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thePROGRAM

Pre-Professional Program for Young Dancers

WHAT TO KNOW

Begin as a dancer, Leave as an artist
eXit SPACE offers an exclusive program for dancers who are ready to seriously focus on their dance training and future. The Pre-Professional Program is a curriculum-based program designed for the dedicated dance student. Dancers must be between 8 and 18 years of age. Students are placed in one of three divisions based on age and ability, each with its own set of core classes and minimum class requirements.

Admission | A place for exploration and growth as a dancer, technician, artist and person.
Dancers accepted into thePROGRAM are nurtured, encouraged and challenged as the eXit SPACE faculty assists in their development and dedication to dance. Dancers involved in thePROGRAM are students who are serious about their commitment to dance. Many are committed to pursuing undergraduate studies in dance, pre-professional and/or professional careers in dance. Others are driven by their soulful passion for the art of dance and seeing it through to their greatest capacity no matter the long term outcome.

REQUIREMENTS

PROGRAM students are required to enroll in:
Ballet (two classes per week)
Modern (one class per week)
Jazz (one class per week)
Elective Classes (choice of at least one): Pointe, Pre-Pointe, Hip Hop, Acro/Progressions, Contemporary, Leaps & Turns, and Tap

The PROGRAM dancers rehearse one to three times per week depending on their company placement. Average weekly time commitment is approximately 6-14 hours.

There are four companies in thePROGRAM; Cadet, Squad, Junior, and Senior. Dancers are placed in a company based on their audition, technical and performance skills, potential as we view it, and work ethic. In general, the Cadet Company is the most beginner group, Squad and Junior are intermediate, and Senior is the most advanced. Each company has unique rehearsal and performance requirements and therefore separate tuition structures.

DETAILS

Company Rehearsals
Once per week, one hour rehearsal (scheduled between 4pm-9pm Mon-Thurs). Specific times TBA
One to four times per month Fridays 3:30-6:30pm and/or Saturdays 9:00am-12:00pm

Example Season
Guest Speakers – Nutrition and Body Image, Self-Care, and Professional Development
Mentorship Program – each dancer is assigned a faculty mentor for the season
Team Building Events
takePAUSE Oct 16 & 18 (performance)
BOOSTmeUP (classes and performance) January 6-9, 2022
New York City Dance Alliance January 14-16, 2022
Dance Makers (convention and competition) Feb 12-13, 2022
RiseUP (performance) March 5-6, 2022
In-Studio Workshop with Master Teachers TBA
eXit SPACE Family Matinee Series April 23, 24 & 30, May 1
Student Showcase May 21, 2022

Tuition | Contact Information

Tuition
$2895/season (or $289.50/mo over ten months)
Includes weekly Company Rehearsals, select Friday/Saturday rehearsals, all performances, conventions, and events.

Additional costs: participation in optional opportunities, costumes, and team apparel.
Program Tuition does not include technique class tuition

Scholarships
eXit SPACE offers numerous partial scholarships for thePROGRAM tuition. More information will be given at the Parent Meeting.

Questions
Please direct any questions regarding thePROGRAM to Marlo Martin (Artistic Director) or Karen Baskett (Assistant Director).

Auditions | 2024-25 Season

Newbie/Beginner
April 20 & April 27
2:00 - 4:00p Audition
Intermediate/Advanced
April 20 & April 27
4:00 - 7:00p Audition
Registration is open now
$45 audition fee, pre-registration required

Location | Studio NOD >>

How to enroll and what to expect:
  • Dancers ages 8 - 17 are encouraged to audition.
  • Dancers with 1-4* years experience should register for the Beginner/Newbie Audition.
  • Dancers with 5 or more* years of training should register for the Intermediate/Advanced Audition.
  • Register for the audition by purchasing the $45 Audition Fee via mindbody.
  • Following your dancer's registration you (the parent) will receive an email with audition info including location, a dancer questionnaire, and confirmation of audition level and time.
  • Dancers should arrive prepared for ballet; hair secured neatly away from face, leotard, tights, and ballet slippers. Warm ups are allowed until the audition begins.
  • Dancers should bring their printed Dancer Questionnaire, change of attire for the modern/jazz portion of audition, and a water bottle.
  • Auditions will begin promptly and end on time.
*do not include any years of training before age 7. We are happy to help with placement if needed.

