2023-2024 Dance Classes
Dance Team
The Backlight Dance Team works together to build their skills and technique then put together multiple group and solo numbers to be performed at the Encore DCS Dance Competition in Chattanooga in April 2023! Encore DCS has created a “Shining Star” category specifically for dancers with IDD. Last year our team won first place in their division and this will be our Dance Team’s third year attending the competition along with other local dance teams that serve the IDD community. This season, the first half of the season will focus on building technique and learning dance moves that will be incorporated into the team's routines. The second half of the season will focus on putting the routines together. Learn the value of teamwork and dance your heart out while doing it!
Competition Dates = April 26-28 in Chattanooga, TN
*Registration Fee helps cover the cost of costumes. No other payments will be requested for this class during the season.
The Backlight Dance Team works together to build their skills and technique then put together multiple group and solo numbers to be performed at the Encore DCS Dance Competition in Chattanooga in April 2023! Encore DCS has created a “Shining Star” category specifically for dancers with IDD. Last year our team won first place in their division and this will be our Dance Team’s third year attending the competition along with other local dance teams that serve the IDD community. This season, the first half of the season will focus on building technique and learning dance moves that will be incorporated into the team's routines. The second half of the season will focus on putting the routines together. Learn the value of teamwork and dance your heart out while doing it!
Competition Dates = April 26-28 in Chattanooga, TN
*Registration Fee helps cover the cost of costumes. No other payments will be requested for this class during the season.
Wednesday
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Backlight Studios
Creative Movement
This dance class is for dance and music lovers who require direct assistance. Creative Movement incorporates very basic movements suitable for dancers of all abilities and enables them to perform several numbers in our Spring Musical. This class can be taken virtually or in-person and participants may be requested to provide an aid to directly assist them during class.
This dance class is for dance and music lovers who require direct assistance. Creative Movement incorporates very basic movements suitable for dancers of all abilities and enables them to perform several numbers in our Spring Musical. This class can be taken virtually or in-person and participants may be requested to provide an aid to directly assist them during class.
Thursday
3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Backlight Studios
2023-2024 Theater Classes
Spring Musical
Our Spring Musical is the most popular experience of all our Backlight classes! This experience gives performers the opportunity to play leading roles in a full Broadway musicals, performing as the character they have always dreamed of playing while performing alongside both professional and youth performers from our community. Roles are split amongst actors so that each student is given only enough as they are personally able to handle and comfortable with trying. This makes the Spring Musical experience perfect for performers of all levels of ability! **IMPORTANT NOTE: Students are assigned to one of two casts. One cast rehearses from 11am-1pm and the other cast rehearses from 1:30pm-3:30pm. Casts will be assigned by the end of August once registration is closed and your student's rehearsal time will correlate. It is important for instructors to be able to cast actors in the groups and roles they feel are best suited for them. However, if your performer absolutely needs to rehearse in a specific group due to schedule conflicts please email melissa@backlightproductions.org after registering and we will do our best to accommodate everyone's requests.
Our show will be announced by September (with classes not beginning until October this year) but save the dates for our performances on June 1 & 2 this year at Christ Presbyterian Academy's beautiful Soli Deo Center!
*Registration Fee helps cover production costs. No other payments will be requested for this class during the season.
Our Spring Musical is the most popular experience of all our Backlight classes! This experience gives performers the opportunity to play leading roles in a full Broadway musicals, performing as the character they have always dreamed of playing while performing alongside both professional and youth performers from our community. Roles are split amongst actors so that each student is given only enough as they are personally able to handle and comfortable with trying. This makes the Spring Musical experience perfect for performers of all levels of ability! **IMPORTANT NOTE: Students are assigned to one of two casts. One cast rehearses from 11am-1pm and the other cast rehearses from 1:30pm-3:30pm. Casts will be assigned by the end of August once registration is closed and your student's rehearsal time will correlate. It is important for instructors to be able to cast actors in the groups and roles they feel are best suited for them. However, if your performer absolutely needs to rehearse in a specific group due to schedule conflicts please email melissa@backlightproductions.org after registering and we will do our best to accommodate everyone's requests.
Our show will be announced by September (with classes not beginning until October this year) but save the dates for our performances on June 1 & 2 this year at Christ Presbyterian Academy's beautiful Soli Deo Center!
