programs
Dance For Young Children
Dance For Young Children classes awaken the child to music and dance, coordination, and spatial/motor skills. Gentle guidance helps the beginner student develop rhythm, cooperation, playful creative dance, and basic ballet skills. The classes offer an atmosphere of fun within discipline so the children can gain a sense of accomplishment as well as exploring their love of dance and music. Levels 1 and 2 introduce the children to Ballet and Creative Movement and Level 3 explores Ballet and Jazz dance. DFYC classes are available to students ages 3-5.
Dance For Young Children Program
Thank you for entrusting your child’s first dance experience with us. The DFYC program is a progressive program designed for students aged 3-5 years old. It is a wonderful introduction to dance for children of this age.
- DFYC 1 is for students aged 3 turning 4 during the school year.
- DFYC 2 is for students aged 4 turning 5 during the school year.
- DFYC 3 is for students aged 5 turning 6 during the school year.
The program develops the students’ co-ordination and listening abilities as well as social skills. Every child learns at a different pace. We do not believe in pushing our students beyond where they are naturally comfortable or happy. A student who has a positive experience at this age will likely continue with dance for many years. Our overall focus is to offer our students a nurturing, positive, and fun environment where they can thrive.
Program Goals
While our instructors will teach more than listed below, these guideline will help you understand the program objectives.
DFYC 1
On completion of this level students will:
- Understand the concept of taking turns.
- Understand the concept of following the leader.
- Be able to listen to the teacher and accurately follow instructions.
- Be comfortable /confident in dancing during the creative movement section of the class.
- Have mastered the following steps; skips, turns, one foot balances, two feet jumps, forward gallops, walking on toes, leaping over props and expressive use of arms.
- Understand the directions; forward, backwards, sideways, up and down and the dynamics; fast, slow, soft, strong, etc.
- Perform on stage with their teacher (optional).
DFYC 2
All of the above plus:
- Understand basic ballet terminology (Plie, Tendue, Saute, Piroutte, Arabesque, Jete).
- Be able to gallop forwards and sideways in various combinations.
- Be able to perform several different steps in one combination.
- Be able to hop and turn on one leg and demonstrate improved leaps and balances.
- Explore broader topics in creative movement using a variety of music.
- Perform on stage with their teacher (optional).
DFYC 3
- At this level we continue with the lessoned learned in the previous years and introduce Jazz techniques, including jazz kicks, leaps, turns and isolations.
- The students should be able to remember short phrases of choreography.
- Students will perform on stage with minimal assistance (but their teacher is close by to help if needed).
What to Wear
Dancers should wear proper dance attire.
Girls: pink ballet tights, a bodysuit with separate or attached skirt and pink ballet slippers.
Please do not let your children wear costume princess dresses as they often do not fit properly and are dangerous. Please keep them for dress up, not dance class.
Boys: black shorts or stretch pants and a tank top style T-shirt with black ballet slippers.
Students may wear an appropriate warm up garment at the beginning of classes if needed.
Dance Showcase
We strive to make our showcases a fun and stress free time for both the children and parents. I am happy to say that every year we receive praise for the thought and attention given to our young students at recital time.
- Our DFYC students perform in the first half the Showcase and then are free to go at Intermission. They may go home or watch the rest of the show with their family.
- We have ONE short rehearsal at the theatre which parents are encouraged to watch.
- Parents rent a costume from us for a minimal $10 maintenance fee.
- The children’s teacher dances on stage with the children and waits with them at the side of the stage.
Our main focus is the children and giving them positive and lasting memories.