New to eXit SPACE? CREATE DANCER PROFILE >>
Create Your Young Dancer Profile
Please fill in ALL fields below -- even those marked optional.
We require the information to ensure safety and a positive experience for your dancer.
After successful account setup, please purchase the enrollment contract. You may need to log in using the credentials for the new account to check out.

It is important you remain subscribed to email reminders and notifications so you can be informed about the program during the year.
Thank you!

Sign Up for Classes
The eXit SPACE Young Dancer Program runs from September 11, 2023 through May 23, 2024.
The end of year student showcases will be held the final week of the season.
Please review the contract for important policy information
Please Note:
On successful enrollment you will receive a confirmation email that lists class details.
MindBody can create some confusion -- Please be aware:
**Your dancer must have an active MindBody Account for you to reserve a space in class or make purchases**

  • Make sure pop-ups are enabled in your browser
  • Make sure your browser accepts third party cookies from *.mindbodyonline.com
  • If you have multiple MindBody accounts and are using the phone app to access your account, you may have trouble. MindBody uses a single sign-on for all sites and your eXit SPACE access may be different. In this sitiation, we recommend not using the app to manage your account.
  • If you have multiple student accounts make sure you are signed in to the correct account when signing up for classes or making purchases. LOG OUT when complete.

  • Make sure pop-ups are enabled in your browser
  • Make sure your browser accepts third party cookies from *.mindbodyonline.com
  • Try purchasing from here: Purchase Contract >>
    **remember to log out after you purchase the contract.

**You must have purchased the Young Dancer Contract to enroll your student in a class **
  • Make sure pop-ups are enabled in your browser
  • Make sure your browser accepts third party cookies from *.mindbodyonline.com
  • A missing sign up button means the class is full or enrollment is closed
    • Waitlists are available for most classes -- please contact eXit SPACE to inquire

MindBody provides two methods to access your dancer's account, an inline pop-up and a separate portal on the MindBody website. The MindBody pop-up does not provide complete account status but does allow better access to modifying your dancers profile information. You can access your account either way using the links below.

Please Note: MindBody uses cookies to control your experience on their website and in the pop-up. The cookies might conflict and cause the pop-up or website to behave unexpectedly.
Make sure you are logged out of the pop-up when accessing the website and vice versa.

MindBody PopUp |

Access MindBody Portal | click here >>
Issue not resolved? Please contact us at info@exitspacedance.com>> or call during our office hours>>
Young Dancer Program Class Description

Creative Movement (ages 3 - 4) classes provide essential tools for children in all areas of their social-emotional development including separation, socialization, balance, coordination, critical thinking, imagination, teamwork, and structured learning – whether they choose to continue with dance or not! Taught by highly trained faculty with extensive experience in preschool aged education, dancers explore tap and ballet in 30 minute increments, learning the basic structure and discipline of a dance class while embracing “fun” as a vital element through movement games, props, music, and physical storytelling. In addition to age-appropriate locomotor and non-locomotor technique skills, singing and imagination-based learning differentiate this class for young dancers; they engage in basic developmental movement patterns as well as weekly concepts related to space, time, energy, and effort through exploration activities that encourage self expression and creativity every step of the way! Join the fun!

Combo (ages 5 - 6) classes are the perfect bridge from Creative Movement to level 1+ classes, combining creativity and imagination with a greater focus on technical development. Students at this age are introduced to the basic principles of Modern, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Tap in 30 minute increments, learning the structure and discipline of each form with frequent integration of games, activity songs, and explorations related to specific skills or concepts of space, time, energy, and effort. Dancers become familiar with terminology, practicing center skills before moving through space with locomotor steps. Like creative movement classes, combo classes provide essential tools for children in all areas of their social-emotional development including socialization, balance, coordination, critical thinking, imagination, teamwork, and structured learning; these essential skills and techniques are required to progress to the next levels of dance.

eXit SPACE offers an array of modern technique classes, all focused on full-bodied movement and improving artistry in styles that range from Euro-influenced codified forms to new age contemporary forms and afro-diaspora movement. As a technique, modern dance allows students to develop a deep connection to their center, confidence in inversion techniques and acrobatic skills (cart wheels, hand and head stands, floor rolls, etc), refined articulation through the spine, improvisation practice, and freedom of movement. Dancers learn to focus their attention on traveling through space with intention and dynamic variation rather than just focusing on shapes and steps. eXit SPACE is proud to have a modern dance faculty composed of professional dancers and choreographers currently presenting work in the Greater Seattle Area and has become a vital hub for young modern dancers looking for both pre-professional level modern dance study and well-rounded foundational introductions to the form.

