Agape Dance Academy, Aptos

Though they draw from diverse backgrounds in teaching, professional dance performance, and movement studies, the instructors at Agape Dance Academy specialize in classical ballet, following the curriculum and techniques of the Royal Academy of Dance. They also offer courses in contemporary dance. In classes suited for preschoolers and adolescents, they pass on the basics and advanced movements of that centuries-old performance art. And yet their teaching style isn't strictly traditional—instructors work with and encourage each student one on one, promoting emotional as well as physical growth as sessions progress.