Create Your Dream with Crafterina

Two of the things I love most in the world are dance and craft, so I was thrilled to have stumbled upon Craterina. The Craterina story book is about a ballerina who has to craft her why to magical adventures. Each story has a different craft that encourages children to explore dance in an imaginative and inventive way. 

Vanessa Salgado has an array of paper crafts for sale on Etsy, most of which are downloadable instantly, I adore The Nutcracker Land of the Snow Scene Playtime Tableau Set and The Shadow Puppet Theatre!

Vanessa has also written The ABCs of Animal Dances and Classical Ballet introducing children to the language of dance and movement, both of which have beautiful illustrations and make learning interactive and fantastical.

Crafterina is a wonderful resource for anyone teaching ballet to young children, the site also hosts a page for parents to find those all important questions like, how to create a Ballet bun and how to sew ribbons onto Ballet shoes.

I will be introducing Craterina to all my budding ballerinas.  Read, create and dance with Crafterina!

www.craterina.com 

Christmas Festivities

Christmas is fast upon us and this can only mean one thing, our much loved Christmas shows are about to come back onto the stage. The English National Ballet have released one performance of The Nutcracker for children under 5 and with every full paying adult two children under 16 can attend for free, tickets start at as little as £10.00. This a fantastic opportunity for the whole family to experience the magic of ballet.

This year Victoria Park, East London will be hosting Winterville, a Christmas festival jam packed with activities from ice skating, The Pantomime Adventures of Robin Hood and a enchanting fairy tale tent , with some of London’s best street food stalls this is set to be one of the most festive days out. Entry to the park is free and tickets for events are on sale now.

Brentwood will be lighting up this Saturday 28th November, so get your woolly hat and gloves on and get down to Brentwood High Street to start off this year’s Christmas festivities 12-6pm.

Let’s dance and sing and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.

Sir George Alexander Macfarren

Strengthening feet for Ballet

The first in my series of body conditioning videos, strengthening feet for ballet.

This is the first in the series of body conditioning videos Nicole is the principle of Dance Space Essex, based in Brentwood, she has a wealth of experience teaching children and young adults.

Contemporary Dance Performance

Maddie Ziegler and  Allison Holker on Dancing With The Stars performing a contemporary dance routine to Chandelier-Sia