Our Services

DancExcel Champion Center for Creative Arts Education is an aggressive program designed to enhance the educational process through an art-based curriculum. The mission of DancExcel is to provide each of its students with valuable strategies they need to achieve success in each of their future endeavors.

Class Techniques

  • This class teaches rhythm, coordination, musicality, and hip hop choreography.  Students are challenged to think on their feet while enjoying an energetic and fast-paced class.  Dancers develop focus, strength, and agility while having fun.

  • Creative Movement develops motor skills and musicality to help young dancers prepare for formal technique classes. Dance activities are sensitive to young dancers’ physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Using dance elements of tempo, levels, and dynamics, they begin to explore their own creativity, self-expression, and fundamental movement skills.

  • Ballet helps dancers create a firm dance foundation focused on physical discipline, general body awareness, and control.  Dancers study both technique and terminology, develop core body strength, port de bras, and correct turn out based on anatomy and muscular development. All ballet classes stress correct placement (body alignment), and correct classical ballet technique. Class level is determined by the instructor, and is based on an individual assessment when the student takes a trial class. All students receive corrections during class to help them advance.

  • The class utilizes a unique approach, blending techniques (Dunham, Horton, and Fagan) which are integrated to build strength and flexibility.  Horton technique emphasizes a whole body, anatomical approach to dance that enables unrestricted, dramatic freedom of expression.  Afro-Caribbean technique created by Katherine Dunham fuses the polyrhythmic dance styles of Caribbean and African cultures with European-style ballet. Fagan technique also draws on elements of ballet, modern, and Afro-Caribbean styles in a way that is designed to build physical and mental strength in dancers.

  • It’s a family atmosphere. Not just the Champion family, who all play a role in making things run, but the students have a family relationship. The parent interaction is strong. It’s like an extended family.

    Denine Scott, DancExcel parent

  • My experience working with DancExcel students was breath-taking!

    Tosha Ayo Alston, Director of Ayodele Drum and Dance Ensemble, Chicago

  • When I first came to Dx, I had "focus" issues. My mind was really everywhere and so was I. I tried to quit but thanks to my family and my DancExcel family, quitting wasn't an option. And now as I grow older that skill is embedded in my soul. Even when there are times when I should be quitting, I'm not. I'm looking for other ways to solve my situations. I believe that one skill in its self has led me to make it as far as I've made it and I'm still pushing harder.

    Natasha Jelks, former student

  • DancExcel has been the "yellow brick road" to my future. I am currently a CNA and I am in a medical assisting program at Ross Medical Education Center. Being in the medical field, you have to learn how to interact and communicate with people. DancExcel has given me the confidence to put myself out there and care for others and where they came from. DancExcel has also taught me to never settle for what's "okay." I now know my capabilities and my place in this world. It's to help others and let their confidence shine!

    Stephanie Sims, former student