Does your studio participate in competitions?
No, Dance Expressions Unlimited is NOT a competitive studio. We believe in nurturing our students and we emphasize individual growth and achievement. We do not believe in “drilling” routines to perfection just to win a trophy or award. The constant “drilling” of the choreography is not fun or educational for the dancers. Moreover, the students spend an excessive amount of time on one routine and can generally only do that routine well while other technical skills and concepts suffer. We believe in performing - not for competitions and rewards, but rather for the enjoyment of dancing and to benefit the community. We offer many extra performing opportunities in addition to our annual spring performance for the students. We have a resident dance company that performs in the community and for charitable organizations. There are NO auditions to join the dance company as we believe performing should be for ANYONE who chooses to participate and have fun. Furthermore, there is no financial commitment to joining the company. It is simply another venue for the dancers to enhance their training.

What are the qualifications of the teachers? How do I choose a good instructor?
Audrey Wetterwald RDE, director and primary educator at Dance Expressions Unlimited, is the ONLY in the Registered Dance Educator (RDE) in the Merrimack Valley. RDEs are chosen for membership in the National Registry of Dance Educators based on their superior teaching methods, content, style, safety, technique, and ability. The Registry recognizes the top dance educators in the field. The dance educators at Dance Expressions Unlimited are trained by Audrey personally. Moreover, Audrey has a BFA in Dance along with another teacher. Other teachers are former professional dancers with extensive dance education experience.
Many instructors claim they have been “certified by test to teach” but that only means that they have a general background in technique in dance. It does NOT indicate that the instructor is excellent or competent in all areas and levels of dance. Dance educators with training from college are generally better educated because of the complete nature of the education – pedagogy, history, notation, anatomy & physiology, kinesiology, etc. Dance educators with a lot of teaching experience have more to draw from when interacting with students.

What is the size of the class?
The fewer students in class, the more individual attention the child receives which promotes faster learning and more fun. Classes at Dance Expressions Unlimited are small to ensure individual attention and promote faster development, advancement, and growth. The maximum class size is 12 while there is a limit of 8 students in the Creative Movement class. Most children’s classes also have student apprentices who demonstrate and offer additional help, therefore, the teacher-student ratio is often 1:6 or less.

What kind of dance floor do you have? What other features does your studio have?
Dance Expressions Unlimited has a floating suspended floor that absorbs the shock and impact of movement thereby reducing fatigue and preventing injury that can result from dancing on hard or concrete surfaces. The top layer of our flooring is a “Marley” suitable for all styles of dance including tap. Marley floors are accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for recreational and professional dance. Professional companies use Marley floors as they allow the dancer to slide with a degree of “controlled slip”, but not too slippery to risk slips and falls. Few dance studios use Marley and floating floors because of the expense involved.
Furthermore, Dance Expressions Unlimited is the only studio in the area that can convert its two large dance rooms into a performance space. We hold informal concerts, holiday parties, master classes, and workshops in our large facility. The convenience of converting the two rooms into one larger venue provides FREE additional performance opportunities for the performers, families, and the general public.

What style of dance is your strength?
Dance Expressions Unlimited prides itself on being equally strong for all ages and levels in the disciplines of ballet/pointe, tap, and jazz/hip-hop. Some dance studios are strong only in tap or jazz or hip-hop or ballet, but rarely do you find a dance school that is equally strong in the three major forms of dance. We offer the most well rounded dance education in the area.