What are the opening hours?

Monday 6pm - 7pm Tuesday 3pm - 7pm Wednesday 6pm - 7pm Thursday 3pm - 7pm Friday 6pm - 7pm

https://www.facebook.com/395336357183045/

Columbia Dance Center, 623 Center Avenue, Columbia, MS (2026)

CURRICULUM:
KINDER classes are designed for three to five year-olds. Young students are taught rhythm, coordination, class etiquette, and self-expression, while preparing for the structure and discipline of a dance class. PRIMARY classes are designed specifically for children five to seven years of age. Emphasis is placed upon the basic positions and movements required of formal classical balle

t. Students become familiar with the French terms and learn a heightened awareness of movement and music. Inventive teaching helps children learn with discipline and enjoyment. ELEMENTARY (I / II) students master the basics to develop stronger and increased physical and mental capabilities. The training becomes more exacting with careful attention to the positions of the body, head, feet, hands and proper technique. INTERMEDIATE (III) and ADVANCED (IV) students move through a structured, progressive method which is proven by years of experience. Students are taught and encouraged in a positive atmosphere with careful regard for individual potential and ability. Inspiration to excel provides the motivation for each pupil. Sound technical training prepares students for professional work, teaching, college dance programs – or for any other activity in which confidence in a public environment is important. CONTEMPORARY classes are designed to expand the dance horizon and enhance the dance experience. These classes help create a flexible and well-rounded dancer through the development of rhythm, movement, balance, and control. Students MUST be at least 10 years old, had one year of ballet and attend at least one Ballet class a week to maintain a proper foundation for technique and an understanding of general dance vocabulary. FACULTY:
YVONNE BERGERON has come out of retirement to return to the studio she and her sister established over 40 years ago. She received her early training in New Orleans from Lelia Haller (Paris Opera Ballet) and later studied with Valerie Smith (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo). At 13 she was accepted into New Orleans Ballet and achieved solo status at 16. After seven years with the company she began teaching in Columbia with her sister, Yvette Johnson, in 1973 establishing a reputation of staging full-length ballet productions. She also served as choreographer for CHS musicals, Chamber of Commerce summer productions, and the Jr. Miss program. In 1993 she was appointed artistic director of the Laurel Ballet School and established Pine Belt Ballet Company & Dancentre in Hattiesburg. She attended teacher training courses through summer studies with Henry Danton, a former Royal Ballet soloist, at Western Kentucky University. Many of her dancers have been accepted into companies and schools across the US and Europe. Former students have pursued and enjoy successful professional careers in dance and theatre. HENRY DANTON performed with Sadler's Wells of London, Australian National Ballet, Roland Petit Ballet de Paris; Founding director of Venezuela National Ballet, Colombia National Ballet; Director of Australian National Ballet, Panama National Ballet. In 1996 he moved to Columbia as Ballet Master for Pine Belt Ballet. At the age of 101 he loves to stay active teaching and travelling. Danton is available for private classes and coaching. LISA BROWN grew up in Columbia and studied dance with Yvette Johnson for 8 years before completing her BFA in Dance at USM. She taught for 28 years in the Jackson Public School Gifted and Talented Program, Ballet Magnificat and Ballet MS. In 2015 she was awarded the Thad Cochran Distinguished Arts Educator Award. FULL SCHEDULE ON OUR WEBSITE.

06/21/2026

Summer Classes: Now-Aug 28
Fall Classes begin Sept 8.
🩰Enroll in Summer classes; Fall registration fee is waived🩰.
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO:
If you build a house on sand, you expect it to sink into the earth and fall apart. There is no foundation to that house.
That’s what happens when we skip the foundations of dance, the fundamentals of technique.
Without learning to plié correctly, students will never be able to piqué onto the other leg, temps lié, relevé, or jump in any way correctly.
Without learning to use their feet and articulate metatarsals, students will never be able to relevé, point their foot, brush their foot and ALL the steps that begin with the brush, or pirouette well.
Without learning to count basic time signatures, students will never be able to execute a preparation, balancé, or waltz turn correctly.
Without learning to retiré—how to arrive there, students will never learn to pirouette correctly.
Without spending much time and executing many meticulous repetitions, students never master any of these fundamental movements. Of course, I could go on and on, but you get my point.
WE TAKE THE TIME TO TEACH THE FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT, LOGISTICS, AND PLACEMENT OF ALL THE BALLET STEPS!
Nobody learns to plié in one or two classes because plié is so much more than just bending your knees.
Take the time! Practice exercises that break down all the elements. Focus on exercises that teach how to master the fundamentals of all the fancy steps. Not a class, not a week, not a month; but, sometimes years.
REPEAT-REPEAT-REPEAT!!!
It’s ultimately faster than having to go back and fix it later.
Breaking bad habits takes much longer than building good ones in the first place. And learning at the age of 14 that you’ve been doing assemblé or grand jeté wrong is terribly disheartening.
Plié, tendu, relevé, cou de pied, retiré, and more, etc… they are the building blocks of all the fancy steps.
At www.ColumbiaDancenter.com our students are taught those sturdy, brilliant building blocks that serve them a lifetime of the joy of dance!
REGISTER TODAY.

03/05/2026

11/30/2025

GIVE THE GIFT OF DANCE!
Gift certificates make a great Christmas gift.
For more information go to www.ColumbiaDancenter.com

08/12/2025

CLASSES BEGIN SEPT 2.
REGISTER TODAY.
At Columbia Dancenter our students are taught sturdy building blocks that serve them a lifetime of the joy of dance!
If you build a house on sand, you expect it to sink into the earth and fall apart. There is no foundation to that house.
That’s what happens when we skip the foundations of dance, the fundamentals of technique.
We take the time to teach the fundamental movements and placement of all the ballet steps.
Details at ColumbiaDancenter.com

06/08/2025

SUMMER CLASSES begin this week!

Address

623 Center Avenue
Columbia, MS
39429

Opening Hours

Monday	6pm - 7pm
Tuesday	3pm - 7pm
Wednesday	6pm - 7pm
Thursday	3pm - 7pm
Friday	6pm - 7pm

Telephone

(601) 466-9578

Website

facebook.com

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