SUMMER 2011 SCHEDULE (JULY-AUGUST)

ADULTS
Monday 7-8:30pm - Jazz
Wednesday 7-8:30pm - Hip Hop
Saturday 10:30-Noon - Hip Hop

KIDS
Monday 6-7pm - Hip Hop (Ages 6-10)
Wednesday 5:30-7pm - Hip Hop (Ages 11-15)
Saturday 9:30-10:15am - Hip Hop (Ages 3-5)

MUSIC VIDEO SUMMER CAMP
8/8-8/12 - 9am-Noon (Ages 6-12)

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD AT: 1948 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill, 94523

REGISTRATION INFO
Space is limited and we close classes once they've reached capacity. To reserve your spot, click on the big red link below. This ain't us trying to sound cool y'all. If you're serious about signing yourself or your kid up, lock down your spot by registering ASAP!

PRICING

WEEKLY CLASSES = 1 class/week X 8 weeks = $100

Wait! Did you say you wanted to take 2 classes, or sign up another family member too?
(does not include hamsters, llamas, pool boys, or cousins of cousins)

... each additional class is ONLY $60!

REGISTER ONLINE

TO REGISTER BY PHONE CALL THE FUNKMODE INFO LINE
1-888-FUNKMODE

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

ADULT JAZZ
Pretty tough to find an adult Jazz class in the East Bay, right? It gets even harder once you're on the sunny side of the tunnel! You kept asking for it and we're bringing it to you. In FUNKMODE's new multi-level adult Jazz class you can expect a more modern approach to teaching this cool, classic style. We begin each class with traditional fundamental work such as deep stretching and across the floors (focusing on leaps, turns, balance and proper form), then we continue on into center work and choreography. But variety is the name of the game here. Each week we'll be bringing you HOT new music, different styles of Jazz (Fosse, Contemporary, Musical Theater, etc.), and new dances to keep you excited and working hard.

There are no old ladies or men rapping people's feet with canes in this class. This is a young, fun, student-focused development class where NO ONE gets left behind and EVERYONE will be challenged according to their ability.

FUNKMODE Hip Hop 4 Kids (ages 5-15)
All of the basic dance skills like keeping rhythm, following choreography and developing body control, as well as performance skills such as stage presence, acting, and improvisation are taught through kid-friendly Hip Hop & Funk style music and movement.

In these highly popular classes, we also play games, teach Hip Hop history and even hold contests to create a fun and motivating learning environment for your child. Throughout the session the students work together with FUNKMODE to create an original performance piece for family and friends which will showcase all of their hard-earned talents and abilities.

ADULT Hip Hop
Whether you’re looking to pick up a few moves, get some exercise, meet new people or just have a lot of fun, we’ve got it all here for you! Each class starts with a warm-up full of freestyling, stretching and conditioning guaranteed to get your heart pounding. Then we move into choreography set to today‘s groove-worthy jams which combines old and new school Hip Hop and adds in a touch of Latin, African, Modern, Swing, House, or whatever else is blowin’ up the dance floors today. All of this is wrapped in a package that promises to challenge even the most seasoned vets while still allowing complete beginners to get a solid and fun introduction to dance.
p.s. NO ONE EVER LEAVES WITHOUT A SMILE ON THEIR FACE!
Click here to check out our adult Hip Hop videos.

Preschool Dance (ages 3-5)
This creative movement class is often a child’s introduction to dance, where they begin to understand the basics of taking a dance class while developing their ability to express themselves physically. Our instruction focuses primarily on helping young ones learn how to work with other children, follow directions, use essential dance terms and listen to music like a dancer. We use many teaching tools such as storytelling and props to make the learning environment fun and to reach as great a variety of learning styles as possible. Through these classes we also introduce the children to various forms of dance such as Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop which helps them to not only develop a general appreciation for dance but also allows them to find the specific style that most fits their personality and abilities. And of course, we ground all of this on a foundation of essential physical skills like coordination, balance, rhythm, body isolation and awareness.

Breakdance / Hip Hop for Boys
The original Hip Hop dance! We’ll teach you all of the styles created back in the day by the first B-boys and B-girls from NYC to California. We bring it all in this class - you get waving, popping, gliding, floor work, rocking, locking and more. You’ll also get practice dancing freestyle just in case you want to take your moves to a B-boy battle. No previous dance experience is required for the class but you’ve gotta be ready to challenge yourself. Now who’s ready for some backspins?! (Knee pads recommended and tennis shoes required)

TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THESE CLASSES CLICK HERE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR CLASSES

How are your classes structured?

