Dance Academy


   
St. Cecilia Dance Academy (SCDA) is a program for girls beginning at age 18 months. SCDA provides dancers in the Nashville area with excellent training in dance techniques, communication, and artistry.  Through their introduction to and immersion in the universal language of dance, girls learn to express their God-given beauty and dignity through their growing bodies. Dance also helps students develop virtues like discipline, grace, perseverance, healthy self-expression, resilience, critical thinking, a broad sense of musicality, and collaboration skills crucial for a well-lived life.  Most importantly, the fine arts—and dance in a particular way—open young people up to all that is good, true, and beautiful as they use their bodies, minds, and talents to glorify God.

Class Schedules and Registration

Registration is open for the St. Cecilia Dance Academy! Class offerings include ballet, jazz, tap, and more! Please click the button below to view the 2025-2026 SCDA class schedule.
 

Tuition

The SCDA tuition is all inclusive and covers the following: dance classes, registration fee, administrative fee, costume fee, production fees, videographer fee (includes copy of the end of year recital), professional photographer fee (includes option to purchase photos of your dancer/s).
  • $810/year
  • $405/semester if paying in two installments
A 10% discount is offered for siblings and for those taking multiple classes (full price for first sibling or class, and subsequent sibling or class gets the discount; select “check” option at checkout; tuition with sibling/multiple class discount is $729/year or $364.50/semester if paying in two installments).

There is a 20% discount for employees of the Dominican Campus (select “check” option at checkout; tuition with employee discount is $648/year or $324/semester if paying in two installments).

Programs & Performances

St. Cecilia Dance Academy offers after-school and Saturday classes during the school year in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre dance, contemporary, hip hop, and conditioning for girls from 3 years old to adult.
 
SCDA is designed to serve students who enjoy dance and wish to improve their technique and artistry through excellent training. Although girls in SCDA participate in an annual performance (in tandem with the student-choreographed spring dance concert featuring SCA's Seasons Dance Company), it is not a competition studio.
 
In addition, parents and guardians will be invited to “Visitors’ Week” at the end of each semester. Observers are able to see what the dancers do in a typical class.

SCDA Location

St. Cecilia Dance Academy classes are located in the beautiful and spacious SCA dance studio completed in 2019. The St. Cecilia Fine Arts Center has an outside entrance easily accessible for parent pick-up and drop-off.

Important Documents


   

   

Class Descriptions

List of 6 items.

  • Ballet

    Students join centuries of dancers in the study of classical ballet in an age-appropriate, logical, positive, challenging, and safe manner.  Dancers focus on proper alignment, learning vocabulary and skills, gaining strength and flexibility, developing coordination and balance, musicality, artistry, and grace. 

  • Ballet Pilates and Strengthening

    Students will engage in a series of exercises that activate and create long, dancer-esque muscles, improve flexibility, strengthen the body’s core, challenge the student’s physical limits, and encourage mind-body connection.

  • Contemporary / Modern

    Perfect for beginners, these classes combine the styles of contemporary and modern dance.  In an open and supportive environment, dancers learn to freely express themselves through the time-honored techniques of Graham, Duncan, Horton, and others.  Classes focus on developing core strength, floor work, and on exploring movement concepts like space, time, and energy.  Dancers will love the freedom they experience as they learn these popular expressive and eclectic forms.

  • Creative Movement

    Tiny dancers will love this class aimed at engaging their bodies, hearts, and minds in movement.  Through introduction to basic ballet vocabulary, exercises to explore creativity, and activities to stimulate imagination, students develop musicality, coordination, artistry, social skills, and self-expression.

  • Music Theater Dance

    Each dancer will shine in her own spotlight in this high-energy class focused on style and story-telling through dance.  Though an understanding of basic dance vocabulary is preferred, students of all levels will be able to safely access the movement.  Students’ Broadway dreams will come alive as they dance, developing acting and performance skills, classical vocabulary, fine points of style, and musicality.

  • Private Lessons

    Private lessons are offered to current SCDA students at an additional charge.  Learning in this intimate environment is beneficial for dancers' individual growth.  Private lessons can be offered in any style and centered around a dancer's specific needs, for example: working on a particular skill or choreography, improving in an area like flexibility, preparing for an audition, core strengthening for cheerleading, etc. 
    • Private lessons may be arranged through the SCDA Director via email.  Private lessons are $45 for 30 minutes or $75 for one hour.

List of 6 items.

  • Combo Classes

    Students will delight in movement and music as they learn the basics of various styles of dance.  Perfect for attention spans of younger children, students practice two forms of dance in one class, focusing on each form for half the period.  Students will develop physical skill while improving discipline, musicality, rhythm, coordination, strength, agility, storytelling through movement, and showmanship - all in a safe and age-appropriate environment.

  • Jazz

    Students will enjoy learning this American form of dance, which is a combination of ballet, African, East Indian, and other traditions of dance.  The technique focuses on mastering rhythms, body isolation, coordination, and balance, while the style reflects popular movements in dance through the years.  Students will gain strength, agility, flexibility, understanding of their personal style, connection to history, and more while improving locomotor movements, turns, and jumps.

  • Modern Dance: Foundations and Exlporation

    Perfect for all movers, these classes combine the styles of contemporary and modern dance.  In an open and supportive environment, dancers learn to freely express themselves through the time-honored techniques of Graham, Duncan, Horton, and others.  Classes focus on developing core strength, floor work, and on exploring movement concepts like space, time, and energy.  Dancers will love the freedom they experience as they learn these popular expressive and eclectic forms, and will even be invited into the creative process themselves.

  • Tap

    In this popular class, students become percussionists with their feet while expressing different styles in their upper bodies.  Students work to master musicality, complex and syncopated rhythms, and precision movements, as well as traditional Broadway and rhythm tap styles.

  • Hip Hop

    Students will be energized and excited to learn fundamentals of different styles of hip hop in this high energy class.  Dancers will develop strength, coordination, style, and positive body image in this encouraging and fun environment.

  • Dance Attire

    Dance attire and shoes may be purchased at:
    Spell’s Dancewear, Academy Sports, Target, Payless
    Discount Dance Supply and Amazon (online).

   

Instructors

Our instructors are seasoned dance educators with specializations in various genres. They lead classes in dance techniques, with an excellent understanding of dance pedagogy and safe practices, as well as patience and an ability to communicate in an age-appropriate manner.

Address

4210 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205

Contact

Phone: (615) 298-4525
Email: info@stcecilia.edu
© 2019 St. Cecilia Academy. All Rights Reserved.