The Company
Ages 6-16 years
The Company allows students between six and sixteen years of age to develop self-expression, enhance social skills, and grow more confident through dance classes, acting classes, and singing classes. In each term, students will learn the core fundamentals of singing, acting, and dance. In addition, each term will have its own unique focus.
The Company meets every Saturday in Park Ridge. Students are divided into three groups based on their age. Each group attends a one hour acting class, a one hour singing class, and a one hour dance class. The program is taught by a team of professional actors, choreographers, musicians, and directors. They have a different instructor for each class, and they rotate class on the hour. Students will perform a showcase of their work on the last day of term.
WINTER/SPRING TERM 2024
This Winter/Spring our students will present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. A fantastic adaptation of the story of transformation and tolerance. Based on the original Broadway production that ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. features some of the most enduring music and magical moments ever put on the stage. Performance will be held on the last day of term.
Term Details
January 20-May 4 (No class March 30)
Saturdays, 10:00am-1:00pm
Saturdays, 2:00pm-5:00pm
January 21-May 5 (No class March 31)
Sundays, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Tuition
$745 (can be paid in four equal installments)
Location (Saturday programs):
Centennial Activity Center 100 S. Western Ave Park Ridge, IL 60068
Location (Sunday programs):
Maine Park Leisure Center 2701 W. Sibley St. Park Ridge, IL 60068
Families register through the Park Ridge Park District. Enrollment for the Winter/Spring Term is now closed. Our next session will begin Fall 2024 with enrollment opening in August. Please click “Contact Us” below if you are interested in The Company for an upcoming term!
“This is my son’s favorite three hours of the week! We love the experience and enthusiasm of all the teachers and everyone involved. It is well organized and the students all get along very well. We are very thankful for this experience!”
“Dance classes, Acting classes, and Singing Classes for Kids at The Stage School”
In our acting classes, children explore the creation of a character through voice, movement, and imagination. Our acting instructor works with each student through creative role play, improvisation, performance text, and other fun activities. Children who attend acting classes develop strong skills in concentration, communication, teamwork, and accountability.
In our singing classes, children will learn to understand and how to use their voice. We focus on skills such as projection, diction, singing on pitch, enhancing vocal range, rhythm, and vocal dynamics. Our parents have commented that when their children attend singing classes, they notice an increase in their child’s overall confidence, and the joy of expressing themselves through song.
Expressing yourself or telling a story through movement is a part of nearly every culture in the world. Dance classes allow children to learn about themselves and the world through movement. In our dance classes, children will develop balance, coordination, proper placement of arms and feet, timing, rhythm and how to express their body through movement. Dance classes focus primarily on modern and jazz dance. Children who attend our dance classes develop poise, an increased sensory awareness, body awareness, and spatial concept, learn to use their bodies as an expressive tool, plus have loads of fun!
FAQs
Great question! Once your child is six, they are eligible to be in the Company, however many six year-olds do attend the Premier Program. The goal is to find the program that is the best fit for your child, and allow them to grow and develop where they are most comfortable. You may consider whether your child does better around older children or younger children, or which class is the best fit for your schedule.
The best answer to this is: The program in which your child will have the most fun will be the right program for them. We recommend you select the program you think is the best fit for your child. However, if after a few classes you decide the other program is a better fit, you can make a switch up to the fourth week of the term, as long as a space is still available.
Your child may transfer to the earlier or later class up until the fourth week of the term. After this, students will begin working on the material for their showcase, and it is important that the same children remain in each class.
Yes! Our philosophy at The Stage School is to develop each child’s natural ability through acting, singing, and dance. Our goal is to increase each child’s confidence and allow them to feel comfortable expressing themselves creatively. If your child is shy, or has never taken a acting class, singing class, or dance class, we will work with them to make them feel comfortable and have fun.
All we require is that by the third week of the term, all students are wearing a Stage School t-shirt (which is provided with your enrollment), and either jazz or ballet shoes. We provide all other materials needed for the class and the end of term performance. Children in The Company take a quick ten minute snack break between their second and third class. Please plan to provide your child with a light snack and bottle of water each week.
Your child’s teachers are always happy to speak with you before or after class regarding your child’s progress.
Not at all! We welcome children of all different levels of experience.