We run our classes with all the precision of a finely tuned Italian sports car. We come out of first gear with a quick total body warm-up. Then as we start to get a rev going we pop it into second with 15-20 minutes of freestyling where you follow along with the teacher’s moves and keep that heart rate going. Just when you think you can dance no more, we drop it into third as we hit the floor for some stretching and strengthening. Next it’s time to cruise into fourth as we learn some hot Hip Hop choreography to the latest jams from the Bay Area and beyond. And once every 3 weeks we kick into high gear by pulling out the video cameras and recording the moves we’ve been learning (if you haven’t yet, check out our videos here). Sick of the driving analogies? Yeah, we thought so. How bout we pump the brakes on that now ... D’oh!

For the structure of the kids’ classes click here.

What should I wear/bring to class?

Everyone seems to think that everyone in Hip Hop class gets fitted like Beyonce or Jay-Z. But while we totally support anyone who wants to get flossed out to get in the mood, most everyone just dresses like they would if they were going to work out. That includes bringing a water bottle and a towel if you got it. Other than that, make sure you got footwear that lets you move easily and you‘re set. And in case you are one of the people that wants to pimp your gear before you come through, know you won’t be alone. Us FUNKMODE folk like to don our flyest fits too, so play on playas.

Are your classes for beginners?

Absolutely. We call them classes because that’s the place where you learn. If everybody were already skilled, we’d call them rehearsals. We want everyone to feel like they can come take class no matter what their experience or skill level and we’ve worked hard to make sure our classes meet the needs of those who are just starting out.

What is the average age of the people in your classes?

Now you know it’s not polite to be asking people’s ages. Shame on you! But if you must know, we cover the demographic that watches MTV all the way to the one that watches CNN. If that’s not specific enough for you, just know that you won’t be the oldest student we’ve had and you won’t be the youngest. Don’t let a number become an excuse. If you love to dance, you don’t need to worry about anything else.

I have never danced before or taken a class. Is that a problem?

Only if it stops you from EVER taking a class. We have a long list of people who have taken class with us over the years who started out as complete newbies and eventually learned to shake it like pros. Again, that’s why we call it dance CLASS. You are there to learn and we’re here to teach you. All you really need to be successful is a love for music and movement, a willingness to learn and a sense of humor for those occasional moments when your feet don’t seem to wanna keep up with your brain.

I’ve danced a lot in the past. Will your classes be too easy for me?

While the majority of our students are beginners, we do have some pros hiding out here and there. Watch our class videos and you’ll catch em making it all look easy. We teach our choreography with options for beginners and advanced dancers. In case you’re still not convinced, just know that we’ve NEVER had someone complain that they needed more of a challenge. If you’re that good, we’ll definitely put your moves to work ... and we might even invite you to rehearsal!

Can I try/watch a class?

Yes and no. You can come give us a try, but we don’t let people just kick it on the sidelines. It kind of weirds out the rest of us who are actually dancing to have people staring at us. That being said, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you watch our videos to get a taste of class and then sign up for an entire session. Unless you’re an experienced and accomplished dancer, taking one class is a REALLY bad way to evaluate whether or not it’s for you. If you are new, you are likely to be somewhat frustrated during your first class as your mind and body attempt to form a new relationship. However, people always seem to advance very quickly and after only a few classes they have a VERY different perspective than they had initially. Don’t think of this as a dance class, think of it as a dance course. What we do works best as a package, not a one time experience. 

Can I take class on a drop-in basis?

If you haven’t already, check the answer to the question directly above. Our classes aren’t structured for drop-ins. We do this for a few reasons. For one, people see much better results when they attend class regularly. Also, it makes class much more enjoyable for everyone when we get used to seeing, learning and dancing with familiar faces. Finally, it ensures that our student numbers stay relatively consistent which keeps teachers AND students happy.

What if I can’t make every single class in a session?

Not a problem! Talk to us and we’ll work with your schedule to allow for make ups.
It shouldn’t stop anyone from registering for a session.

Do you teach real Hip Hop?

We may be out in the burbs, but our Hip Hop is definitely not from the land of make believe. We pride ourselves on being one of the very, VERY few companies around that truly represents for REAL Hip Hop. We don’t play sell-out rap songs. We don’t bite our moves from music videos or TV shows and if you wanna chill for a spell, we could regale you with more details about the history of Hip Hop than you ever thought possible. This ain’t Jazz or pop moves disguised as funk. FUNKMODE IS HIP HOP!

Do you teach freestyling?