A brief history: Modern Dance is a style of western concert dance developed in the late 19th and early 20th century by European artists as an artistic rebellion against the perceived constraints of classical ballet and by European diasporic movers seeking to re-ground dance in indigenous and Black dance foundations. In Germany, dancers Rudolf Von Laban and Mary Wigman began abandoning the strict movement vocabulary, nymph-like portrayals of women, and confining expectations of ballet for more freeform movement characterized by organic body patterns, deliberate falls into the floor, and improvisatory scores – ideas later relayed to the United States by American dancer, educator, and modern dance pioneer, Isadora Duncan by 1914. By the 1930's Katherine Dunham, an African American anthropologist, ethnologue, dancer, and choreographer (among many other roles) revolutionized the form by rooting modern dance in Black culture and folk dance through her anthropological studies in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Haiti. Bolstered by the work of Lester Horton, Alvin Ailey, Pearl Primus, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Pina Bausch, and so many others, modern dance has since evolved to encompass a multiplicity of techniques not limited to any specific vocabulary. From Horton and Graham Techniques – which explore linearity and contractions with an emphasis on flat backs, lateral extensions, tilts, and lunges – to more somatic-centered practices based on concepts of release, imagery, strength, and emotional embodiment, modern dance can encompass a wide variety of aesthetics ranging from its even broader history in european and afro-diasporan movement.

Ray Leeper once said that jazz dance requires three main skills of the dancer: precision of body placement, muscular resistance and stretch (strong lines), and personality/pizazz. Jazz classes at eXit SPACE honor this multifaceted nature of jazz dance through an emphasis on individuality, technique, and a variety of stylistic frameworks. Aesthetically, Jazz can range from vernacular styles such as the Charleston and Jitterbug, to lyrical, commercial, and Broadway forms that many will recognize from contemporary pop culture; classes at eXit SPACE are primarily informed by Euro-influenced forms of lyrical, commercial, and Broadway style jazz, depending on the instructor. Classes begin with a comprehensive warm-up focusing on strength-building, flexibility, isolation, extension, and rhythm accompanied by a wide range of popular music selections from pop to Broadway. Rooted into the ground through use of deep plié, jazz emphasizes strong footwork and confident gross motor movement, allowing students at eXit SPACE develop strength and precision through challenging leaps, turns, and progressions before ending class with a longer combination that incorporates a wide range of artistic concepts.

A brief history: Jazz can be traced back to seventeenth century African dance rituals characterized by polyrhythm, improvisation, and isolation. Vernacular jazz was formally developed by Black Americans in the early 20th century alongside the evolution of Jazz music as an embodiment of Black culture and liberation. Vernacular or authentic jazz refers to such forms as the Charleston, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, and the Twist which were subsequently copied by white audiences as popularity increased. Jazz became concert dance when Black choreographer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham (1909–2006) brought works of performance ethnography to proscenium stages, having infused Carribean dance and African Diasporan traditions into her modern-based works, giving way to a new era of popular performance. Subsequent artists adapted, appropriated, and reimagined jazz, which has now branched off to include Lyrical jazz as well as commercial and Broadway jazz forms (informed by burlesque, vaudeville, and musical theater) now seen most commonly on stage and TV. Eugene Louis Faccuito (Luigi), Gus Giordano, and Matt Mattox furthered the evolution of the style in the mid to late 1900's and are training the next generation of teachers to this day.

Emphasis in Ballet classes at eXit SPACE is on dynamic alignment, strength development, body awareness, artistic expression, and quality of movement, taught in styles ranging from purely classical to more contemporary with a frequent mix of methodologies. Every class includes a comprehensive barre (depending on level and readiness, classes may practice barre skills at center), center practice (preparing students for turns, balances, extensions, and jumps), and across the floor, allowing students to develop strong technical skills while exploring their individuality as artists. eXit SPACE is proud to be one of a growing number of dance education facilities that incorporates dance history into its curriculum and stands on the firm notion that ballet is for everybody and every body – ballet educators at eXit SPACE seek to elevate individual artistic voices, decenter the historic whiteness in ballet, and create spaces where dancers feel respected, safe, and honored in their dancing bodies.

