Curricula
Dive into our approach & learn about our level structure
Fusion dance is a creative partner dance that blends movements and techniques from multiple dance styles—swing, blues, tango, contemporary, and more. It’s an amazing dance, but is uniquely challenging to learn since mixing dances requires in-depth and pre-existing knowledge.
At the Academy, we have developed a unique curricula incorporating movements and techniques from many partnered dance styles to support student’s growth into well rounded and adaptable fusion dancers.
Progressive levels guide students on a unique learning path that builds over time. Each level contains multiple classes, and each class is a 4-week series where you’ll dive deep into specific skills. Series within a level can be taken in any order.
To move to the next level, you'll need to complete all classes in your current one and take a brief assessment with one of our senior instructors. Assessments happen during regular practice sessions (practicas) and focus on making sure you have the foundational prerequisites needed to succeed at the next level. Already experienced? Contact us for a placement assessment!
Our Approach
In each level, you’ll explore concepts, movements, and techniques from our 3 “systems”: Groove, Momentum, and Walking. Within each system live a selection of dances which we pull inspiration from to create our curriculum for each class.
Groove
Groove is a fusion system inspired by Blues dances and Hip-Hop. These dances emphasize rhythmic embodiment and musical interpretation, inviting partners to play with repetition and flow in their movement. This system uses body isolations and pulse to create deep connection with the music's rhythm and texture.
Momentum
Momentum is a fusion system inspired by Swing dances. These dances utilize momentum to generate and channel energy through the body, partnership, and space. This system uses stretch and compression skills to create dynamic motion in partnership.
Smoothstepping
Smoothstepping is a fusion dance inspired by Argentine Tango and Ballroomin’ Blues. These walking system dances invite partners to travel around the floor in close embrace, allowing dancers to interpret the music with subtlety and fluidity. This dance uses heightened chest connection to create precision and elegance in partnered movement.
Our tracks
A
L1: Foundations
Learn essential movement patterns from all of our systems, develop lead/follow communication skills, and gain the practical confidence to participate in fusion dance socials!
Learn a step-touch basic with variations, simple turns, and core techniques that allow you to lead and follow while interpreting the music.
3 months
B
Learn to dance to medium tempo music by exploring conversational partner dance principles. Familiarize yourself with pulse variations, delayed triples, chasses, and sequences that model combining what you’ve learned into a Baystyle dance.
L2: Baystyle
Baystyle is a fusion idiom born in the Bay in the 2010s. It is inspired by Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, and Blues and combines elements from our groove & momentum systems. This idiom offers dancers the ability to interpret modern music with dynamism and playfulness in partnered movement.
A
3 months
B
Learn to dance to slow tempo music by playing with rhythmic variations of quicks and slows. Expand your vocabulary with ochos and slides, and sequences that model how to combine what you’ve learned into a Baystyle dance.
C
Learn to dance to fast tempo music by familiarizing yourself with stretch / compression lead-and-follow concepts. Expand your vocabulary with passes, pushes, slingshots, and sequences that model how to combine what you’ve learned into a Baystyle dance.
Smoothstepping is a fusion idiom inspired by Argentine Tango and Ballroomin’ Blues. It combines elements from our walking and momentum systems. This idiom offers dancers the ability to interpret historical and modern music with subtlety and elegance in partnered movement.
Learn how to walk with a partner using cross-body leads, promenades, inside turns, and variations of the step-touch basic, while learning core techniques that allow you to lead and follow while interpreting the music.
L2: smoothstepping
Learn core techniques that allow you to lead and follow while interpreting the music, like transitioning from partnered closed to open position, rhythmic variations, loaded turns, and a simple dip.
Monthly series’ that alternate between genre-specific techniques and more advanced fusion concepts, offering the highest level of fusion content offered in the Bay Area.
other offerings
Monthly series
Each rotating theme drills essential solo movement skills and helps you develop a technical precision that elevates your fusion partner dancing.
to refine your personal movement quality
Prereqs: None! Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience.-
Depends on the month! These classes always focus on solo body control, balance, and forging new pathways through various principles.
Check out our Schedule page for a look at upcoming Solo classes.
C
Weekly drop-in
to integrate new techniques in our community of learners
Once you fill yourself with knowledge, practice it with your peers in this open practica. Ask the on-call instructors for feedback on your dancing or help figuring out specific moves.
Practicas are included in monthly passes!