By June, most Ogema City residents will still be talking about their garden beds. A handful will be performing a full jazz routine under stage lights.
The difference? They registered for spring session at Ogema City's jazz dance program—voted top dance instruction in the city by the Ogema Arts Gazette for three consecutive years.
What Makes This Program Different
Plenty of studios teach steps. Here, you learn to perform them.
Ogema City's 2024 spring program runs from April 8 through June 14, with classes held at the Downtown Arts Center on Meridian Street. Every level culminates in a studio showcase on June 15, meaning whether you enroll in Beginner's Swing or Advanced Lyrical Jazz, you'll walk away with more than drills—you'll walk away with a finished piece.
That's the gap this program fills. While suburban competitors focus on exam-based progressions, Ogema City builds performers.
Find Your Level
Beginner's Swing — Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. For: Absolute beginners, recovering dancers, or anyone who says they have "two left feet" You won't spend eight weeks struggling through mirror-facing drills. By week three, you'll rotate partners and practice simple combinations to live jazz recordings. Expected outcome: comfort with basic swing and Charleston vocabulary, plus one performance-ready routine.
Intermediate Jazz Fusion — Thursdays, 7:15 p.m. For: Dancers with 1–2 years of training who want to expand their range This class fuses traditional Fosse-style precision with contemporaryrelease technique. Students work across the floor in sneakers one week and heels the next. Expected outcome: expanded versatility and a routine that blends both vocabularies seamlessly.
Advanced Lyrical Jazz — Mondays, 8:00 p.m. For: Pre-professional dancers, musical theater performers, and advanced hobbyists Instructor Maria Chen—who toured nationally with Chicago: The Musical—pushes students through emotionally demanding choreography. Classes include improvisation exercises and mock auditions. Expected outcome: a competition-level piece and sharpened audition readiness.
Meet the Instructors
Maria Chen, Advanced Lyrical Jazz National tour credits: Chicago, A Chorus Line. Chen specializes in translating professional rehearsal-room standards into teachable progressions. Her students have booked contracts with regional theater companies across the Midwest.
James Okonkwo, Beginner's Swing & Intermediate Jazz Fusion Trained at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Okonkwo has choreographed for the Ogema Repertory Theatre and developed a signature method for teaching rhythm to adult beginners. His philosophy: "If you can walk, you can already hear the beat. We just make it visible."
The Details That Matter
| Session dates | April 8 – June 14 |
| Showcase | June 15, Downtown Arts Center |
| Location | Downtown Arts Center, 412 Meridian St., Ogema City |
| Ages | 16+ (adult and young adult sections available) |
| What to wear | Flexible athletic wear; jazz shoes or clean sneakers |
| Pricing | $240 per 10-week session; early-bird rate $195 if registered by March 22 |
Need to miss a week? Each enrollment includes one recorded class review and a 15-minute private catch-up session.
What Students Say
"I started in Beginner's Swing at 47, convinced I was too old. Four months later I performed onstage in a sequined vest. My teenagers were mortified—and impressed."
— Denise R., Ogema City
Intermediate and advanced sections are currently 70% full. Beginner's Swing has six spots remaining as of this writing.
Register Before March 22
Early-bird pricing ends March 22. Spring session starts April 8.
[Claim your spot — spring showcase waits for no one]