A brief history: The roots of Ballet date back to European ethnic/folk dances copied by the Italian court during the Renaissance for aristocratic entertainment. An Italian social dance with choreographic elements, “balleto” or ballet, made its way to France in the 16th century where dancing masters instructed children and choreographed increasingly elaborate performances with sets, costumes and story elements. In the 17th century court, King Louis XIV emerged as a figurehead of ballet's codification, establishing the Royal Academy of Dance where Pierre Beauchamp established the five traditional rotated positions. Russia, subsequently, played a major role in Ballet’s further development and Russian dancers are often credited with “perfecting” the technique. Through the Baroque Period and into the Romantic Era and beyond, Ballet gained six codified teaching styles which are often adapted and/or mixed for ballet classes around the world (the Vaganova, Cecchetti Method, and RAD methods being the most common).

At eXit SPACE, YDP families can expect teachers to be well-versed in the history of hip hop dance while providing a comprehensive, structured class. All hip hop classes at eXit SPACE begin with an aerobic warm up to practice basic steps and isolations with clear dynamics, all the while building the necessary strength and flexibility for full-bodied movement. After warmup and skill building, the majority of hip hop classes are spent learning choreography, allowing dancers to engage in an in-depth study on locomotor steps while advancing coordination, musicality, and self-expression. Many instructors take early hip hop styles and steps, integrating them into combinations that represent hip hop in its current state, while also emphasizing individuality, rhythm, theatricality and the roots of hip hop as an improvisational, cypher-based form.

A brief history: Hip hop dance emerged in the late 1960’s out of the South Bronx, an economically depressed neighborhood in New York City composed primarily of Black and Latinx families. As a way to connect with one another and distract from racial oppression and poverty, youth in the South Bronx (and later Brooklyn and Harlem) channelled their fear and anger into a new culture of movement and expression, often using vacant lots and abandoned buildings for house parties where the co-mingling of rapping, DJing, B-boying, and graffiti emerged as the pillars of hip hop culture. DJ Kool Herc, a Jamaican immigrant and the “father of hip hop music” invented the break beat, a looped musical interlude meant for dancers (b-boys and b-girls) to show off their respective talents; this invention and Herc’s musical/rhythmic contributions of the time made way for a new style of modern movement. Between east coast and west coast dancers, uprock, breaking, locking, roboting, freestyling, and popping styles began to make waves and – in combination with James Brown’s music, the formation of dance crews, and Don Cornelius’ creation of the television show Soul Train – Hip Hop dance has since made its way from the streets into the studios.

Young tap dancers at eXit SPACE are trained in basic rhythmic skills, footwork, and traditional tap dances, exploring more detailed and difficult steps, syncopated rhythms, and challenging progressions from level to level. Our young dancer classes are influenced by both rhythm tap (which focuses on percussion, complex rhythms, and use of the feet as instruments) as well as Broadway style tap (which combines rhythm tap and jazz dance for a more theatrical aesthetic and physical storytelling), offering dancers a wide range of skill sets for versatility of performance. YDP teachers at eXit SPACE are both skilled dancers and educators, embedding tap history into the curriculum while acknowledging what a privilege it is to learn this art form in the studio.

A brief history: Tap is an American dance form that originated through the communication of enslaved Africans and Irish indentured servants, blending the percussive dances of their cultures. Enslaved Africans learned to embed traditional African rhythms with European instrumentation and court dance structures, ultimately using clapping, patting, and percussive footwork as rhythmic substitutes for drums on plantations. Later, through experimentation of innovative rhythms, acrobatic feats, and personal style alongside Irish Immigrants, Black Americans developed the foundations of what we know as tap dance today, epitomized by the works of Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Chloe Arnold, and Michelle Dorance
Young Dancer Program Faculty

Marlo Martin is a director, choreographer, teacher, and producer in Seattle, WA. She finds fulfillment and joy in celebrating and practicing all that encompasses and defines dance. Martin founded and currently directs eXit SPACE, a center for dance education and performance opportunities for the beginning student through professional level dancer. Martin has grown eXit SPACE from a single room studio (2006) with two teachers into a 2900 square foot facility with three studio spaces, 14 faculty members, housing for local dance companies, and over 80 classes per week.

