Jorday Rivera’s Dance Studio, a Forest Hills studio that offers dance classes for kids and teens, now offers belly dancing for young girls, salsa for toddlers and young girls, and tap and jazz classes for tweens and teens.
At Jorday Rivera’s Dance Studio, which has been open for more than a decade, the emphasis is on dancers refining technical skills while embracing and celebrating unique cultures through the study of dance, says founder and director Jorday Rivera. With classes in a diverse range of styles to fit the needs of every developing dancer, kids of all ages can learn styles including Latin, ballroom, hip-hop, modern, samba, ballet, tap, lyrical, acrobatics, break dancing, contemporary, and salsa for young boys and girls.
After a summer packed with classes and performances across the tri-state area, things are heating up at the studio. As the new season begins on Sept. 19, the studio is introducing a slew of new classes for its youngest students, including a mini belly dancing class for girls ages 4 and older, a baby salsa class for ages 3½ and older, and a big girl salsa class for ages 4½ and older.
“A lot of parents expressed interest in having the younger kids dancing and participating, so we decided to open up the salsa and belly dancing classes for little kids,” Rivera says.
Older kids will also get more options this fall. The studio is now offering tap and jazz classes as well as break dancing for ages 9-17. An all-new Latin competition class will also be offered for students ages 6½ and older. Another new offering is coed b-boy and break dancing classes for ages 5-9 and 10-16.
The studio has developed a system of teaching that emphasizes personal growth and development. “We cater to [kids’] needs and to their progression, so we make sure that they’re really learning,” Rivera says. “Even the youngest kids are learning how to work well with others, about responsibility, hard work, and preparedness.”
Registration is open now for all specialty classes.
Main photo: Jorday Rivera’s Dance Studio offers a youth salsa program.
Starshine Photography
