About Us

What’s in a Name?

Why Choose Us? 10 reasons to choose CSD!

5 Things Every Parent Should Know Before Choosing a Dance Studio!

The Contemporary School of Dance (CSD) opened in September of 1997. The school began with two teachers and approximately seventy-five students. Through dedication and hard work, and with the help of wonderful teaching faculty, Christine Parker-Reid, the school's founder and director, has built one of the most reputable schools in the K-W area. Today, CSD has ten faculty providing approximately four hundred dancers of all ages with superb training in an energetic, nurturing environment.

From September to June, our school offers regularly scheduled classes in various dance styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary and pilates to complement the dancers’ training. For our adult students and HomeSchool families, we offer session-based programs in a variety of dance styles. Our highly successful Junior School programs, Toddler & Me and PreSchool dance, are also offered as sessions in the fall, winter and spring.

For our full year students, we offer progressive training with examination opportunities in ballet, jazz and tap with internationally recognized dance associations, as well as performance opportunities through our children’s dance companies and annual professional production. We do NOT enter competitions.

All students receive quality dance instruction delivered by professional teachers who encourage a genuine sense of performance. With our expertise, we are able to encourage and support our students who would like to audition for professional dance schools or post-secondary dance institutions. For most of our students, dance offers a fun and rewarding pursuit and is a great form of exercise.

CSD’s goal is to provide a welcoming, positive, caring atmosphere for all of our dancers. Regardless of age or ability, students will have the opportunity to explore the magic of movement, benefit from a healthy extracurricular activity, and gain an appreciation for the art of dance.

Contemporary School of Dance was named for its’ modern or new approach to operating a dance studio. We are different than other traditional dance studios and are proud of it! We not only provide the most current dance styles and methods of teaching, but also offer up-to-date administrative aspects to the school, including online registration and email correspondence. The school is continually evolving and improving and embracing new and contemporary ideas in dance! Come see why K-W voted us the BEST DANCE STUDIO for 2010 in The Waterloo Chronicle!

Aren’t ALL dance studios the same?

All dance studios are not the same. As a parent, we realize you have a choice between several different dance schools, which is why we constantly renovate and improve our facilities and business. In addition, we support our expert teachers in professional development to ensure we are always providing our students and parents with the best experience possible.

We invite you to compare all of the features and options to see why our studio is the best! Over the past 5 years, we have been voted the BEST DANCE STUDIO in K-W more than any other dance school in both the Waterloo Chronicle and The Record’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

Here are 10 reasons why Contemporary School of Dance is the right dance studio for you!

1. We want to give our dance families the best! Our brand NEW state of the art facility is 7,500 sq. ft., has 4 studio rooms with proper sound equipment, mirrors, 20’ ceilings, and professional sprung dance floors. We have the largest dancing rooms in the tri-city area!
2. Large variety of dance styles to choose from for ALL ages with limited class sizes for more one-on-one attention
3. Highly qualified, professional, and experienced teachers that provide fun, yet challenging, classes in an enthusiastic learning environment
4. Two comfortable waiting areas with viewing windows so parents can view all classes, as well as a playroom/viewing room for parents who bring younger siblings to the studio.
5. Age appropriate costumes, choreography and music for all classes and show pieces.
6. Stress-free recital! All costumes are sewn or purchased for you. Production information is well-organized and given to families in a timely manner.
7. NO COMPETITIONS! Save time and money and get a complete dance education! It’s not that we’re not good enough to compete; we simply choose not to participate. Time is not spent rehearsing one piece over and over; our students are able to learn much more at dance classes throughout the year and avoid “dancer’s burnout”!
8. No secrets or hidden fees! We’ve got nothing to hide! ALL studio information is fully accessible at our comprehensive website, including fees, schedule, newsletters, etc. – no password protected areas! We believe in being upfront and keeping our dance families well informed!
9. Friendly office staff available to answer questions and assist you. We pride ourselves in efficient and effective communication - receive invoices, statements, reminders, etc. all via email!
10. Convenient Automatic Payment – choose pre-authorized credit card as your method of payment and your dance fees automatically get charged each month.

