Dance Programs at Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center

Dance Programs at Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center include Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam, square dance, Western square dancing, swing dance, social dancing, and Argentine Tango Práctica. Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam is described as the most popular classical dance form of India where discipline meets artistry and is a form of storytelling with a wide variety of hand gestures and footwork put together in rhythmic groups of steps boosting cognitive function of the body, and these classes cater to all levels from beginners to experienced dancers. Square Dance with the Village Squares includes mainstream and plus square dancing and line dancing, Learn Western Square Dancing with the Village Squares focuses on learning the calls for Mainstream Western Square-Dancing beginning at the beginning with no previous experience necessary, the AU Swing Dance Association hosts free beginner and intermediate swing dance lessons with social dancing, and Argentine Tango is described as a dance that embodies beauty, honesty, humility, greatness, and a profound sense of reality and is about the conversation between two bodies and how both partners listen and respond to each other.

• Ages: 7–18 years old
• Schedule: Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam meets Saturdays 7/11–8/29 from 8:30–9:30 a.m.; square dance and Western square dance options meet on Tuesdays; swing dance lessons and social dancing meet on Friday evenings; Argentine Tango Práctica meets on Monday and Thursday evenings in June, July, and August.
• Price: Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam is $12 per class; Square Dance with the Village Squares is $6 per class, $20 per month, or $100 per semester; Learn Western Square Dancing with the Village Squares is $15 per month or $75 per semester; Learn to Swing Dance in the Auburn Community with AUSDA and Argentine Tango Práctica are free.

Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam is open to ages 7 and older, Square Dance with the Village Squares is open to ages 16 and older, Learn Western Square Dancing with the Village Squares is open to ages 12 and older with ages 12–17 participating with a parent, Learn to Swing Dance in the Auburn Community with AUSDA is open to ages 13 and older, and Argentine Tango Práctica is open to ages 17 and older. Learn to Swing Dance in the Auburn Community with AUSDA offers free beginner and intermediate swing dance lessons every Friday night, with lessons from 7–8 p.m., social dancing from 8–9 p.m., frequent partner rotation, no partner required, and a recommendation to wear closed toe shoes and not flip-flops or sandals. Argentine Tango Práctica meets Mondays and Thursdays 6/1–8/31 from 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Citizens must have an online MyRec account to register for any Parks and Recreation programs, and programs with an associated cost require payment that can be made online using a credit card. Individuals who wish to pay with cash or check can register and pay in person at the Harris Center, and registration will only be accepted from participants who live or work in the City of Auburn during the first two weeks of registration. The AU Swing Dance Association hosts Learn to Swing Dance in the Auburn Community with AUSDA. The Cultural Arts Administrator is Sara Hand Custer, with Prachi Bhave listed as the contact for Indian Classical Dance – Bharatnatyam, Alan Reed as the contact for Square Dance with the Village Squares and Learn Western Square Dancing with the Village Squares, Chris Olds as the contact for Learn to Swing Dance in the Auburn Community with AUSDA, and Sergio RuizCórdova as the contact for Argentine Tango Práctica.

Last updated June 26, 2026.