Contemporary dance blends elements of ballet, jazz, and modern technique to help dancers explore movement, emotion, and storytelling in a fresh, creative way. This style encourages dancers to discover their own artistic voice while building strength, control, flexibility, and fluidity.

Our Contemporary program is open to dancers age 8+ and designed to help students refine their technique, improve musicality, and grow as expressive, confident movers. Whether your dancer is new to Contemporary or exploring it alongside ballet or jazz, this class offers a dynamic space to stretch, experiment, and grow.

Contemporary dancer from Dance.tech in Blacksburg performing a back arch during a contemporary combination.

Contemporary Dance at Dance.tech

Where Technique Meets Expression

What Contemporary Dance Teaches

According to a document from 2025, the Contemporary curriculum focuses on:

  • Expressive movement and improvisation

  • Floor work, inversions, and weight-sharing concepts

  • Musicality and emotional storytelling

  • Strength, alignment, and core stability

  • Transitions, flow, and dynamic contrast

  • Developing personal artistry and movement quality

Classes incorporate choreography, guided exploration, and technical drills that give dancers the freedom to move beyond traditional structures while still grounding their work in strong technique.

Why Dancers Love Contemporary

Contemporary allows dancers to explore who they are as artists. It’s expressive, emotional, athletic, and creative — making it one of the most popular styles for teens across the New River Valley.

Dancers gain:

  • Confidence in their individuality

  • Stronger technique to enhance other styles

  • Emotional connection to movement

  • Creative problem-solving and improvisation skills

  • Performance quality and storytelling tools

Contemporary dancers often see improvements in ballet, jazz, lyrical, and even athletic performance due to the strength and coordination developed in this class.

  • Yes. Contemporary is very accessible — dancers in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, and surrounding NRV communities often start with little to no experience. Our instructors build confidence step by step, ensuring students feel supported as they learn.

  • While ballet provides helpful foundational technique, it’s not required. Contemporary is open to dancers with a variety of backgrounds, and our teachers adjust instruction based on each dancer’s experience and comfort level.

  • Contemporary is recommended for dancers age 8+. At this age, students have developed enough spatial awareness, strength, and emotional maturity to fully benefit from the style.

  • Absolutely — many college dancers in the Virginia Tech community join Contemporary classes for creative expression, conditioning, and stress relief.

  • Comfortable, form-fitting dancewear that allows full range of motion. Many dancers choose leggings or shorts with a fitted top. Most Contemporary classes are danced in bare feet unless otherwise instructed.

Start Your Dance Journey

Ready to Explore Contemporary Dance at Dance.tech?

Discover movement that blends technique with expression. Contemporary classes help dancers grow in creativity, control, and emotional storytelling—right here in Blacksburg and the New River Valley.