Arlington Dance Academy

Arlington Dance Academy offers summer dance classes that include ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern, contemporary, and technique classes, as well as rehearsals where dancers learn a short segment of choreography. The program also offers a Dance with Me! creative movement class, Summer Dance classes that include ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, creative movement, and tumbling, and a Combo Class that includes ballet, tap, and jazz. Additional summer options include a Ballet Intensive, a Contemporary Intensive, The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates summer production camp, Storybook Theatre Camp, and a Youth Performance Project that includes a ballet and a jazz class each day.

• Ages: 1–18 years old
• Schedule: Six weeks of summer classes divided into two three-week sessions, with additional four-day camps and intensives
• Price: Early Bird Pricing ranges from $50–$200 for classes, camps, and intensives, with rates increasing after May 31

Summer classes run for six weeks divided into two three-week sessions (June 8–June 27 and July 6–July 25), with no classes held June 29–July 5. The Ballet Intensive runs June 15–June 18 and the Contemporary Intensive runs July 13–July 16, Monday through Wednesday from 10:00am to 1:00pm and Thursday from 10:00am to 11:30am, and each intensive is a four-day session that requires intermediate level dance experience, has two levels with placement upon registration, requires a minimum of eight dancers per level, and does not allow partial participation. Dance with Me! meets for 30 minutes once a week, Summer Dance meets for 45 minutes once a week, and the Combo Class for 5–7 year olds meets for one hour once a week. The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates camp runs Monday through Thursday, June 8–June 11, from 9:30am to 11:00am for four days, and Storybook Theatre Camp runs Monday through Thursday, July 20–July 23, from 10:00am to 12:00pm for four days. Youth Performance Project runs Monday through Thursday for four days, meets 2½ hours each day, includes daily ballet and jazz classes plus discussions about choreography, costuming, advertising, and more, and ends with an informal presentation on Thursday. Summer intensives include a mandatory brief informal studio showing on Thursday for families, and The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates, Storybook Theatre Camp, and Youth Performance Project each end with an informal performance or presentation in the studio for families.

Early Bird Pricing applies per three-week session for summer classes, with $55 per three-week session for a 45-minute class, $60 per three-week session for a 60-minute class, and $66 per three-week session for a class longer than one hour, and all class, camp, and intensive rates increase after May 31. Dance with Me! costs $50 for three classes if registered by May 31, Summer Dance costs $55 for three classes if registered by May 31, and the Combo Class for 5–7 year olds costs $60 for three classes if registered by May 31. Each four-day summer intensive costs $200 if registered by May 31, The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates costs $140 if registered by May 31, and Storybook Theatre Camp costs $170 if registered by May 31, and summer intensive classes are not eligible for family discounts. Summer registration opens on Tuesday, April 14 with a 10% discount on all classes, camps, and intensives for registrations before June 1. An upcoming New Student Placement Class is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm, and summer classes begin Monday, June 8. Office hours vary from week to week, and visitors are asked to call before stopping in.

The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates and Storybook Theatre Camp involve dancers in all aspects of the production, including creating dances, making costumes, and decorating the studio stage, and both camps require a minimum registration of 10 dancers to run. Youth Performance Project requires a minimum registration of eight dancers to run, and dancers in The Adventures of Mermaids and Pirates, Storybook Theatre Camp, and Youth Performance Project are asked to bring a nut-free snack and a water bottle each day. Dance with Me! requires parent participation. Summer intensives are taught by a guest artist, and students are exposed to different teaching styles through guest teachers and choreographers from the Chicagoland professional dance community who also work with Ensemble members and teach intensives.

Arlington Dance Academy is under the ownership of co-owners Laura Gates and Jeanette Aylward, who purchased the studio from founder Linda McDonald and continue concepts she started 28 years ago under the former name McDonald Dance Academy. Jeanette Aylward studied ballet at the University of Illinois while earning a BS in Actuarial Sciences and has worked as a teacher and choreographer in Chicago and the Northwest Suburbs for over 20 years. Laura Gates holds degrees in Dance and Psychology from the University of Iowa, danced professionally with Swallow Cliff Dance Company, Concert Dance, Inc., several independent choreographers, and Thodos Dance Chicago, and during her six years with Thodos Dance Chicago she performed locally, nationally, and internationally and worked with Ann Reinking. After retiring from performing, Laura Gates served Thodos Dance Chicago for twelve years as Rehearsal Director, Ballet Mistress, Artistic Associate, and New Dances Project Manager, has taught throughout the Chicago area, has been on the faculty of intensive programs including Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Dance Masters of Wisconsin, Inaside Chicago Dance, Gus Giordano Dance School, the Illinois State Dance Festival, and the Midwest Cecchetti Council Ballet Workshop, and has been a guest artist at several high schools and universities. Laura Gates is also co-owner of D&G Dancewear Inc.

Arlington Dance Academy states that it will continue to develop and grow the concepts Linda McDonald started 28 years ago, takes pride in the quality training it provides the community, and states that its goal is to foster a love and appreciation for dance in a welcoming environment while helping dancers grow as people, artists, and dancers. The studio is dedicated to teaching correct dance technique, theory, and terminology for beginning through advanced students, and faculty stress proficient use of dance terminology, technique, and theory. Arlington Dance Academy students have been awarded scholarships from Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, have performed in local productions, participate in their high school Orchesis programs and dance teams, and some have chosen to continue their dance training at the college level and have gone on to dance professionally. Arlington Dance Academy hosts guest teachers and choreographers from the Chicagoland professional dance community, and Laura Gates has been a member of the Chicago dance community for over 20 years.

Last updated June 3, 2026.