Guiding Artistic Futures

The Lincoln Park Dance Company (L.P.D.C.) is a non-profit organization and serves to provide the members of the community at large with educational and performance opportunities exploring the arts; focusing on the traditional forms of dance and the performing arts of various cultural dance traditions. The company operates in cooperation with the City of Lincoln Park Parks and Recreation Department. The dance program has been under the direction of Lisa Allai-Stop since 1997.

The Lincoln Park Dance Company provides numerous performance opportunities for the participants including an annual recital, Christmas performance and various other events throughout the year. We encourage the community to invite us to your next event as we are most happy to perform at community events, fairs, hospitals and convalescent homes.

Why Chooses Lincoln Park Dance?

Here at the Lincoln Park Dance Company (LPDC), we believe in providing an environment that is fun and inviting to all who participate while maintaining an optimum learning environment.  We want you to feel a part of our dance community and family.

We set high standards for ourselves and our students.  Our staff is engaged in regular classes, continually learning and attending workshops and other professional development activities to stay on top of all that is current in the dance world. 

LPDC strives to provide various outside opportunities to enrich our students.  We frequently bring in guest artists and teachers to our program.  In the past, we have been privileged to have artists such as Chloe Arnold, Valery Lantratov, Alicia Smith, Julie Gervais, Aaron Smith, Amy Guilamette, Justin Alsena, Brandon (SKilz) Burton and numerous others in our studio as guest teachers.  We believe it is important as students progress, to provide experiences with different teachers, various techniques and styles.

Our dancers have performed all over the area and nation including the Michigan Renaissance Festival, Detroit’s Second City Stage, Orchestra Hall and at the Citrus Bowl Stadium as part of the halftime show for the Champs Collegiate Bowl Game. 

The Benefits of Dance Education

• Exercise: One obvious benefit of dance is the exercise component as dance provides a stretching routine, strength building exercises and aerobic exercise.
• Coordination: The mind body connection is established through dance by understanding the movement of our bodies and learning to control our motions.
• Social and Leadership Skills: Dance is a performing art and by performing, students gain self confidence. This performance experience translates to the classroom by allowing students to also be comfortable in situations such as presenting reports at school. Dance also requires teamwork and synchronization. Dancers learn at a young age to be aware of others in their group, work together and lead a group.
• Math and Reading: There are numerous studies relating the study and performance of dance with improved math and reading skills. Students gain an understanding of shapes and dimensions through formations and movement. Students also learn to recognize patterns in music and dance which translates into their studies of mathematics.
• Spiritual: Dance provides an emotional and creative outlet for young people and adults to express themselves in a positive manner.
• Discipline: Dance requires discipline as part of the study process.  Young people involved in dance learn to follow directions, work as a team, are trained to be responsible and how to set course to achieve their goals in all aspects of life.
• Historical and Cultural Knowledge: Dance through L.P.D.C. does not focus only on the dance steps. The historical and cultural aspects of a dance are frequently discussed in class, particularly when studying an ethnic dance form.