While developing eXit SPACE Marlo has also continued to work as a choreographer. She has created works for her own company, oaklanDrive (2005-2009) and badmarmarDANCE (2010-2015). Since moving to Seattle in 2002 her work has been presented at numerous concerts and festivals including The Bridge Project Velocity Dance Center, the High Wire Series Seattle U, 12 Minutes Max On the Boards (2005, 2010, 2012), BASH theater, Redd Legg Dance, A Moving Conversation The Fremont Abbey, Evoke Dance Production’s Full Tilt, Beyond the Threshold / Spotlight on Seattle (2011, 2013, 2015), the BOOST dance festival (2010-15), the Fall Kick Off Velocity Dance Center, NEXTfest NW Velocity Dance Center, self-produced full length tenSIDES (2012) and SPLIT BILL (2013), Cornish Dance Theater, Bellingham Rep Dance, Strictly Seattle (2013/2015), and Western Michigan University Dept. of Dance.

In 2016 Martin forged on to create a new artist's space called theNEST. It hosts major dance companies, workshops, classes, and events in the Greenlake neighborhood of Seattle. As a producer Marlo proudly presents the bi-annual BOOST dance festival, featuring PNW contemporary dance artists and companies alongside with the BOOSTmeUp Dance Festival for pre-professional dancers and schools.

Currently you can find Marlo teaching weekly technique classes at eXit SPACE while co-directing the pre-professional division, thePROGRAM . She is a dance faculty member at Cornish College for the Arts. Ms. Martin is focusing on the development of theNEST in partnership with eXit SPACE and looks forward to doing her part to cultivate art, community, and positivity through dance in Seattle.

She is genuinely interested in sharing her vision and ideas through teaching and creating dance, by developing forums for the exploration and presentation of dance works, and by supporting and nurturing fellow dancers, artists, and director.

marlo@exitspacedance.com>>

Karen Baskett grew up as a competitive figure skater, but after participating in musicals in college she fell in love with performing on stage and has been dancing ever since. After college she moved to New York City where she worked as a figure skating instructor in Central Park, and was eventually hired to instruct Jazz and Tap at Steps on Broadway. She also performed within Steps' Professional Training Program. In her career as a dancer she's been a member of several professional modern and tap companies in Arizona, New York City, and Seattle, has performed locally with oaklanDrive, Redd Legg Dance, Badmarmar Dance, and is currently a proud member of MarloArizDance directed by Marlo Ariz. Karen is now the Assistant Director of eXit SPACE School of Dance in Seattle, WA where she teaches dancers of all ages. She presented a piece in Full Tilt 2016 at Velocity Dance Center, is an Adjunct Faculty member at Cornish College for the Arts, and presented a new work in the 2017 Spring Cornish Dance Theater concert. A huge fan of MGM-era musicals, Karen strives to bring that effervescent feel into the present while keeping the art of Jazz dance alive.

Annie St. Marie is a dance artist from the greater Seattle area. They trained for eight years at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and went on to graduate magna cum laude with their BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts through the dance department's three year Accelerated Degree Program. Annie has been fortunate to dance in work by Bruce Wells, Wade Madsen, Alia Swersky, Bruce McCormick, Bruno Roque, and Danielle Agami. Annie is equally passionate about classical and contemporary ballet and spends their free time training in acrobatic dance styles.

Bri Wilson was raised in Petoskey, Michigan where she started dancing at age seven under the instruction of Heather Raue, Karrie Benedict, and Stephanie Cope. She earned her BFA in Dance from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican University of California, and supplemented her collegiate training with intensives at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Movement Invention Project. She moved to Seattle in September 2018. Since then, she has worked with Elia Mrak, The Three Yells, Beth Terwilleger + The Gray, and performed in Converge Dance Festival, 12 Minutes Max, Soft Concrete I, and Next Fest Northwest. Through teaching and performance Bri hopes to help people feel at home in their bodies and experience the joy of moving.

