campus. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. All levels are welcome.
“You can be yourself, and you get inspired by other people's dance styles.”
—Sabria
Dance Adventure
4-Week A
Major: Grades 2–4
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
4-Week B
Major: Grades 2–4
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
An exploratory dance experience, offering a fun and supportive environment to try a variety of dance games and styles. In open-air studios that are exposed to the beauty of Usdan’s wooded campus, students are taught by experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers with a variety of expertise. Dance forms explored in this Major depend on the expertise of the teacher(s) and may include ballet, jazz, contemporary, and/or tap. All levels are welcome.
“What I liked most was that I got to be myself.”
—Ahuva
Hip Hop (Major) – New
4-Week A
Major: Grades 6–12
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
4-Week B
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
The Usdan Hip Hop Major is back! Under the instruction of experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers, students learn a combination of old and new styles and investigate the roots and evolution of hip hop dance, building a strong foundation while exploring the new frontier. In addition to studying technique, students work together to create dynamic dance pieces with opportunities to collaborate with Music and Creative Writing students to structure their own original rhythms, lyrics, and choreography. Dance studios are open-air and exposed to the inspiration of Usdan’s wooded campus. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. All levels are welcome.
Hip Hop (Minor)
4-Week A
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 2–12
Rec: Grades 2–12
4-Week B
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 2–12
Rec: Grades 2–12
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
Under the instruction of experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers, students learn a combination of old and new styles, such as pop, lock, break, and vogue. In addition to working on technique, students collaborate to create dynamic dance pieces. Dancers infuse challenging choreography with their own creative style, culminating in an exciting dance performance at the end of the session. Dance studios are open-air and exposed to the inspiration of Usdan’s wooded campus. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. Classes are grouped according to age division and grade. All levels are welcome.
“I loved the teachers and how they taught. Also, they made dancing more fun than it already is.”
—Jordan
“I liked the amount of energy the class gave me.”
—Natalie
“Vibes.”
—Sameia
Next Generation Dance
4-Week A
Major: Grades 4–12
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
4-Week B
Major: Grades 4–12
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
Build skills in the emerging genre of blended contemporary, social, and cultural dance under the instruction of experienced dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers. Students learn the cutting-edge form of contemporary dance informed by various cultural and social dances such as Caribbean dance, Latin ballroom, hip hop, and many others. Dance studios are open-air and exposed to the beauty of Usdan’s wooded campus. Depending on student interest, the class may culminate in a performance showcasing what dancers have been working on. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. All levels are welcome. Classes are grouped according to age division and grade.
“My favorite thing was the freedom and creativity.”
—Brielle
“It was fun, and I loved the choreography.”
—Leah
Tap
4-Week A
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 2–12
Rec: Grades 2–12
4-Week B
MAJOR - N/A
Minor: Grades 2–12
Rec: Grades 2–12
1-Week Rec
MAJOR - N/A
MINOR - N/A
REC - N/A
Tap focuses on rhythm, coordination, and musicality. In this class, dancers develop their movement repertory while building confidence, ensemble skills, and discipline. Experienced tap-dance educators and professional dancers and choreographers teach specific styles and traditions, ranging from Broadway to rhythm tap. Students practice movement skills, improvisation, and choreography in open-air studios that are exposed to the beauty of Usdan’s wooded campus. Depending on student interest, the class may culminate in a performance showcasing what dancers have been working on.
All levels are welcome and students self-select their tap level at the time of enrollment. Students with less than two years of tap experience to sign up for Tap 1 and students with more than two years of tap experience should sign up for Tap 2. To ensure that our classes best serve the group, our enrollment form includes questions about dance background. Classes are grouped according to age division and grade.
“A great introduction to tap; it made me interested in continuing tap dancing.”
—Claudia
“We learned harder steps than I have ever learned before”
—Melissa