ISTD CLASSICAL BALLET

The Ballet classes for students aged 4-8 years follow the ISTD Imperial Classical Ballet syllabus. The classes are structured to aid physical development, coordination, weight placement, alignment and team work. Each week the students board the magic train to be taken on a mystical adventure, the adventure is explored with the use of props and characters, the students are given the freedom to express themselves creatively and explore their movement capabilities.

The Ballet classes for students aged 9+ and above also follow the ISTD Imperial Classical Ballet syllabus. As the students progress they build strength, discipline and increase flexibility. The students develop the fundamental movements of classical ballet and can work towards optional examinations and are offered the opportunity to perform in biannual shows.

PRESCHOOL BALLET

Preschool ballet is an introduction to movement and music, through songs, actions and stories for children aged 2.5-4 years of age. The class is 45 minutes in length and focuses on building confidence, concentration, music awareness and developing coordination and motor skills. The class is brought to life through the use of props, characters and fairy tales.

Acrobatic Arts

Acro is the beautiful fusion of classical dance technique and the precision and athleticism of acrobatic elements. Often defined by unique choreography

We follow the Acrobatic Arts syllabus and all our teachers are qualified with this association. The syllabus is based on safe and effective progressions with proven results in five divisions of Acro Dance; Flexibility, Strength, Balancing, Limbering and Tumbling. The syllabus was developed with input from professionals and experts in Ballet, Modern Jazz, Contortion, Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Yoga, Acro Yoga, Pilates and Physiotherapy and you will not find a more comprehensive programme anywhere else. Simple thoughtful progressions take the beginner preschool level dancer from log rolls and somersaults to the advanced dancer tumbling effortlessly across the stage.

PBT & ADDITIONAL ballet

Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is an innovative body-conditioning and strengthening program developed for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory in achieving their personal best. One of the important elements used in the PBT method is muscle memory which helps to improve students' understanding of core stability, weight placement and alignment. Each exercise in the PBT programme has been developed with care and guidance by Marie Walton-Mahon along with a team of physiotherapists. PBT improves strength, flexibility and develops the classical technique required for ISTD graded examinations.

The additional classical ballet classes work alongside the student’s current ballet classes. Focusing on certain elements of classical technique, this combined with PBT will allow students to attain a greater level of technique and understanding of classical ballet.

kicks,leaps,turns & lyrical/jazz dance

Classes build a strong dance technique, the students explore lyrical and jazz movements and begin to develop the ability to communicate through movement in an expressive and artistic way. Students will learn stretching and strengthening exercises based on kicks, leaps, and turns incorporating the technical steps into combinations and dances.

The classes build up progressively making sure all skills learnt at a lower level prepare for more complex movements as the students advance. There are no examinations instead students work towards a performance and are given the opportunity to perform in biannual shows.

ISTD tap

Tap is an enjoyable and rhythmical form of dance. The tap classes for students aged 4-8 years develop timing, rhythmical interpretation and teach the students the primary beating steps, that later advance in the 8+ classes through more complex exercises and amalgamations.

The classes for students aged 8+ progress the students clarity of beating and precision of footwork. The students are given the freedom to develop rhythmical improvisation and start to build a sense of performance and style. Students can work towards optional examinations and are offered the opportunity to perform in biannual shows.

STREET DANCE

Street Dance is offered to children aged 6+ years and above, the classes provide an introduction to street where students learn the foundation steps to form dance routines. The students are given the opportunity to devise their own choreography, develop freestyle techniques, vocabulary and confidence.

The street classes for students aged 9+ and above start to explore the genre further by learning the history, culture, music and dance of the following arts forms; Hip hop, Breaking, Popping, locking, house, litefeet, krump,waacking and heels.

Street dancers often work on music videos, commercials, fashion shows, corporate events, tv, film and live tours with singers and musicians. This form of dance is current, ever changing and fierce! Students are offered the opportunity to perform in biannual shows.

MINI STREET DANCE

Mini street dance is aimed at children aged 3-6 years. Classes allow children to explore their physicality and movement capabilities, children learn to express themselves in a playful and free manner, through movement, characters, games and music.

Classes