By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HOOVER—Whether you’re an experienced dancer looking for classes to challenge and build your skills or a beginner looking for a fun way to exercise, the Birmingham Academy of Dance has you covered.

Opening in the Inverness Heights Market shopping center in August, the studio seeks to offer personalized class schedules and instructors for dancers of all ages and skill levels.

“We want to accommodate anybody who wants to do this,” Studio Director Autumn Blais said. “It’s not just one group that we’re trying to appeal to.”

The dance studio offers more than 35 classes in a variety of genres for dancers of all ages, from 2-years old to adults. Each class is led by an instructor specializing in the specific genre of dance, from classical ballet and jazz to hip-hop and clogging.

Adult classes are offered in all genres and are aerobic-based, Blais explained.

“They’re aerobic-based, so they’re more of a workout,” Blais said. “You do it to the level that you can. You’re exercising and you’re not on a treadmill staring at the wall.”

Youth classes also span all genres of dance, and are broken down by age and skill level, ensuring each student receives the instruction and attention they need.

“(Students are) our main focus,” Blias said. “We build their class schedules around their specific needs.”

The Birmingham Academy of Dance will also field competitive dance teams that will compete both locally and across the country.

The 85,000-square-foot studio space was designed with dancers’ needs in mind.

“It’s a brand new interior build-out,” Blias said of the 5033 U.S. 280 location.

The Birmingham Academy of Dance will feature five studios equipped with stage flooring and lighting. A student lounge will give dancers a space to relax, eat a snack or do homework between classes, and a parent lounge will give parents a comfortable place to wait for students to finish class.

The studio is scheduled to open for classes on Aug. 17 and registration is currently open for the fall. The Birmingham Academy of Dance is also offering summer camps beginning July 20.
For more information about the studio, including classes, camps and instructors, visit Badance280.com.