This level is an extension of the process originating with the Beginner level as it continues through the Intermediate level and upward through the evolutionary ladder of the complexity of the Advanced class.

Taking all the elements of the previous two levels, the Advanced level’s most apparent difference is its canon of the hands and arms and the creativity generated by the hands after the arms have gone into the canon. In other words, the coordination of the arms moving in canon in the Intermediate class rises to a higher level of complexity when those same canon arms go off into different individual tangents.

Working from the foundation of breath, the strength of the core, and the generous plie, the Beginner level class consists of exercises that introduce the body to the fundamental articulation and awareness of the spine related to the head, the pelvis, and our connection to the floor through our feet.

Once the simple awareness of the head rolling up and down the spine is established, the plie is added to the process. In doing so, the foundation begins to settle into place, creating the environment for additional elements to enter into the picture: the hands, arms, legs, and of course, the movement of the pelvis in space.

Using the approach of the Beginner level – awareness of the spine, the generosity of the plie, the freedom and strength of the pelvis, the symmetry of hand and arms – the Intermediate level is the evolution of that fundamental process. The distinguishing factors between the two levels are the canon of the hands and arms, the spine’s different pathways, and the additional strength and awareness of a plie to support these new elements entering the body.

In this class, the hand and arm gestures determine the level to where the process will evolve. By applying the use of canon to the arms and hands – where each arm does the exact movement, one beat apart – the rest of the body will find itself having to make adjustments to accommodate the torque in the body and its effect on the pelvis, legs and feet.