A wise Zen Master once said, “If you can teach freestyling, is it still freestyling?” Though the Zen Man kinda has a point here, we still do our best to provide some basis for understanding the fundamentals of freestyling, especially since most people want to be able to dance socially. As mentioned earlier, at least a third of our adult class is spent following the teacher’s freestyling, which doesn’t mean you are actually creating on the fly, but you’re at least learning to follow on the fly. It’s a bit like learning to freestyle with training wheels. If you really want to get down with some serious freestyle training, private lessons are the way to go.  NOTE: All kids’ classes include freestyle training.

Do you teach more than dancing in your kids’ classes?

Our kids’ classes are a far different animal than our adult classes. Click here to see the basic format. Since we‘re giving most of these ankle biters and young adults their first exposure to the performing arts, we include a bit of everything in their classes. For example, Hip Hop classes include some basic training in other important dance styles in addition to working on not just the moves but also performance quality. We also do basic acting training, sessions on how to improvise, lessons on comedy and comedic timing and some musical education. We find that all of these skills make better dancers so we make it an important part of their curriculum. One more thing ... every Spring we have a big show that really gives the kids a chance to show off the whole range of performing arts skills they’re learning AND every month we shoot a kids’ class video just like the adult videos so you have something to show off to family and friends!

How do you choose your music for class? Also, is it kid friendly?

We have our favorite artists and we keep our ear to the streets for the new kids bringing the heat. We take a lot of requests from our students figuring that if you’re bumpin it outside of class, you’ll definitely be jammin when you hear it in class. And just so there’s no surprises, know that we are very protective of Hip Hop culture and we won’t play just any fool that’s sittin at the top of the charts. You gotta have staying power to get on our playlist. We play only real artists that represent for Hip Hop. As for the kids’ classes, our music is ALWAYS kid friendly. We want them to have the most positive image of Hip Hop possible. Check our music page to get an idea of the kind of tunes that keep our heads bobbin.

Will I get a good workout?

Better than a Jane Fonda/Tae Bo/Pilates sandwich (eewww!). Although it IS a dance class, we know a lot of people are just trying to find a fun way to burn calories without strapping themselves to a StairMonster. Sooo, we make sure to sneak a workout in on ya while you’re distracted by trying to keep up with the steps. We’ve got a lot of people to drop a lot of weight with our stealthy dance trickery so don’t be surprised if there’s less of you to go around by the end of the session. 

How are your group classes different from your private lessons?

As different as watching people dance on TV is from taking a dance class. Private lessons put you a step closer to the action. Private lessons allow us to get into things that we’d never have the time or ability to cover in group classes. Besides that, they’re completely individualized, so whatever you want to do is what we do. They’re a great way to learn things we don’t cover in class or get extra assisted practice with the things we are doing in class. Especially if you’re a first timer, private lessons are a GREAT idea! Click here for more details.

Do I have to be in your class videos?

No, but everyone will look at you funny. JUST KIDDING!!! No one ever has to be in the videos if they don’t want to. BUUUT, our class videos are a BIG part of the way new people like yourself get a chance to see what classes are like. If everyone opted out of the videos, YOU would have nothing to watch. Also, if the videos only had people in them that made the choreography look perfect (i.e. no beginners), how realistic or inviting would that be? We’re not submitting our stuff to MTV, you’re not expected to be a diva/divo and there’s no judgment here ... just people who love to dance having a lot of fun. 

Can I join your performance company?

We choose people for the company from amongst our students. That means, if you want to try out, you gotta be in class. We don’t bring in new people that often, but we also don’t let a good opportunity pass us by. If you’re interested let us know, then start treating every class like it’s your own personal show. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, one of FUNKMODE's current special-ities is teaching. We teach classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, but most especially in the East Bay. If you live in any of the following areas, we probably have something near you:

San Francisco     Marin     San Rafael     Oakland     Emeryville     Solano     Albany
Alameda     Berkeley     Rockridge     Orinda     Lafayette     Walnut Creek     Concord
Pleasant Hill     Antioch     Vallejo     Alamo     Danville     San Ramon     Castro Valley

Dance Classes
We offer all types of dance classes for all level of dancers from Creative Movement for 3-5 year olds to Hip Hop for adults.  Here is a full list of the styles we offer:

Hip Hop          Modern          Jazz           Tap          Ballet    
Creative Movement           House           Step          Musical Theater

We offer private lessons for all of these styles which you can learn more about here.

Theater Classes
FUNKMODE also teaches acting and theater classes for young people. In all of our classes we help kids to become great storytellers, actors, dancers and singers which in turn helps them to build self-esteem, confidence, and a positive attitude.

Student Page
If you are interested in taking a Hip Hop class with us you should check out our Students section on the main website. Here you can see videos of past choreography done in class, get our full class schedule, and even check out our current playlist for class.