*Registration Fee helps cover production costs. No other payments will be requested for this class during the season.
Monday
11:00 AM to 3:30 PM
11:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Backlight Studios
2023-2024 Music Classes
Music & Songwriting
Songwriters unite and let's write a MUSICAL!! This season, our Backlight musicians/songwriters and our New Works Writers Lab playwrights will be working in stride to write a full musical! We love providing opportunities for artists with IDD to perform musicals at Backlight, but we think its time for there to be a musical written by playwrights and songwriters representing the IDD community as well. Here is how it will work: our students will select a theme/prompt. Then our New Works Writer's Lab students will build the story and script for the show and commission our Songwriters to write songs to compliment the story. Once put together, we will create the first ever, Backlight Productions original musical that will be performed by both professional & Backlight performers! Music Students will attend
Songwriters unite and let's write a MUSICAL!! This season, our Backlight musicians/songwriters and our New Works Writers Lab playwrights will be working in stride to write a full musical! We love providing opportunities for artists with IDD to perform musicals at Backlight, but we think its time for there to be a musical written by playwrights and songwriters representing the IDD community as well. Here is how it will work: our students will select a theme/prompt. Then our New Works Writer's Lab students will build the story and script for the show and commission our Songwriters to write songs to compliment the story. Once put together, we will create the first ever, Backlight Productions original musical that will be performed by both professional & Backlight performers! Music Students will attend
Wednesday
12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Backlight Studios
2024 Summer Classes
Summer Skills Classes
Take the summer to sharpen your performance skills and prepare for the season ahead! Backlight will now be offering weekly classes during the summer for students to improve their skills in acting, music and dance. Each week will feature a mixture of lessons, exercises, and games that help students grow in their confidence and abilities in these areas. Come prepared for anything each week as we explore a variety of fun topics and themes! These classes will NOT lead up to a final performance, making them a great summer option to stay engaged, without the pressure of preparing for another show or worrying about missing a class due to vacation plans. This class is also a great option for potential students to get a taste of the Backlight experience before registering for the next season. Let's learn and grow together!
Take the summer to sharpen your performance skills and prepare for the season ahead! Backlight will now be offering weekly classes during the summer for students to improve their skills in acting, music and dance. Each week will feature a mixture of lessons, exercises, and games that help students grow in their confidence and abilities in these areas. Come prepared for anything each week as we explore a variety of fun topics and themes! These classes will NOT lead up to a final performance, making them a great summer option to stay engaged, without the pressure of preparing for another show or worrying about missing a class due to vacation plans. This class is also a great option for potential students to get a taste of the Backlight experience before registering for the next season. Let's learn and grow together!
Monday
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Backlight Studios
Improv Comedy Club
Our Improv Comedy Club was such a HUGE success last season that we have decided to make it a regular summer experience for our students! In our Improv Comedy class, students will engage in exercises and games that sharpen their creative thinking skills, give them confidence in their ideas, and support one another as a team, all while enjoying 2 hours of laughter together! This experience will work towards a Comedy Club performance on September 20 where students will perform alongside local Improv Comedians in a "Whose Line is it Anyways?"-style production that has quickly become a new audience favorite. No memorization or summer homework required - just a summer of laughter and confidence building in what is sure to be another great experience for all!
Our Improv Comedy Club was such a HUGE success last season that we have decided to make it a regular summer experience for our students! In our Improv Comedy class, students will engage in exercises and games that sharpen their creative thinking skills, give them confidence in their ideas, and support one another as a team, all while enjoying 2 hours of laughter together! This experience will work towards a Comedy Club performance on September 20 where students will perform alongside local Improv Comedians in a "Whose Line is it Anyways?"-style production that has quickly become a new audience favorite. No memorization or summer homework required - just a summer of laughter and confidence building in what is sure to be another great experience for all!
Monday
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Backlight Studios
Summer Music & Songwriting
Fill your summer with song and learn to write songs on your own! Miss Kayley will be introducing the basics of learning to write lyrics and melodies as well as teaching basic accompaniment on ukuleles. Every student who does not own a ukulele will receive one to practice with and keep!
Fill your summer with song and learn to write songs on your own! Miss Kayley will be introducing the basics of learning to write lyrics and melodies as well as teaching basic accompaniment on ukuleles. Every student who does not own a ukulele will receive one to practice with and keep!
Thursday
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Backlight Studios