2025-26 Dance Program

Sept 9th 2025-May 2026

Registration is Now Open!

Class days and times are for our Rockford location only.

More About Injury Prevention? See below.

As most of Aubrey‘s dance students travel from Milwaukee/Chicago please note classes here have been specifically reserved for students in the Rockford area.Chicago/Milwaukee parents refer to emailed schedule of classes.

Classes Reviews

Performances/Observation

About Miss Aubrey

We Dance

Ages 2-3 With Caregiver

Is an introduction to movement and music classes, is designed for 2-3 year olds and their caregivers.

These classes actively involve students and their guardian in movement and music exploration designed to cultivate body awareness large motor skills and spatial understanding.

Wee Dance* Ages 4-7 (Movement & Dance,Beginning French)


A Level Ages 8-12 (Ballet, Tap Folk/Character,Beginning French, Acting)

Age 10 or older?

Students wanting to train more than 1x per week or want to progress to learning famous ballet dances and dancing on toe or en pointe see our

Academy Program

  • “I know that my daughter is safe – physically, mentally, emotionally – at all times. I do not have to worry about her well-being; I have every confidence that she will be well-protected and offered the best learning tools to enable her to perform within the optimal perimeters of safety.

    Laurie, Parent of Academy Student age 12

  • Academy Student Age 12

    “I like it here. Everyone is happy and nice and no one is fake. There’s no one sitting out injured, and that’s good. At my old studio everyone had shin splints really bad, or broken ankles or stuff like that. It’s really nice not to have to worry about that anymore.” B Level Student*

  • My kids are confident in what they can do, and, more importantly, feel comfortable asking questions. Empowering Minds is not a studio that barks out instructions, intimidates children, or has a negative competitive environment. Children are guided with high regard for what is best for them.”

    Jacqueline L, Parent of A Level and Academy students

  • A Level Student, Age 10.

    “Here, the teachers care about you, and make you stop if your muscles are even just tight. They don’t wait till you get injured to do something, that’s what injury prevention means. It means they keep you from getting hurt in the first place. “

  • Mother of A Level and Academy Level Students

    “…The primary concern of the instructor is her students' safety and well-being. They are taught proper dance technique, and there is a strong focus on injury prevention. In addition, students are taught the history of dance, dance anatomy, geography and French language. They also have fun!”

  • “It is truly the only place you would want your child. Not only for ballet, but for language development, supportive environment, and exceptional cognitive development. Empowering Minds is a wonderful place to be that adds a supportive role for emotional and social development. All three of my daughters have benefited immensely from the instructor's devotion to her craft, knowledge and research.

  • Finally, the instructor changed the mindset of one of my teenaged daughters from not enjoying ballet (as a non-particpating observer) to a teenager who loves class so much that she looks more forward to than her sister who has always had a love of dance.

    Laura A, Parent of Academy level students

Parent Observation/Performances

We do not believe in the additional stress and financial burden of the traditional dance recital or dance competitions. Dance recitals often cause children to quit dance and add several hundred dollars in expenses. Children who wish to perform may participate in a select performance group that performs classical works in the community.

Class uniforms are designed to be professional and performance ready. Students perform at the end of the year in the studio for parents. Their uniform is their costume.

Parent observation is welcomed at announced dates. For the safety of students no other observation is allowed.

About Miss Aubrey

Trained at The School of American Ballet, part of the New York City Ballet, Miss Aubrey has worked as an actor dancer and industry consultant throughout the United States particularly in Los Angeles and New York City.

She has expertise far beyond that of other dance cheer or gymnastics teachers- she’s spent years working with doctors specializing in sport and dance medicine to learn how to prevent injury in dance sports and gymnastic classes.

Her proven curriculum based on this exclusive work has earned her clients that range from professional and Olympic athletes to professional dancers singers and actors. Now she has taken her unparalleled curriculum and added it to Empowering Minds’ Programs!

How are Aubrey’s dance classes different?

Q&A with Miss Aubrey and Learn About the Benefits of Ballet for girls, Trauma Informed Dance, and Ballet and Neurodivergence

More On Injury Prevention

Sadly, even professional dancers and dance organizations still promote unhealthy practices. They do not have training in basic physical development of children- how and when their bones and muscles develop-before teaching movement or sports to children. And it shows-in injuries.

Many “traditional” dance steps and practices have been proven by medical professionals to cause harm to the body. These often don’t cause pain at the time but is inflicting “structural damage” that may not show up for years.