Elemental Studios Community Blog

  Femme Funk, as a dance style, is a combination of a variety of dance styles that truly showcase both the masculine and feminine energies that we each have inside of us. This style of dance explores styles with jazz and incorporates other styles like vogue, hip-hop, ballet, and many other styles that truly makes this style unlike anything else. The idea of this style is to grow your self-confidence, explore all the sides you haven't discovered yet, and build your self-esteem through the process of your dance journey with all the different music and dance styles.  Today, I chatted with Jake, one of the Femme Funk Instructors here at Elemental Studios to learn more about him and his journey with dance. I am excited to interview him not only as a student of his but also someone who wants you guys to know what you guys to know him as well! Here's our Interview! 1. What is your favorite thing about being a teacher at Elemental Studios? Jake: "My favorite thing about being an E...

  You may be wondering what Reggaeton and Femme Dance have in common, right? Both of these styles emphasize fluid, rhythmic movements centered on the hips, as well as body isolations and sensuality. Both styles are used for self-expression and empowerment, often featuring choreography with many urban influences, as well as building confidence for every dancer.  Today I chatted with Cici to talk to her about not only her dance classes, but also how she built two independent businesses, Elemental Studios with her business partner Serina, and Perreo Queens Denver, to create a one-of-a-kind life that she owns. Let's meet Cici, shall we?  Cici teaches 2 classes at Elemental Studios, Open Level Reggaeton on Mondays in Studio B at 7:15pm, and Open Level Femme on Tuesdays in Studio B at 7:15pm. She creates a fun and explorative environment in her classes that allows her students to have the opportunity to gain a stronger foundation in the skills that they have and build up their ...

  Hello Everyone, and welcome back to the Student Lens. Today, I will be chatting with Nai'ya, a consistent student at Elemental Studios who has showcased her confidence and perseverance and is an incredibly talented dancer. Like many people who come to Elemental Studios, Na'lya has really showcased her personality, drive, and curiosity in the many dance styles offered at Elemental Studios.  Before we get into the interview, let's learn a little bit about her, shall we? Na'lya is a 23-year-old Pharmacy Technician, Volleyball Coach, and dancer. She said, "My drive is to help people and heal the world. I enjoy giving back to the community and going to protests to stand up for what's right. You can reach me at naiyaj10@gmail.com for more information on my missionary work." Here is our interview! 1. How did you find out about Elemental Studios? Nai: "I found out about Elemental through Instagram ads!" 2. What was your first class at Elemental Studios...

  Hello everyone, and welcome to the Student Lens. Today, I will be featuring the amazing Keh, who has been a consistent dancer and attendee and is now officially a part of the Elemental Studios team. Like many of the students who attend Elemental Studios, Keh has shown his charisma, drive, passion, and love for trying new dance styles often.  He has shown that progress in dance can take as short or as long as you want it to be, and that showing your unique style is important to the dance experience that you bring for yourself and your community. He inspires many people with his bubbly and playful personality, and I hope you guys are excited to get to know him with me! Keh is the only child of a single mother. He has always been self-taught as a dancer, but has had experience performing in front of large crowds and has done consistent dance training for what will be 10 months coming up this April! Here is my Interview with him! 1. What made you fall in love with dance? Keh: "I...

  Dancing in heels is a style with many diverse elements, including some from jazz, hip-hop, ballroom, Latin, go-go, and even burlesque. This is a very popular commercial style that is often seen in many music videos and live performances.  The idea of dancing in heels is to allow dancers to focus on body control, balance, footwork, intricate movements, and graceful transitions that can often help dancers feel empowered, confident, and comfortable in their sensuality. This class can also be great for self-expression. While some people may find dancing in heels intimidating due to the idea of just dancing in heels or low self-esteem and confidence, Serina believes that her students can grow into their inner Bad Bitch and find a new version of themselves through taking her classes at Elemental Studios on Monday and Wednesday Nights.  Let's get to know her, shall we? Serina started dancing way back in middle school, where she trained under some choreographers in San Diego, s...

  Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Student Lens series. Today, I will be chatting with McKenna, a student who is also a staff member at the studio and has been a consistent student there for some time now. She has a very bubbly, upbeat, and energetic personality that is truly unlike anyone else. Her passion and drive explore different styles is incredible, and I am personally excited to get to know her.  Before we get into the interview, let's learn a little bit about McKenna.  She is an  Ex-Mormon from Utah, a horror lover, dork, filmmaker/content creator, and forever working on leveling up. She says, "I'm here to dance, learn, connect, and keep becoming the best, most fun version of me!!" Let's get into the interview, shall we? 1. How did you find out about Elemental Studios? McKenna: "I saw them on Instagram! I really needed to get out of the house and try something new, and a little scary! I saw some videos of Serina's Beginner heels class, gra...

  Hello Everyone, and welcome to the Student Lens. Today, I will be featuring the amazing dancer, Lindsay, who has been a consistent dancer and attendee at Elemental Studios. Like many people who attend Elemental Studios, Lindsay has shown her determination, drive, curiosity, and openness to the many styles that are offered at Elemental.  Lindsay is originally from Albany, New York, and has found a way to dance her way into the hearts of all the people she comes across since moving to the Colorado area. I wanted to chat with her about her experience with dance, as well as why she fell in love with the studio and community offered at Elemental Studios. So, let's get started with the questions. 1. What is a fun fact about yourself that we should know? Lindsay: "I was 10 minutes away from being born in an IHOP bathroom." 2. What made you fall in love with dance? Lindsay: "When I dance, I feel like I am an artist, an athlete, and a detective all at the same time. trying ...

Contemporary and Jazz dance styles have been a gateway for many people to express themselves in different ways, whether through emotions, life stories, self-confidence, or a better understanding of what dance truly means to them.  Contemporary dance style often incorporates freestyle and improvisation, which gives the audience an idea of the playful nature of this dance style. This dance style often explores experimentation, storytelling, and different themes that really help showcase the dance style through the individual lens of both the dancer and the audience. Jazz dance differs from the contemporary style as it has a more lively and expressive nature that shows different responses to music and syncopated beats. Today, I chatted with one of my good friends and amazing instructors at Elemental Studios, Emily Kaiser to get to know her and learn more about her journey with dance.  So, let’s get to know her, shall we? Emily Kasier, a Thornton, Colorado native, has over 22 year...

  Hello everyone, welcome to a special topic that I would like to cover:  Harassment and Bullying in the Dance Space.  Just to clarify, this does not happen often in dance spaces, but I think it is important to be aware of this if you see anyone being harassed or bullied by someone in the studio that you are in, and how you can help with this in whatever dance studio or dance style that you are training in.  In the dance community, we often forget how different we each are in our dance backgrounds and levels. When you go to a dance studio for the first time, there is often a fear of judgment from others and your own personal insecurities about trying something new for yourself. You don't know how you are going to be treated, and that is definitely one of the scariest things to process.  There are definitely studios that acknowledge the safety of the dancers in the studio, and know how to see and stop bullying and harassment, but some don't, and that's where peop...

  Hello everyone, Today I wanted to talk about some essentials to have in your dance bag. Now, I will say that everyone's preferences are different, and the bag sizes will vary as well. These are some of the items that I have in my bag and that I take to dance classes, as well as some other items to consider in your own. 1. Kneepads- In some dance classes, there is often floorwork, and it is really good to have them to protect your knees from bruises. You can often get these at sports stores like Academy, or you can find them on Amazon. Make sure that you get kneepads that fit and are comfortable. 2. Deodorant- You will want to make sure you are not only wearing it, but also have it as a backup so that you can reapply, and once you have sweated it off in class, and not create a bad odor around your fellow dancers. 3. Hair Ties/Pins/Products-These are great to have for styling your hair to get it out of your face and just to keep your hair looking tidy. Brushes are also good to have...