Business Details
10 Years
experience
Expert Dance Education for All Ages
Metrowest Dance Academy is a premier institution dedicated to providing exceptional dance education for students aged 3 to professional levels. Founded in 2016 by Gemma Williams, a Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examiner and tutor with 30 years of international teaching experience, we combine rigorous technical training with creative expression. Our faculty comprises professionally qualified instructors who undergo annual training to maintain current best practices, ensuring students receive up-to-date methodologies. We offer comprehensive programs in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip hop, with specialized tracks for RAD examinations and performance opportunities in full-length productions like The Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland.Our 6,000 sq ft facility in Framingham features natural light, state-of-the-art studios, and a welcoming waiting area with guest WiFi. With small class sizes and developmentally appropriate curricula, we foster grace, confidence, and artistic growth in a supportive environment. Students benefit from annual performance opportunities, summer intensives with guest artists, and access to certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructors. Our commitment to excellence has earned recognition from families who praise our inclusive community, professional productions, and faculty expertise. Whether pursuing dance recreationally or pre-professionally, students receive personalized attention to help them achieve their full potential.
Services
Ballet
Jazz
Tap
Contemporary
Hip Hop
Details
- Year established: 2016
Highlights and features
- We offer Royal Academy of Dance-certified training with exam opportunities
- Our faculty includes internationally experienced instructors with professional performance backgrounds
- We provide performance opportunities in full-length productions like The Nutcracker
- Small class sizes ensure personalized attention and safe dance practice
- Summer intensives with guest artists from Graham Technique and Ballet programs
Associations and certifications
- Royal Academy of Dance
Services
Ballet
Our ballet program follows Royal Academy of Dance syllabi from Pre-Primary to Advanced 2 levels. Students develop technical precision, musicality, and artistry through structured training in barre work, center practice, and character dance. Classes emphasize proper alignment, strength development, and performance skills, preparing dancers for exams and professional opportunities while maintaining injury-prevention practices.
Jazz
Jazz classes focus on rhythmic precision, dynamic movement quality, and stylistic versatility. Students learn various jazz techniques from Broadway to contemporary styles, developing coordination, spatial awareness, and performance confidence. Classes incorporate improvisation elements and choreography that challenges dancers to express musicality through syncopated rhythms and isolated body movements.
Tap
Tap instruction emphasizes musicality and percussive footwork through progressive levels from beginner to intermediate. Dancers learn to create clear sounds while developing speed, accuracy, and improvisational skills. Classes integrate syncopation patterns and rhythmic phrasing, with opportunities to perform in full productions and showcase routines that highlight tap's theatrical applications.
Contemporary
Contemporary dance classes blend modern techniques with ballet foundations to develop versatility and artistic expression. Students explore floor work, fall-recovery techniques, and improvisation while maintaining technical control. The curriculum incorporates choreography from renowned guest artists and prepares advanced dancers for competition and performance opportunities requiring emotional storytelling through movement.
Summer Intensive
Our summer programs offer specialized training in ballet repertoire, theater dance, and intensive technique workshops. The two-week intensive features guest faculty from Graham Technique and Contemporary programs, while shorter workshops focus on musical theater skills and performance preparation. All programs include masterclasses, rehearsals, and culminating performances for family audiences.
People
Gemma Williams
Director
With 30 years of international teaching experience, Gemma Williams is an RAD examiner and tutor who has taught at Boston Conservatory and The Royal Academy of Dance. She established Metrowest Dance Academy in 2016 to provide professional-level training in a supportive environment.
Sarlait Carr
Faculty
A Boston Conservatory graduate with Royal Academy of Dance RTS certification, Sarlait brings contemporary dance expertise and Progressing Ballet Technique certification to her instruction. She teaches at both Metrowest Dance Academy and Boston Ballet School.
Russell Clarke
Faculty
Former Royal Ballet School graduate and Ballet Arizona principal dancer, Russell Clarke offers professional insights from his performing career. He currently teaches at Boston Conservatory and Dean College while mentoring advanced ballet students at MDA.
Tania Prado
Faculty
RAD-certified instructor with Cuban-style ballet training and character dance expertise, Tania brings international teaching experience from Mexico and El Salvador to her ballet instruction and choreography at MDA.
Ana G Delgado Cruz
Faculty
Recent Boston Conservatory graduate with contemporary dance specialization, Ana contributes fresh choreographic perspectives and modern teaching methods to her classes for teen and adult students at the academy.
Questions
What dance styles do you teach?
We offer ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip hop classes with specialized Royal Academy of Dance certification programs for ballet.
What age groups do you accept?
We accept students starting at age 3 through adults, with developmentally appropriate classes for each age group and skill level.
Are there performance opportunities?
Yes! Students participate in annual productions like The Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland, with roles available for all age groups.
Do you offer summer programs?
Our summer intensives include ballet repertoire training, theater dance workshops, and two-week technique programs with guest artists from major dance institutions.
What qualifications do your instructors have?
Our faculty includes Royal Academy of Dance-certified instructors, former professional dancers, and graduates from top conservatories like Boston Conservatory.
How do I register for classes?
Online registration is available through our website, with options to join waitlists for full classes and schedule trial sessions.
