What to Expect in an AVA Drop-In Class

Welcome to AVA Dance Company!

Our most popular service and the heart of our community are our drop-in classes! These occur Sunday through Wednesday and provide dancers with an hour of expression, passion-pursuing, movement and most of all...fun!

So, how does it work?

1. Arrival at Gold's Gym - Ballston

   1. Parking - please park in GYM ONLY labeled spots in front of or behind the building to prevent being towed. The gym takes this seriously!

   2. Waiver - upon arrival to Gold's gym, all dancers must sign their waiver prior to entry into the studio. It can be found via a QR code at the front desk and takes approx. 1-2 minutes to complete. Once you've submitted it, show the front desk attendant the confirmation screen and then you're good to go!

   3. While most of our classes are held at Gold's Gym - Ballston, we will occasionally host pop-up classes at other locations in the Washington DC area! Keep an eye out for those special classes!

2. Entry to Studio

   1. The studio is located up the stairs to your right. Head all the way back and around the corner to find us! We typically hold class in the smaller studio.

   2. For select workshops and intensives, we may hold class in the gym's larger studio.

3. Check-In

   1. Upon entry to the studio, the Class Manager will check you in! Feel free to leave your belongings along the perimeter of the room.

4. CLASS TIME!

   1. Warm-up / Stretch: Classes begin with a warm-up, led by the instructor! Depending on the style of class, this may also include across-the-floor drills to best prepare dancers for what's to come.

   2. Learning the combo: The instructor will teach the routine and if you have questions or would like to request a modification, just let the instructor know! While most classes are taught at an intermediate pace, we do offer additional levels. Beginners classes are designated as 101 and advanced level classes are labeled as either advanced or Pro-Style. Please note that Technique drop-ins may only focus on skills and not have a combo.

   3. Small groups and filming: Once the combo has been taught, the instructor will likely break the class into smaller groups to allow dancers to have more space to move. This is also when we film! Filming may look slightly different class-to-class depending on time. The Class Manager will record on their phone and then dancers have the option to receive it via AirDrop after class or download them from our Google Drive the following day. You are also welcome to grab a friend or record on your personal device!

      1. You've learned a lot in the last hour and we film small groups so you have something to look back on, but understand that may be daunting to some dancers! If you do not want to be filmed, we encourage you to dance to the side while your group is going (or let the Class Manager know that you would not like to be filmed!)

      2. On occasion, instructors will bring their own videographers to class.

      3. Looking for advice on how to improve your confidence or performance in small groups? Check out these tips from members of our community!

Are you ready to book a class with us? Check out our schedule here!

Not sure what class may be the best fit for you? Send us a message and we'll be happy to help you! We also archive all of our drop-in classes on our YouTube channel, where you can search a style of dance via playlist, or an instructor's name in the search bar to see examples of past choreography!