Celebrating 20 years of
More than dance.
Class Offerings and Information
SYPG Academy
More than dance.
At SYPG Academy, we believe that every child possesses a unique and vibrant gift waiting to be discovered. We offer a variety of dance classes for children ages 3 to 18, as well as opportunities for youth ages 5 and older to participate in stage performances and community outreach initiatives. Our purpose is to provide an inclusive and nurturing environment that fosters creativity, self-expression, and personal growth.
Guided by a passionate team of seasoned dance professionals, we are dedicated to nurturing not only the technical prowess of our dancers but also the enduring love for the arts. Our commitment extends beyond the studio and stage, as we actively engage in community outreach programs that embrace the diversity of our society.
We are more than a dance school; we are a positive force in our community, sowing the seeds of a lifelong affection for creativity and culture.
2026 Summer Class Schedule
The 2026 summer session begins July 6 and runs through August 13, 2026, We offer classes for all ages and abilities. Registration is now open!
Dancers ages 3 and Up, please see our summer mini camp schedule.
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Mat Pilates
Teen & Adult
Monday
5:00-6:00PM Teen
6:00-7:00PM AdultFocus on core strengthening, body awareness, and flexibility.
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Musical Theatre
Ages 11+
Wednesday
4:00-5:30PMLearn classic musical theatre jazz and tap.
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Hip Hop
Ages 8-12
Wednesday
5:30-6:00PMLearn a new way to move and groove!
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Beginner Level Dance Classes
Ages 7-9
Tuesday
5:30-6:00PM Beginner BalletClasses for beginning level dancers will emphasize strength and endurance, improving coordination, and increasing flexibility with floor combinations and barre work.
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Intermediate Level Dance Classes
Ages 9-14
Tuesday
4:00-5:30PM Intermediate BalletThursday
4:00-5:30PM Intermediate Ballet
5:30-6:30PM Intermediate JazzIntermediate classes are geared towards the more committed dance student. A deep knowledge and understanding of dance terminology, technique, alignment principles, and execution are expected. Classes will move at a faster pace than other levels with an expectation that students will understand and execute more complex movement sequences.
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Apprentice Dance Classes
By placement only.
Tuesday
4:00-5:30PM Apprentice BalletThursday
4:30-5:30PM Apprentice BalletApprentice classes are by placement only. A deep knowledge and understanding of dance terminology, technique, alignment principles, and execution are expected. Classes will move at a faster pace than other levels with an expectation that students will understand and execute more complex movement sequences.
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Advanced Dance Classes
By placement only.
Tuesday
5:30-7:00PM Advanced Ballet
7:00-8:00PM Advanced PointeThursday
5:30-7:00p Advanced Ballet & Pointe
7:00-8:00p Advanced ContemporaryAdvanced classes are by placement only. A high level of accomplishment and competency is expected. Dancers should be comfortable with the mastery of all previously learned steps. A strong ballet foundation is required and dancers should be willing to perform with confidence and aplomb.
2026-2027 Session Class Schedule
The 2026-2027 academy session begins September 8, 2026, and ends with our Season Showcase on May 27, 2027. We offer classes for all ages and abilities. Registration opens soon and remains open to new students throughout the season.
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Preschool Ballet
Ages 3-4
Tuesdays 4:00-4:30p
Thursdays 4:00-4:30pPreschoolers will learn to express themselves through creative movement and rhythm exercises to begin building a foundation of ballet technique.
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Primary Ballet & Tap
Ages 5-7
Tuesdays 4:30-5:30p
Thursdays 4:30-5:30pThis class will build on foundational ballet techniques with focus on proper placement, vocabulary and etiquette, along with an introduction to rhythm and tap technique.
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Beginner Ballet, Jazz & Tap
Ages 7-9
Tuesdays 5:30-7:00p Ballet/Jazz/Tap
Thursdays 5:30-7:00p Ballet/Jazz/TapClasses for beginning level dancers will emphasize strength and endurance, improving coordination, and increasing flexibility with floor combinations and barre work.
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Musical Theater & Tap
Ages 8-18
Thursdays 7:00-8:00pOpen to students of all ages and abilities, this class teaches basic tap and other dance techniques and terminology to develop an appreciation of the role of dance in musical theater.
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Intermediate Classes
Ages 9-14
Mondays 4:30-5:30p Jazz
Monday 5:30-6:30p Ballet
Wednesdays 5:30-6:30p Ballet
Wednesdays 6:30-7:30p ModernIntermediate classes are geared towards the more committed dance student. A deep knowledge and understanding of dance terminology, technique, alignment principles, and execution are expected. Classes will move at a faster pace than other levels with an expectation that students will understand and execute more complex movement sequences.
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Apprentice Ballet
By Placement Only
Mondays 4:30-5:30p Jazz
Mondays 5:30-7:00 Ballet
Wednesdays 4:30-6:00p Ballet
Wednesdays 6:00-6:30p Stretch
Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 ModernApprentice classes are by placement only. A deep knowledge and understanding of dance terminology, technique, alignment principles, and execution are expected. Classes will move at a faster pace than other levels with an expectation that students will understand and execute more complex movement sequences.
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Advanced Classes
By Placement Only
Mondays 7:00-8:00p Modern/Contemporary
Tuesdays 5:30-7:00p Ballet
Tuesdays 7:00-8:00p Pointe
Thursdays 4:30-5:30 Ballet Fit
Thursdays 5:30-7:00p Ballet
Thursdays 7:00-8:00 JazzAdvanced classes are by placement only. A high level of accomplishment and competency is expected. Dancers should be comfortable with the mastery of all previously learned steps. A strong ballet foundation is required and dancers should be willing to perform with confidence and aplomb.
