(816) 478-4404
Welcome New Students!
We understand that navigating a new dance studio for your child can be challenging. We want to help you and your child choose the best dance class options that fit your needs. Below you will find a description of how we break down our classes based on age and experience, plus all of the styles of dance we offer. Please fill out our form at the bottom before enrolling to ensure your child is placed in the correct dance class!
Preschool Age
We offer three preschool dance levels.
These classes are based on when a child is going into Kindergarten. Each student should spend only ONE year in each preschool level. For example: If a child goes to Kindergarten next fall then they need to be in Preschool 2, if a child goes into Kindergarten in 3 school years then they need to be in Music and Movement.
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Music and Movement (Ages 2-3)
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Preschool 1 (Ages 3-4)
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Preschool 2 (Ages 4-5)
*NOTE: Students who are not yet in Kindergarten are REQUIRED to take our preschool classes.
Elementary Age
Our elementary age dance classes are also broken up into three levels. At age 5 our students may join our competition team - this may change what classes are best for your child dance path.
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Stars (Pre-competitive) and Combo 1 (Recreational) - Grades: Kindergarten and 1st
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Level 1 (Competitive) and Combo 2 (Recreational) - Grades 2nd and 3rd
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Level 2 (Competitive) and Combo 3 (Recreational) - Grades 4th and 5th
*NOTE: Students may take more classes than what is listed above. Most of our leveled classes and combo classes overlap in styles like Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre.
Middle School Age
Our Middles School Age classes are a little more intense as we focus on preparing our students for their respective high school dance teams.
These classes are split into two levels: Competition and Recreational.
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Intermediate Level 3 (Recreational) - Grades 6-8
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Level 3 (Competitive) - Grades 6-8
*NOTE: We offer Intermediate level 3 classes ONLY in dance team styles (Jazz and Hip Hop) if students want to take other styles of dance (Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, etc.) they must be evaluated by one of our teachers or are asked to enroll in level 2.
High School Age
All of our high school age students are considered serious dancers that want to pursue a dance career outside of high school.
Any recreational or competition dancer may take our high school age classes, but they MUST be evaluated by one of our teachers and owner/director Miss Cathy.
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Level 4 - Grades 9-12
Styles of Dance Offered at Cathy's
Below you will find a list of dance styles and a brief description of those styles that we offer here at Cathy's Creative Dance School
All of our levels revolve around our four core styles: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Acro. We feel these styles give the best foundation for well rounded dancers. We consider Hip Hop and Leaps and Turns high school dance team prep classes, and Modern, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre college dance prep classes.
Our Preschool classes focus on the basics of Ballet, Tap, and Acro. Our combo classes dive deeper into Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, but we feel that Acro needs it's own class time and is offered separately from our combo classes.
Ballet
Ballet is a formal, classical dance style originating in Renaissance Italy, known for its precise, graceful movements, codified steps (like pliés, pirouettes), and "turned-out" leg positions, demanding immense strength and flexibility.
Tap
Tap dance is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. It is an American artform that evolved alongside the advent of jazz music
Jazz
Jazz dance is a vibrant, energetic American dance characterized by improvisation, syncopation, body isolations, high-energy kicks, leaps, and turns. It's a versatile, expressive style that emphasizes rhythm, musicality, and individual flair, often requiring ballet training for foundational strength and control.
Acro
Acro dance (acrobatic dance) is a unique dance style that fuses traditional dance techniques (like jazz, ballet, lyrical) with impressive acrobatic and gymnastic elements, emphasizing fluid transitions between graceful movements and difficult tricks like handstands, cartwheels, and aerials
Hip Hop
Hip hop dance is a vibrant, energetic style of street dance that emerged from 1970s Black and Latinx communities in New York City, evolving from hip hop culture alongside DJing and graffiti, characterized by freestyle, improvisation, and rhythmic body movements like bouncing, locking, and popping.
Leaps and Turns
Leaps and turns is a class we offer that strictly focuses on skills. The skills that are taught are means to help students gain confidence in their ability and set aside time to focus on new skills needed for dance teams or college.
Modern
Modern dance is a free, expressive stylej that emerged in the late 19th/early 20th centuries as a rebellion against ballet's rigidity, emphasizing personal expression, natural movement, and individuality over strict technique, using the whole body to convey emotion, often barefoot, and incorporating diverse music or silence
Contemporary
Contemporary dance is a versatile, expressive dance style emerging mid-20th century, blending modern, ballet, jazz, and lyrical techniques while breaking from classical rules to explore current themes, emotions, and abstract ideas through fluid, innovative movements, improvisation, and a strong mind-body connection
Musical Theatre
Musical theatre dance is a versatile, storytelling dance style blending jazz, ballet, tap, and modern (plus hip-hop/contemporary) to drive plot, develop characters, and heighten emotion in musicals, focusing on narrative clarity and performance energy rather than a single style
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Enrollment is now LIVE!
Reserve your child's spot in our dance classes today!
Enrollment opens on August 10, 2026! Join us in person for Studio Open House starting August 29! Our 2026-2027 dance season starts September 8, 2026. Classes will fill up quickly!
Where: Cathy's Creative Dance School - 2866 Rte 291, Independence, MO 64057. Suite A
Fill out this form for more information!
Email us with the following information to help us better understand your child so our teachers can make sure they are on the correct path for their dance education. Once we have all of the information requested we will reach out with possible dance classes that fit your child's needs!