Programs & Classes

Tiny Toes I

This class introduces young dancers to the fundamentals of ballet and movement through playful exercises, imaginative storytelling, and gentle guidance. In each class students will explore basic ballet techniques, learn about music and rhythm, and work to develop coordination. Students will also have an introduction to learning in a class environment, focusing on skills like listening to directions, taking turns, and respecting and supporting classmates.

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Tiny Toes II

This class Builds on Tiny Toes 1, where we will work to further develop ballet technique while also exploring storytelling and creative movement. In addition to warm ups, games, and creative exercises, students will be introduced to the basics of barre work and learn further about music and rhythm. This class aims to nurture students' love of movement, and introduce students to a more structured ballet class in a joyful, fun, and supportive manner. This class is for students who have taken Tiny Toes 1.

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Karate develops physical conditioning, mental awareness, and self-defense strategies. Students will learn to develop speed, power, focus, and balance. Level is determined by the instructor.

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Kids learn basic yoga poses and mindfulness in this kid friendly class. 

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Engage your little dancer in this fun and empowering creative movement class! Students will explore emotions and self-expression using a mixture of structured dance and creativity

Not offered Spring 2024

• Age: 6 months-3 years
• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: None needed
• Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson

The class introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration.

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• Age: 6 months-3 years
• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child is comfortable in the water or child has taken Stage A Water Discovery
• Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson

Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.

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• Age: 3-5 years
• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Bob to submerge in water
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
  ○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
  ○ Exit the water

Preschoolers develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.

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• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
  ○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
  ○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
  ○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab
  ○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
  ○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Preschoolers focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.

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• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
  ○ Float on front and back unassisted
  ○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
  ○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  ○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
  ○ Tread water for 30 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Register

• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Bob to submerge in water
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
  ○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
  ○ Exit the water

Kids develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.

Register

• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
  ○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
  ○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
  ○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab
  ○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
  ○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Kids focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.

Register

• Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
  ○ Float on front and back unassisted
  ○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
  ○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  ○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
  ○ Tread water for 30 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action.

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• Age: 6-11 years
• Class length: 60 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 3 skills as follows:
  ○ Submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  ○ Swim front crawl 15 yards while taking a breath
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
  ○ Jump in and tread water for 30 seconds
  ○ Swim to wall and exit
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
  ○ Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
  ○ Butterfly kick for 15 yards
  ○ Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
  ○ Dive from a sitting position
  ○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
  ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards

Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique.

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• Age: 6-11 years
• Class length: 60 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 4 skills as follows:
  ○ Front crawl and back crawl 25 yards
  ○ Swim breaststroke kick and dolphin kick 15 yards
  ○ Tread water using multiple kicks for 1 minute
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
  ○ Breaststroke for 25 yards
  ○ Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
  ○ Back crawl for 25 yards
  ○ Sidestroke for 25 yards
  ○ Dive from a kneeling position
  ○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for 2 minutes
• ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

Students work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive swimming strokes.

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• Age: 6-11 years
• Class length: 60 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 5 skills as follows:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
  ○ Swim back crawl with stroke rotation for 25 yards
  ○ Swim butterfly with over arm recovery
  ○ Swim breaststroke for 25 yards achieving stroke rhythm
  ○ Dive from kneeling position
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool and back.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl for 50 yards and do a flip turn
  ○ Breaststroke for 50 yards and do an open turn
  ○ Butterfly for 25 yards
  ○ Back crawl for 25 yards and do a flip turn
  ○ Sidestroke or elementary backstroke for 50 yards
  ○ Dive from a standing position
  ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 150 yards
• ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

Students refine stroke technique on the major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.

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Student must have successfully completed stage 6. The program focuses on continuing to build endurance and stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as a part of a healthy lifestyle.

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• Class length: 45 minutes
• Qualification: Participants must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
  ○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
  ○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
  ○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab
  ○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
  ○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Participants focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.

Register

Class Length: 45 minutes
Qualification: Teen/Adult must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
○ Float on front and back unassisted
○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
○ This class is for teens/adults who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back.
Skills Practiced:
○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Tread water for 30 seconds
○ Exit the water

Register

• Class length: 45 minutes

Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This stage lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming.

Register

• Class length: 45 minutes
• Qualification: Participants must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
  ○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
  ○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
  ○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  ○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
  ○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
  ○ Roll from back to front and front to back
  ○ Jump, push, turn, grab
  ○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
  ○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  ○ Exit the water

Participants focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.

Register

Class Length: 45 minutes
Qualification: Teen/Adult must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
○ Float on front and back unassisted
○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
○ This class is for teens/adults who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back.
Skills Practiced:
○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Tread water for 30 seconds
○ Exit the water

Register

• Class length: 45 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 3 skills as follows:
  ○ Submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  ○ Swim front crawl 15 yards while taking a breath
  ○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
  ○ Jump in and tread water for 30 seconds
  ○ Swim to wall and exit
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
  ○ Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
  ○ Butterfly kick for 15 yards
  ○ Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
  ○ Dive from a sitting position
  ○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
  ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards

Having mastered the fundamentals, preschoolers learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique.

Register

• Class length: 45 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 4 skills as follows:
  ○ Front crawl and back crawl 25 yards
  ○ Swim breaststroke kick and dolphin kick 15 yards
  ○ Tread water using multiple kicks for 1 minute
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
  ○ Breaststroke for 25 yards
  ○ Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
  ○ Back crawl for 25 yards
  ○ Sidestroke for 25 yards
  ○ Dive from a kneeling position
  ○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for 2 minutes
• ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

Students work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive swimming strokes.

Register

•  Class length: 30 minutes
• Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 5 skills as follows:
  ○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
  ○ Swim back crawl with stroke rotation for 25 yards
  ○ Swim butterfly with over arm recovery
  ○ Swim breaststroke for 25 yards achieving stroke rhythm
  ○ Dive from kneeling position
  ○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool and back.
• Skills Practiced:
  ○ Swim the front crawl for 50 yards and do a flip turn
  ○ Breaststroke for 50 yards and do an open turn
  ○ Butterfly for 25 yards
  ○ Back crawl for 25 yards and do a flip turn
  ○ Sidestroke or elementary backstroke for 50 yards
  ○ Dive from a standing position
  ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 150 yards
• ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

Students refine stroke technique on the major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.

Register

Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA Piranhas Swim Team
Ages 7-17

The Piranhas swim team is for boys and girls who can swim at the Stage 5 level, can swim all four (freestyle, backstroke, breast stroke and butterfly) competitive strokes with good form and technique, and have the approval of Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA coaching staff.

Our season runs September-June. The team practices four times per week (pool & dry land workout) and compete in local, city-wide, and state-wide meets. All participants are required to be members of the New York City's YMCA. All participants must try out to be on the team, by appointments only.

Practice Schedule

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-7 PM

• Fridays: 6-7 PM

• Sundays: 2:30-4:30 PM
  

Try-outs for the swim team start in July for if you are not presently a member of our swim team

Private swim lessons at the Bed Stuy YMCA are designed to meet you or your child's specific needs. A YMCA certified swim instructor could be just what you or your child needs to get comfortable in the water, improve your strokes, and achieve your swimming goals.

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