Boys Only!

A Scholarship Class in the Summer which is partially supported by the Barrington Area Arts Council, is open to males age 9 - 17. This class is less ballet and more creative movement, helping students gain strength, balance, flexibility, agility, endurance, and spatial awareness. These elements, while key in a dancers training, are also important in an athlete's training or actor's training.

Boys in Sports: Great for building body strength, muscle tone, stamina, balance and coordination. All are physical needs associated with Soccer, Gymnastics, Skating, Baseball, Basketball, Football and Tennis, to name a few.

Boys in Performance: Physically challenging and mentally stimulating, it developes strong physique and posture, as well as confidence. You will learn basics which will be beneficial to any dancer, actor or singer.

Instructor - Wade Schaaf

Wade Schaaf hails from the Chicago area and graduated cumme laude from Northern Illinois University with a BFA in theater arts (emphasis dance performance). During his extensive professional career, Wade has danced for such companies as the Ohio Ballet, State Street Ballet Santa Barbara, The Omaha Theater Ballet, Norwegian Cruise Lines and most recently River North Chicago Dance Company. He has had the privilege of working with such choreographers as Septime Weber, Stephen Mills, Kennet Oberly, Bill Soleau, Frank Chavez and Laurie Stallings. Wade has been privileged to dance such roles as Tybalt in Robin Welche's Romeo and Juliet, Snow Pas in Welche's Nutcracker and Jonathan in Oberly's Dracula. Currently, Wade teaches throughout the Chicagoland area in most disciplines of dance. He has set his own work on the Omaha Theater Ballet, Groundwork Dance Company, and the student company at the School of Performing Arts. He is also in the process of completing Pilates certification through Power Pilates at Body Endeavors Chicago. He currently is a dancer for Melissa Thodos and company.

For information on the Boys Only! program and other scholarship opportunities for Boys, contact Mary Greco, Artistic Director, or send us an email at info@byde.org.