Kara Beadle (they/them) is a performance/movement artist, dance educator, and massage therapist based in Seattle, WA. Having studied improvisational dance and site specific performance at Texas Woman’s University from artists such as Jordan Fuchs, Sarah Gamblin, and Rosemary Candelario, Kara continues to investigate and challenge the values of improvisation, time, and setting in their own choreography and performance. Kara was a company member in Terrance M. Johnson Dance Project and worked as a movement rehearsal assistant for Gender Tender in summer of 2021. As a freelance artist, Kara has performed for badmarmarDANCE, LanDForms Dance, Hope Goldman, Vladimir Kremenović, and Jordan Macintosh-Hougham in independent projects and festivals such as On The Boards’ NW New Works, Velocity Dance Center’s Next Fest, and Portland’s Risk/Reward.

Kara has been teaching at eXitSPACE for 3 years teaching tap, modern, improvisation, and creative movement. Kara has trained in tap dance with Laura Rodriguez, Barbara Phillips, Katelyn Harris, and Kiera Leverton. Kara has attended multiple tap festivals including Third Coast Rhythm Project and Slide Tap Festival in New York where they performed for Anthony Morigerato. In Dallas, Kara trained and performed with the Dallas Drawbacks and Rhythmic Souls Tap Company.

Miranda Chantelois has performed in the works of nationally renowned artists Kyle Abraham, Sidra Bell, and Amy O'Neal as well as dances by Jason Ohlberg, Bennyroyce Royon, Deborah Wolf, Marlo Martin, Walter Kennedy, and others. A graduate of Cornish College of the Arts (BFA, dance '16) and certified Pilates mat instructor, Miranda was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Dance and Outstanding Achievement in Dance Writing every year in attendance. She culminated her undergraduate studies by implementing, teaching, and assessing an outreach program for low-income adults at the Senior Housing Assistance Group, presenting a 200 page thesis/portfolio and lecture demonstration. After a year in New York City teaching Pilates mat and working full time as a Dance Teacher and Associate Preschool Teacher, Miranda returned to Seattle to pursue her passion for arts outreach as a Teaching Artist for STG Dance for PD速. She continues to teach modern, ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop to dancers of all ages in Seattle, working also as a staff writer for SeattleDances.com and manager of Michele Miller's Shift Movement & Healing Arts. Miranda is proud to be a member of Marlo Martin's company take3 Dance Project and feels privileged to have joined the eXit SPACE community as an administrator and teacher.

Natascha Greenwalt is a Walla Walla native. She left the rolling hills to pursue a dance degree, and in 2005 graduated magna cum laude from Cornish College of the Arts as a Kreielsheimer Scholarship recipient. Natascha spent her summers training with the Joffrey Ballet, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre in New York, as well as the Northwest Professional Dance Project in Portland, OR. She has had the pleasure of performing with many local companies including Ballet Bellevue, DASSdance, and Spectrum Dance Theater before embarking on the adventure of creating Coriolis Dance with Christin Call where she has served for 8 seasons as Co-Artistic director. It's been her honor to perform works by Donald Byrd, Zoe Scofield, Jason Ohlberg, Twyla Tharp, among many others. In addition to her work with Coriolis Natascha is an inaugural member of House of Verlaine, Directed by Lily Verlaine.

As a choreographer Natascha has been commissioned by Ballet Bellevue, Whitman College, Western Washington University, and as a guest for the Cornish College of the Arts BFA performances. Tethered Apparitions, which she created on Coriolis Dance, received an Artist Trust GAP Award and was presented by Chop Shop: Bodies of Work, and Spotlight on Seattle where according to the Seattle Times it was a "highlight" of the festival. She has been awarded residencies at Studio Current, Open Flight Studios and as a Creative Resident at Velocity Dance Center. Natascha is a certified GYROTONIC® instructor at the GYROTONIC® Movement Center, as well as a ballet instructor at Westlake Dance Center, and has served as a guest instructor for Whitman College SDL and the Montana Dance Arts Association, DANCE This and Velocity Dance Center’s Strictly Seattle.