Information and FAQs
2026-2027 Important Dates
September 8 - First Day of Classes!
November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break, No Classes
December 2-6 - Nutcracker Tech & Performances, No Classes
December 23-January 3 - Winter Break
March 26-April 4 - Spring Break
May 27 - Showcase!
Dress Code
Female students should wear a solid color leotard, pink tights and appropriate footwear. For non-ballet classes, female students may wear black leggings.
Male students should wear a white t-shirt, black athletic pants and appropriate footwear.
Notices
Parents may not observe classes except during Parent Observation Weeks (dates TBD).
Notification of weather-related cancellations will be sent via email or text and posted on social media. Make-up classes may be scheduled at the discretion of the instructor.
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Classes start at $46 for month and vary based on class length and level. For a full list of class prices, visit our registration portal.
Tuition payments are due by the first of each month. There are no refunds or credits for missed classes under any circumstances. Classes may be made up if comparable classes are available and permission of instructor.
Payments may be made by check (SYPG), cash (exact amount only) or credit card (including 3.0% convenience fee). If payment is not made by the 15th of each month unless prior arrangements are made, a late fee of $25.00 will be added to the amount due.
Scholarships and financial assistance are available. Please contact us for more information.
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Students should come dressed in dancewear and bring appropriate footwear and a water bottle.
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Any dancer who is actively registered in a class will qualify for a part in our stage performances. Auditions and performance/rehearsal schedules will be announced to Academy students via email, website, and social media.
In addition to stage performances, an end of season showcase will be held for students in all classes. Showcase information will be announced in the Spring of each season.
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All classes are held at the Grant Conservatory of Music and Dance at 501 W. Elliott in Springfield.
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Yes! Registration remains open throughout the season, and students may join our Academy at any time. Depending on timing, students joining late in the Spring may not be eligible to participate in our Showcase performances.
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If you’re unsure which Academy level you should register for, please contact us directly at sypg@sypgfoundation.org and we will help you assess your student’s skill level. At the end of each season, we will announce dates for auditions for placement in our Preparatory, Apprentice, and Company levels for the next season.
SYPG Academy Instructors
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SYPG Academy Instructor and Artistic Director
Elizabeth Cheney has been dancing since the age of three. She grew up in Petersburg and Springfield, Il and spent many years dancing with the Springfield Ballet Company. As a teenager she won scholarships for summer intensives for David Howard and the Nashville Ballet. She briefly danced as a modern dance major at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She was a trainee with the Nashville Ballet when an injury ended her ballet career. She went on to dance with a professional modern company ‘Epiphany’ in Nashville, TN.
She also became certified as a profession ballroom dance instructor and competitor. She started teaching dance in 1998 and hasn’t stopped yet. She has her undergraduate degree in nursing from Milikin University, and her Masters Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Maryville University. She currently works at Springfield Clinic with an orthopedic surgeon, teaches dance at the Conservatory, and runs her own after hours holistic wellness business called Comprehensive Wellness Consulting. Elizabeth likes to use her medical knowledge to teach dancers how to avoid injuries and give them a better understanding of how to strengthen and optimize their bodies natural strengths in class and performance. She also works with several other local non-for-profit organizations on various projects around town including SYPG, the Vachel Lindsey Association, the Pharmacy Gallery, the Muni, and Springfield Theater Center.
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SYPG Academy Instructor
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SYPG Academy Instructor
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SYPG Academy Instructor
Taryn Grant began her love for the arts as a young ballet student, violin student and as a former member of the Springfield Ballet Company. She continues that love as a dance instructor. She is a graduate of the SIUE School of Business. After founding Springfield Youth Performance Group in 2005, she has served as the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization. In 2012, she founded the SYPG Foundation to support her mission of community arts outreach programming. Taryn has also choreographed and directed community theatre productions.
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SYPG Academy Instructor
As a life long learner and performer, Ashley has been studying dance for close to 30 years. Her tap classes are all about fun while building strong basics, learning to tell stories through rhythm and growing her students’ confidence with an emphasis on musical theater. “It’s just life…so keep dancing through.”
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SYPG Academy Instructor
Micky teaches intermediate and advanced classes but is also our assistant artistic director. Micky grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Lionville School of Dance where she danced in many Nutcrackers and dance competitions. During high school, she began assisting tap and musical theatre classes, finding her love for teaching. Micky attended Millikin University and graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a Minor in Dance (‘22). She now works at her alma mater as an Adjunct Instructor of Dance. Micky works at the Decatur Park District in Senior Services. With Decatur Park District Cultural Arts, she directs Heart and Soul Choir, teaches dance, and has directed or choreographed for many productions and performances. In Springfield, she has worked on shows with Hoogland Education, SYPG, and the Muni.
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SYPG Academy Instructor
Adison Paris is a high school senior who has been dancing for 13 years. She has performed in and helped choreograph many SYPG shows. Through her years dancing with the organization, she has gained an immense appreciation for the arts and the people who have fostered that love in her. She knows first hand the joy dance brings and wants every kid to experience it as well. Adison’s love for music and dance continues as she has the opportunity to share it with others through teaching. She loves watching young children fall in love with dance just as she did and watching them shine.
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SYPG Academy Instructor
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SYPG Academy Instructor
Upcoming Events
Join SYPG Today
SYPG offers a variety of dance classes for children age 2 to 18, as well as opportunities for youth ages 5 and older to participate in upcoming stage performances and community outreach initiatives. Enroll today!