Healthy dance for a healthy child.

Barefoot Studios offers age appropriate dance activities which develop the intellectual and physical abilities of your child in a safe, caring, and lively environment.

Guided by the National Standards for Dance in Education and the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs), Barefoot Studios strives to:

  • Foster intellectual, emotional, creative, and physical growth through creative exploration and expression;
  • Encourage students to strive for excellence without fear of failure;
  • Cultivate critical thinking skills that allow the student to translate abstract concepts into physical expression.
Director of our children’s program, Paul Zmolek, has over 25 years teaching experience and degrees in Dance, Creative Arts, and Physical Education. A nationally respected expert in Dance for Children, Paul was trained in H’Doubler Educational Dance by Betty Toman, has worked extensively as a teacher of Children’s Dance educators at California State University, San Bernardino; The California Arts Project; the California Dance Educators Association and Southeast Missouri State University.  Additionally, he has trained Educators throughout America in conceptual-based, experiential learning methodologies of Dance Education.

Children's Classes at Barefoot Studios

Ballet Youth (8 - 12 years)
Introduction to ballet emphasizing movement, dynamic alignment and correct muscular usage and initiation.

  • Wednesday 6:15-7:15 pm

Barefoot Ballet Youth (8 - 12 years)
Introduction into the concert dance techniques of contemporary modern dance and ballet emphasizing movement, dynamic alignment and correct muscular usage and initiation.

  • Saturday 11:00 - 12:00

Barefoot Beat (8 years-Adult)
Feel the beat through your bare feet. Get down into the ground and feel the sound. Move your body and the rest will follow. For the dancer in all of us, Barefoot Beat celebrates the joy of movement. Instructor Marla Simms draws from primitive dance of varied cultures and modern dance to guide you through progressions of movement exploration to the music and beats of West Africa and beyond. The movements are chosen carefully to maintain safety and accessibility of all body types, levels of experience, and ages. Balanced by mindful stretching to increased range of motion and aerobic conditioning, this class is for everyone and for everyone to enjoy.

  • Thursday 6:15-7:45 pm
  • Saturday 12:30-2:00 pm

Church of Perpetual Motion
All ages Dance Jam every other Sunday from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Drop in anytime. The Church of Perpetual Motion begins January 13, 2008. Facilitated by Tracey and Katie.
$3 children ages 3 - 12 (Children must be accompanied by adult supervision); $5 Teens/Adults ages 13 on up.

Creative Movement Youth (8-12 years)
Children learn social skills, increase their physical abilities, conceptual thinking and musical awareness through group exploration and self-expression.

  • Monday 5:30-6:15
  • Saturday 10:00-10:45

Free Fall Youth (8 - 12 years)
Take the plunge with this new movement based performance class! Students will learn basic dance and performance technique while exploring their physical and vocal abilities. Jazz, Ballet, and Contemporary dance work to teach physical and mental strength in learning and performing movement and sound. At the end of the session the class will participate in a high energy sharing performance of their work.

  • Tuesday 6:30-7:30 pm

Jazz Youth (8 - 12 years)
Introduction into jazz dance techniques emphasizing movement, dynamic alignment, musicality and correct muscular usage and initiation.

  • Monday 6:15-7:15 pm

Classes for Teens

Ballet - Beginning/Intermediate (13 years – Adult)
A contemporary, somatic approach to classical ballet emphasizing movement, dynamic alignment and correct muscular usage and initiation.

  • Tuesday 4:45- 6:00pm
  • Wednesday 6:15 - 7:30 pm
  • Thursday 5:00 - 6:15 pm
  • Saturday 11:00-12:30 pm

Barefoot Beat (8 years-Adult)
Feel the beat through your bare feet. Get down into the ground and feel the sound. Move your body and the rest will follow. For the dancer in all of us, Barefoot Beat celebrates the joy of movement. Instructor Marla Simms draws from primitive dance of varied cultures and modern dance to guide you through progressions of movement exploration to the music and beats of West Africa and beyond. The movements are chosen carefully to maintain safety and accessibility of all body types, levels of experience, and ages. Balanced by mindful stretching to increased range of motion and aerobic conditioning, this class is for everyone and for everyone to enjoy.

  • Thursday 6:15-7:45 pm
  • Saturday 12:30-2:00 pm

Capoeira : African-Brazilian Martial Art (13 years-Adult)
The athletic and exhilarating Afro-Brazilian martial/dance/music/acrobatic/ritual “art of survival” accompanied by live percussion music and singing. Students learn all aspects including movement, ritual, music, and socio-cultural significance. For more information: History, Moves, Rituals, Songs.

  • Tuesday & Thursday 7:30-9:00 pm
  • Saturday 3:30-5:00 pm

Church of Perpetual Motion
All ages Dance Jam every other Sunday from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Drop in anytime. The Church of Perpetual Motion begins January 13, 2008. Facilitated by Tracey and Katie.
$3 children ages 3 - 12 (Children must be accompanied by adult supervision); $5 Teens/Adults ages 13 on up.

Contemporary Modern Dance - Beginning/Intermediate (13 years - Adult)
An athletic style of contemporary dance evolved from classic modern dance styles (Humphrey, Cunningham, Horst, Lewitzky, Graham, Taylor, Dunham), classical dance (ballet, Javanese, Chinese), traditional Afro-Brazilian forms (Capoeira, Maculelê) and movement analysis (Laban, H’Doubler).

  • Monday 4:45-6:00
  • Tuesday 6:00- 7:30 pm
  • Wednesday 5:00- 6:15 pm
  • Saturday 2:00 -3:30 pm

Jazz Dance (13 years-Adult)
Blending elements from ballet, modern, and jazz into a classical jazz dance style, the class focuses on proper alignment and technique, isolations, stretching, movement through space, and choreography.

  • Monday 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Contact Improvisation (13 years-Adult)
Points of physical contact provide the starting point for movement improvisation and exploration. Techniques include: weight transfer, counter balance, rolling, falling, suspension and lifting. Appropriate for all levels and ages 13 & up.

Blister Youth Ensemble (10 - 18 years)
A dance company featuring improvisational and choreographic works by the members. Membership in Blister Youth Ensemble is by audition only. Company members participate in the Saturday B.Y.E. class learning the craft of choreography and improvisation. Company members will be required to take company class and dance technique class every Saturday. Open auditions every quarter but individual auditions may be arranged by contacting us.

Recommended by Dance Educators

“Barefoot Studios’ concepts align with the Washington State Dance EALR’s, and the instructors, with Master’s degrees in Dance, practice anatomically safe teaching.  Ms. Barragan and Mrs. Englebright recommend Barefoot Studios as a great place for your child to quench his/her thirst for dance!”
– Krissa Englebright, Elk Plain School of Choice

“I cannot say enough about their teaching and personal qualities. They have made an important contribution to our program and enriched the lives of the students who have had the good fortune to work with them.  I highly recommend them for any teaching position working with students from all ages and diversities.”
- Rita Marks, Alexander Hamilton Middle School
“A significant strength of Joséphine and Paul is the manner in which they create context for their students.  They teach them to revere the past, acknowledge the present and dare to see the future as though it could be otherwise.  Their depth and breadth of knowledge and experience enable them to use the interdisciplinary approach to teaching with a natural ease.  This approach is particularly significant for educating today’s students.  Making connections is a skill that has been identified by scholars as necessary for survival in the 21st century.”
- Antoinette Marich, CSU Dominguez Hills