Tyra is a Seattle based artist, dancer, choreographer, and educator. Originally from Des Plaines, IL, she relocated to Seattle in 2017 as a dance artist in pursuit of performance and choreography opportunities. In spring 2016, Tyra graduated magna cum laude and with departmental honors from Webster University with a BFA in Dance. While there,Tyra studied ballet, jazz, modern, Thai classical dance and aerial. However, she also finds passion by painting and other art forms. She continues to expand her knowledge and apply her skills as a multi-media artist. Her talents in fine arts and dance were showcased in her collaboration with Corbin Hall on an evening length work produced through ANNONYArts (St. Louis, MO). She has had the opportunity to present her own work at the Spring to Dance Festival (St. Louis, MO), Artica Fest (St.Louis, MO), RAW Artists (Seattle, WA), and at the Full Tilt Dance Festival (Seattle, WA). In addition to her passion for creating, Tyra also enjoys performing and working with other dance artists. She most recently has worked with Catapult Dance (artistic director, Michele Miller), AJN’C Dance Theater (artistic director, Amy J. Lambert), Gender Tender (artistic director, Fox Whitney) and The Three Yells (artistic director, Veronica Lee-Baik.) Besides creating, performing, and teaching, Tyra spends most of her free time with her two dogs going on long walks.

Virsavia Rudenko is a mover, choreographer, and dance educator currently based in Seattle, WA. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and stems from a Russian immigrant family. Although she is a contemporary movement artist; she was trained in Lyrical, Jazz, Acro, Salsa, and Ballet (RAD) as well as being on the competitive team at Elite Artists Dance Company in Montebello, CA for 3+ Years. After attending and culminating from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Virsavia was fortunate enough to relocate to Washington to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in dance from Cornish College of the Arts in 2015. While juggling the shift of finding sanctuary and a space within the Seattle dance community, the gravitational pull of the Marlo Ariz Dance Project (By Marlo Martin) gave her the opportunity to be involved in multiple processes that debuted at SIDF and Full Tilt Dance festival. Since then, She has taught at Crescendo Dance Academy and Emerald City Dance Complex — As well as creating her own personal ventures through choreographyand partnered improvisation for upcoming festivals. Stay Tuned.


Purchase Here>>

Young Dancer Program Dress Code

As teachers and educators, our goal is to focus on your dancer’s training and progression without the distraction of excess fabric, colors, and patterns. Having a dress code enables teachers to best see dancer alignment in order to give corrections that maximize safety and learning while removing clothing and hair-related distractions for students. Proper attire is a matter of etiquette in dance since uniformity helps dancers feel like part of a group; teamwork and camaraderie are increased throughout the season and overall performance is boosted by putting students in a mindset of learning. Stress on parents is also eased -- you will know exactly what to purchase and your dancer will know what to bring every week without a reminder! To assist you in preparing your dancer completely for classes, below are the specifics of our eXit SPACE Young Dancer Dress Code.

•  In every discipline hair should be secured away from the face and off the neck. Pony tails, buns, braids, your choice as long as it is secure! Keeping hair away from the face is important for safety, especially when turning or dancing next to others in class. Poorly secured hairstyles are disruptive to the learning process as unsecured hair can impair a dancer’s vision and loose pins can fall to the floor.

•  When purchasing dance items online for class, be sure to pay attention to the sizing guides. Dance shoes and attire sizing can range greatly from street sizes and from brand to brand. We advise measuring your dancer properly to avoid making returns later.
How To Measure Your Dancer >>

•  Please ensure that tights are clean and free of rips or tears; once shoes get holes in them… it’s time for another pair! You may want to consider ordering multiples of items like tights and leotards to cut down on your shipping costs and weekly laundry. ☺If purchasing new tights or shoes is not financially possible for your family, please contact us. We often have used shoes available for redistribution and can work with you to secure new tights, etc.

•  Dancers should use a ‘DANCE BAG’ that is only used for their dance items so they can easily organize and keep track of their shoes and supplies. One with a designated space for a water bottle is ideal so they’re less likely to lose it!

•  LABEL EVERYTHING. Shoes, leotards, tights, water bottles, bags… So many items get lost and left behind from week to week at the studio; having a label on the item helps us identify it and get it back to you easily.

•  Pointe shoes for beginner pointe dancers should NOT be purchased until they are given guidelines by the teacher. Elastics and ribbons must be properly sewn to the pointe shoes once they are approved. A tutorial on how to properly sew pointe shoes will be distributed by the instructor.

•  As weather turns colder in winter months, dancers are permitted to wear warm-up clothing at the beginning of class as long as it is form-fitting and dance or fitness specific. No hoodies or large, oversized items. Warm-up items should be removed after body temperature rises so range of movement is not affected and instructors can properly see and correct alignment.

