Premier Dance Academy in Northern Virginia
The Little Dancer Program
Ages 2-8 years
Why DAV
Choosing your child's first dance class is a big decision, and it is normal to feel a little nervous, especially if this is the first activity you are enrolling them in. You are not just picking a dance class. You are picking the place where your child will grow from their very first plié all the way through their high school graduation.
At Dance Academy of Virginia, we do not lump every young dancer into one broad "toddler and preschool" class. Ages 2 through 6 are split into five distinct, age-specific levels, based on the student's age as of September 30th. Each level meets your dancer exactly where they are developmentally: Move with Me, Dancing Tots, Little Dancer, PreK, and Kinder
Our Five Levels
What to expect in class
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30 Minutes
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Max Class Size: 8 students (with an adult)
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Parent-and-me: you're participating with your dancer
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30 Minutes
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Max Class Size: 10 students
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Students participate independently
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45 Minutes
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Max Class Size: 10-12 students
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Students participate independently
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45 Minutes
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Max Class Size: 10-12 students (varies by teacher & studio)
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Students participate independently
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45 minutes (single style class)
60 minutes (combo class) -
Max Class Size: 12-14 students (varies by teacher & studio)
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Students participate independently
A gentle introduction to the dance studio for our youngest dancers and their grown-up. This caregiver-and-me class invites toddlers to explore creative movement, music, and rhythm in a nurturing environment. Together, dancers and their grown-up will sing, dance, and play through age-appropriate activities designed to build confidence, coordination, and a love of dance.
Dancers will:
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Explore movement, rhythm, and music alongside a caregiver
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Develop early motor skills and body awareness through play
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Build comfort and confidence in the studio environment
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Enjoy props, songs, and imaginative activities
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This is a session-based class and does not participate in recital
Dancing Tots is the perfect first solo dance experience for little ones ready to step into the studio without a caregiver. This playful, imaginative class introduces dancers to basic ballet and creative movement through stories, music, and props. Our instructors create a warm, encouraging space where tots build independence, coordination, and a love of moving to music.
Dancers will:
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Learn beginner ballet and creative movement concepts
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Develop coordination, listening skills, and body awareness
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Build classroom independence and confidence
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Explore music and rhythm through age-appropriate activities
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This is a session-based class and does not participate in recital
Contact us to reserve an intro class!
For more additional information contact us info@danceacademyva.com
Designed for our youngest soloists, Little Dancer introduces preschoolers to the joy of ballet. Dancers explore beginner technique, musicality, and creative movement in a fun, imaginative setting. With age-appropriate structure and lots of encouragement, dancers build foundational dance skills while developing focus, coordination, and confidence.
Dancers will:
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Learn beginner ballet and tap fundamentals
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Build coordination, balance, and rhythm
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Develop listening skills and classroom etiquette
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Explore creative movement through props and music
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Perform in the Spring Recital!
PreK
Ages 4-5.5
Pre-K Dance Classes introduce preschool dancers to the foundations of dance in a fun, engaging, and developmentally appropriate environment. Whether enrolled in Ballet or Ballet/Tap, dancers will build confidence, coordination, musicality, and classroom independence while developing a love for movement through imaginative activities and age-appropriate instruction.
Dancers will:
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Learn the foundations of classical ballet, including basic positions, posture, and grace
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Develop balance, coordination, musicality, rhythm, and body awareness
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Build classroom focus, listening skills, and dance etiquette
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In Ballet/Tap, explore tap fundamentals including basic steps, rhythm, and timing
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Perform in the Spring Recital
Kinder
Ages 5-6.5
Kinder Dance Classes are designed for kindergarten-aged dancers who are ready to build on the foundations developed in our early childhood program. Whether enrolled in Ballet, Ballet/Jazz, or Ballet/Tap, dancers will continue developing strong technical skills while building confidence, coordination, musicality, and classroom independence in a fun, encouraging environment.
Dancers will:
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Strengthen beginner ballet technique, posture, alignment, and terminology
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Develop coordination, balance, musicality, and body awareness
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Build focus, discipline, confidence, and classroom etiquette
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In combo classes, explore the fundamentals of either jazz (including isolations, kicks, and stylized movement) or tap (including basic steps, rhythm, and timing)
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Perform in the Spring Recital
Frequently Asked Questions
How dancers move up a level:
Advancement is based on the age/grade level of your dancer by September 30th of that School Year, and how your dancer is doing in class, not a formal test. Dancers do not move up a level during Summer Sessions; DAV has a studio-wide policy that the level a dancer is in during the School Year is the same level they will be in for the following Summer Session (for example, if your child is in Kindergarten in September 2026, they will be in our Kinder Level for the 26/27 School Year and Summer 2027). Level placements are sent out via email every spring before the next School Year launches, so parents have all the information needed to register!
What your child will learn:
Through music, imagination, and play, our youngest dancers build the fundamentals every dancer needs: listening skills, spatial awareness, balance and coordination, and the confidence to move their body in front of others. As dancers move through the Little Dancer program and beyond, class becomes more structured, introducing vocabulary, technique, and choreography. Each level building on what they learned the year before. This is not about memorizing steps on day one. It is about falling in love with movement and growing technique and skill over time.
Recital & Performance
Here is how recitals/performances work at DAV:
Move with Me and Dancing Tots do not perform in our annual Spring Recital. That is a deliberate choice, with the dancer's best interests in mind; a full recital (with a real stage, an audience, and a longer performance day) asks a lot of a 2 or 3 year old, and we would rather give our youngest dancers a lower-pressure way to share what they have learned. Instead of an end-of-year recital, our Move with Me and Dancing Tots classes have a Friend & Family Observation Day at the end of each session! Move with Me and Dancing Tots are the only classes offered at DAV in a 3 session format:
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Session 1: August 31st - November 29th
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Session 2: November 30 - March 7th
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Session 3: March 8th - June 13th
Little Dancer, PreK, and Kinder perform at our annual Spring Recital! It is a milestone worth looking forward to, and one your dancer will be ready for by springtime. See this year's recital info here!
Your Trial Class
The best way to know if a class is the right fit is to come try it, at any level.
Your $19 trial class fee reserves your spot in the class of your choice.
What to wear? If your child already has a leotard and tights, feel free to wear them. Otherwise, don’t stress—simple leggings and a comfortable t-shirt work perfectly for their first day. We even have a selection of shoes available at the studio to borrow during the trial.
Need to reschedule? Life happens, especially with littles. If illness, weather, or a scheduling conflict means you have to miss your trial, we will rebook you at no additional charge. Just let us know before class starts and we will find your next best fit within 14 days.
First class jitters? Totally normal. Many of our youngest dancers need a class or two to warm up to a new room, new faces, and (for our independent levels) being away from a parent for the first time. If your dancer's first trial does not go as planned, we are happy to offer a second trial at no charge so they can try again when they are ready.
Our Studios
Dance is a physical, hands-on activity, and we think you should be able to see exactly where your child will spend their class time before you ever walk in the door.
Both of our locations are designed with young dancers in mind, with sprung Marley floors, bright and welcoming classrooms, and viewing options for family members who are not in the room.
Meet Your Teachers
Your child's teacher matters, especially for a first class. Meet Our Team
Get to know the instructor who will be leading your dancer's class before your trial class, so you and your dancer feel confident walking in on day one.
