From a very early age, children respond to music with movement. And our early childhood program is just what the younger child needs. First of all, it’s fun! It's also appropriate for the physical, cognitive and social development of the younger child. Here are just a few of the many benefits of creative dance and pre-ballet.
As you can see, the benefits of dance education for the young child are enormous. Educators now know that training young children in the concepts of movement sequencing, patterning, and spatial relationships lays a strong foundation for the later development of reading, mathematics, and other educational skills.
Our early childhood program is fun, and is especially designed to provide children with a mastery of movement and dance concepts while being engaged in a positive and noncompetitive environment.
Here young children will discover the fun of dance and music through exercises and activities that teach the following skills and concepts;
These skills and concepts are taught through fun activities that include short choreographed dances, and the use of props such as hoops, ribbons and scarfs.
In pre-ballet we build upon the skills and concepts taught in creative dance while keeping it fun. Now the student will be introduced to an increasing number of ballet positions and movements, all designed for the physical capabilities of the young dancer.
This level provides a transition between pre-ballet and formal ballet training, which begins the following year.
Parents often ask us why their child cannot begin formal ballet training prior to age seven. The answer is simple and important: the younger child is simply not ready. All reasonable authorities agree that children of four, five and usually six years of age are physically unprepared for the rigors of formal ballet training. (For more information, we recommend Whitehill and Noble, The Parents Book of Ballet: Answers to Critical Questions About the Care and Development of the Young Dancer , Chapter 1, "The Best Age to Begin Ballet.")