Both ballet slippers and tap shoes are needed for class
Any combination and any color of leotard, tights, pants, tutu, or skirt

Several dance styles are taught in Combo Class
Black pants or leggings are needed for class
Ballet slippers, black tap shoes, and black jazz shoes are needed for class

White leotard of any acceptable style (*see examples below) and
pink, bronze or brown CONVERTIBLE tights (tights transition between cropped and footed)
or
white top

Solid color BLACK leotard of any acceptable style (*see examples below), with pink, bronze, or brown tights, and ballet slippers
or
white, black, or grey top with black leggings or pants, ballet slipper

White or black leotard or top, black capri pants, leggings or long tapered pants
pants: click here for example
No shoes are needed, dancers learn in bare feet.

White or black leotard or top of any acceptable style (*see examples below), black jazz pants, black jazz shoes

Tank or tee-shirt (any color and style), with shorts, loose fitting pants or leggings (no jeans), and CLEAN tennis shoes with little to no tread (e.g. Vans, Converse, Puma)
click here for examples
Shoes should not be worn outside of class; the oils and debris from outside damage our floors

white or black leotard, black jazz pants, black tap shoes
pants: click here for example
or
white or black top, black jazz pants, black tap shoes
pants: click here for example

The following is a list of examples and online stores for purchasing dress code items:

Examples of acceptable SOLID COLOR Leotards (no ruffles, jewels, or skirts attached):
•  Tank Style >>
•  Camisole Style >>
•  Cap Sleeve>>
•  Long Sleeve >>

•  Ballet Slipper (child sizes) >>
•  Ballet Slipper (adult sizes) >>
•  Ballet Slipper (men’s sizes) >>

•  Girls Toddler Size Tights >>
•  Girls Child Size Tights >>
•  Ladies Adult Size Tights >>
•  Boys Tights >>
•  Mens Tights >>
•  Dance Belts for mature male dancers >>

•  Jazz Pants >>
•  Jazz Shoes >>


eXit SPACE students and parents are expected to behave in a responsible and disciplined manner, and to adhere to the school’s Code of Conduct. eXit SPACE strives to offer the highest level of dance instruction in a positive, respectful and caring environment. In order to develop and ensure this environment, we ask all of our students and our parents/caregivers/families to abide by the following rules and code of conduct. These guidelines are intended to provide all dance parents and students guidance in the type of culture we want to cultivate at eXit SPACE for dancers of all ages.

Dancer Code of Conduct


Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct


On the occasion that repeated failure to comply with the Code of Conduct occurs, eXit SPACE reserves the right, at its discretion, to suspend, dismiss, or take disciplinary action on any student or parent/guardian/family member who breaks this code. If you witness any of the above actions, report them immediately to the Director. The Director will contact the parent or guardian to discuss the appropriate disciplinary actions, which may include but are not limited to: a probation period, suspension from the Young Dancer Program, and/or dismissal from the school.

As always, we are open to feedback, so if any requirements are unclear or concerning please send an email to info@exitspacedance.com.

Non-Discrimination Policy: eXit SPACE School of Dance admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to dance students. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of our education policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs or any other programs.

Individualized Instruction: We work with dancers as individuals, embracing their uniqueness, creativity, and learning style with the understanding that every dancer is different in their needs, interests, and capabilities.

Financial Support: We are strongly committed to making dance opportunities available to as many students as possible regardless of ability to pay, prioritizing students of color. Need-based and merit-based scholarships as well as work-study options are available each season; please see the Scholarships & Financial Aid page for details.

Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation: We welcome dancers of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Our teachers and staff are committed to respecting preferred pronouns, dress code choices, and name changes without question. You are invited and encouraged to share your dancer’s preferred pronouns with us upon registration so that we can communicate them to their instructors or to communicate them directly to the instructor(s) yourself as you or your dancer feel most comfortable doing so.

Experience & Accessibility: We encourage dancers of all levels, abilities, and physical modalities to give our classes a try. We do our best to accommodate each dancer’s unique needs within the limits of our resources, studio features, staff expertise, student/teacher ratio, and other factors. If you or your child has specific learning or accessibility needs, please talk with the Director before registering to determine whether a particular class will be appropriate, and, if necessary, what the options are for classroom support and physically adaptive models. Please note that theNEST is not wheelchair accessible, but all other studios at eXit SPACE are; please contact us with questions.

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