CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

INTRODUCTION TO DANCE

Parent & Toddler 18 months - 3 years

These classes are an introduction to music and dance for our youngest students. Each week we go on a fun and exciting adventure with our class teddy bear ‘Bouncing Bunny’. In these classes children will use their imaginations to explore natural movement. Grown ups fully participate in this class encouraging children to develop new physical skills and respond to the music/teacher.

MINI MOVERS (3-7 YEARS)

This is an introductory class to both jazz & hip hop styles of dance. This is a fun & lively class in which children will learn basic elements of each style of dance. Throughout this class children will work on co-ordination, rhythm, timing, spatial awareness, balance, performance skills, improving flexibility as well gaining confidence. Children then have the option of taking jazz/ modern theatre classes or hip hop classes.

BALLET & TAP

Ballet & Tap Combo 3/4 years

This is an introductory class to ballet and tap. As this may be the child’s first experience of a structured learning environment, we make sure that our classes combine physical effort and mental concentration with fun games and free expressive movement. In this class we capture the child’s attention through stories, rhymes and songs.

Ballet & Tap Combo 5/6 years

Children will further develop their skill set in this class, establishing a further knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of ballet and tap. Whilst broadening these skills we are encouraging a sense of performance, a sense of rhythm and an understanding of the importance of musical timing.

Pre-Primary Ballet & Primary Tap

Children will develop a further understanding of classical ballet technique and tap. In these classes children will start learning set work in preparation for their first ballet and tap exams under the dance organisation ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance). Exams are in no way compulsory but are highly recommended as not only are a great goal to work towards but also a fantastic way for building technique and confidence.

In all classes, we encourage the children to develop artistic quality and musical awareness, alongside learning correct technique and improving strength, flexibility, co-ordination and balance. Learning to tap dance is basically learning to play an instrument. Tap dancing is a great way for children to find their inner rhythm and get a sense of finding the beat and pattern in music.

Primary Ballet & Grade 1 Tap

In this class there is a strong emphasis on posture and placement, with children gaining an insight into the postural alignment for both classical ballet and tap. We encourage the children to develop artistic quality and musical awareness, alongside learning correct technique and improving strength, flexibility, co-ordination and balance. Children will start to learn the French terminology for ballet steps as well as the technical names for many tap steps.

Grade 1 Ballet & Above

At Grade 1 Ballet children start to use the ballet barre and learn exercises which continue to build and develop as they progress through the grades. A ballet class consists of barre work, centre practice, port de bras, adage and allegro. From Grade 1 Ballet and up through the Grades the syllabi for exams becomes more in depth therefore to gain this level of skill and understanding children must attend ballet twice per week if they wish to take exams. All Imperial Classical Ballet Children’s Exams aim to build a child’s technical ability and understanding of the technique whilst developing an innate sense of poise, grace, musicality and a joy of dance.

Grade 1 Tap & Upwards

Tap develops a great sense of timing and rhythm as well as being hugely beneficial for co-ordination skills. Tap dance is a theatrical art form often seen on stage in musicals. Learning to tap dance is basically learning to play an instrument. Tap dancing is a great way for children to find their inner rhythm and get a sense of finding the beat and pattern in music.

TEEN BALLET

A general level class suitable for beginners and those with some ballet experience. Throughout this class students will learn the foundation of classical ballet technique whilst improving posture, balance, co-ordination and flexibility. Gaining a sense of classical style and artistry.

MODERN THEATRE DANCE

Primary Modern / Junior Jazz

In this class children will learn the foundation of modern theatre dance/jazz through storytelling and imaginative exercises. Children will be encouraged to develop an artistic quality and an understanding of musical awareness through expressive movement. Depending on the music we can move fast and energetic, funky and stylish or soft and lyrical. In these classes children will start learning set work in preparation for their first Modern Theatre Dance exam under the dance organisation ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance). Exams are in no way compulsory but are highly recommended as not only are a great goal to work towards but also a fantastic way for building technique and confidence.

Grade 1 Modern / Jazz

Continuing on from all the skills learnt in Primary Modern these are further developed in Grade 1. With a further emphasis on posture, placement, stance and how their own body moves.

Grade 2 & Grade 3 Modern / Jazz

Throughout these classes children will learn new fun steps building on their vocabulary of steps. The style uses travelling steps, high kicks, leaps and turns which all need strength and flexibility. As students’ progress through the grades they will learn and experience a wide range of exciting dance styles including lyrical, jazz, blues, musical theatre, contemporary, commercial and isolations.

Teen Jazz / Grade 4 Modern