About a dozen young girls are spending the month of July practicing a wide range of ballet movements and positions at the San Benito Dance Connection, the result of a merger between Flying Colors Dance and San Benito Dance Academy.
Under the tutelage of Artistic Director Elizabeth Mendoza, the girls practice basic steps like plié and tendu to more complex jumps and turns such as sauté and pirouette.
According to Mendoza, the girls learn dance and achieve some of their personal fitness goals.
“I need to keep training and to get my technique better,” said Lexi Montoya, 14, about why she joined the class. “I’m on (the San Benito Dance Connection) competition team so I need to keep training.”
Likewise, 15-year-old Isabella Samotis wants to fine tune her technique. Plus, she added, “I needed an activity to do this summer.”
San Benito Dance Connection provides a safe and supportive environment where every child is allowed to explore their imagination, cultivate a positive self-image and discover their true potential, she added.
“We strive to create meaningful experiences that positively shape the lives of our dancers, their families and our greater community,” Mendoza said. “We provide high-quality dance and movement education in a welcoming space—one that fosters connection and inspires lasting impact.”
Classes focus on teaching technique and artistry in an environment that imparts discipline, rewards persistence and encourages teamwork, she added.
They offer dance classes for all ages; from “caregiver and me” classes for 1- to 2.5-year-olds all the way to ballet classes for adults. They also offer classes in dance genres including, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary and acro dance. During the summer they offer morning ballet classes, themed summer camps and short sample sessions of a variety of classes for young children.
For adults they also offer private and group Pilates classes that focus on teaching muscular awareness, body alignment and increased range of motion.
For more information, visit sanbenitodanceconnection.com/classes.