There is no regulation of dance teachers or dance studios in Canada. Anyone can open a school and call themselves a dance teacher! So how do you choose? What questions should you ask? And when you ask the right questions, what answers should you be looking for? There are 5 things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives, the amount of extra work and hassles the parents must deal with, and the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a dance program at a studio. Here are 5 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a dance studio for their child.

1. What are the qualifications of the teachers?

   It’s always important to make sure that your child’s teachers are qualified, especially where dance training is concerned. Dance instructors are not licensed in Canada, so anyone can claim to be able to teach your child to dance! Be sure to ask for information on the instructor’s background.

   Our studio strives to provide your children with the absolute best dance teachers possible. Contemporary School of Dance only employs experienced teachers who have certifications in the teaching of dance from internationally recognized dance associations, and/or professional training in dance. Many studios use inexperienced teens who “learn as they go” while teaching your young children. We feel it is extremely important that all of our students, especially the little ones, receive proper dance instruction from fully-trained, professional teachers. Our teachers are fully equipped to make your child’s dance education experience fun, engaging, and complete.

2. What is the size of the class? Are there Teacher Assistants?

   If the dance class has fewer students in it, each child will receive more personalized attention, learn more, and have more fun. Our limited class sizes ensure that teachers can maintain control of the class and properly teach all concepts to each of the dancers.

   We take pride in limiting our class sizes; our studio limits the size of our classes according to age level. Our Toddler & Me and PreSchool classes have a maximum of 10 students per class, our Kinderdance and Pre-Primary classes have a maximum of 12 students per class, and our Primary through Adult classes have a limit of 16 students per class.

   Our studio also utilizes a Student Teaching Assistant program, which allows more senior dancers enrolled in our studio to be placed as Teaching Assistants with our Teachers. Teaching Assistants are evaluated monthly and supported in their training with valuable feedback that helps them increase their effectiveness as assistants in classes. All of our evening Junior School classes have Teacher Assistants accompanying the Teacher to ensure that each child receives individualized attention throughout the class.

3. I want to see my child dance. Can parents observe classes?

   Yes, our studio has two comfortable waiting areas with observation windows into all four dance studios, as well as French glass doors into every room, so parents can watch their children dance at any class. At our NEW location, we are also happy to provide a Playroom/Viewing Room for parents who need to bring younger siblings of dancers to the studio! Parents can easily observe classes in two studio rooms, and children can play with toys provided by the studio.

4. What type of dance floor is used?

   Dance is a very physical activity that requires a lot of jumping, which can put stress onbones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support, sothe shock of dance movement can place a lot of pressure on the knees and back of adancer. The best way to prevent against potential injury is by choosing a studio with aprofessional sprung floating floor. A floating floor is a dance floor that rests on a system of high-density foam or rubber blocks, to absorb the shock of jumping.

   The top layer of the dance floor is also an important factor. A vinyl composite “marley”floor is accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for recreational to professionaldance. Facilities such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Royal Academy of Dance inLondon, England, and Riverdance-the Touring Show, all use marley dance floors as their dance surface. A marley dance floor allows dancers to slide, with a degree of “controlled” slip, but is not slippery so there is less risk of slips and falls. Very few studios use professional dance floors because of the expense involved.

   All of our dance rooms have wood, sprung sub-floors. Two of our studio rooms have Harlequin dance flooring (imported from the United States) and the other two have a wood flooring surface to provide a better sound quality for tap. Our professionally sprung floors help reduce the risk of injuries to joints, and allow students to dance longer without fatiguing their muscles.

5. Does the studio provide good customer service?

   At many studios, parents frequently feel “out of the loop” when it comes to receiving studio information and having questions answered, especially if they are new to dance. Our faculty and staff is always friendly and well-informed with up-to-date information, and you will be too, with our bi-monthly newsletters and email reminders!

   Our office hours are conveniently posted on the office door, and we can make appointments if there is a more convenient time for you to meet. To have a good experience, it is important to choose a studio that keeps dance families well-informed, and has friendly office staff that can assist you with your questions. Email inquiries are answered within one business day. You can be confident that our studio will keep your personal information confidential and all accounts will be accurately maintained. Our studio is always kept organized and in tip-top shape, making it a relaxing, efficient, and pleasing environment to be in.