Early Childhood Dance
Early Childhood Dance Program
Ages 3-7
Curriculum
Our Early Childhood Dance Program (ECD) is specially designed to provide children between three and seven years of age with a solid foundation in dance and movement.
The basic elements of movement and dance are taught:
• Space and how we relate to it, both as an individual and as a member of a group
• The eight basic locomotor movements: walk, run, jump, hop, gallop, slide, leap, and skip
• Musical rhythm, beat and time
• Opposites and directions
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Some elementary positions of ballet integrated with these physical concepts are the intellectual concepts of:
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• Self-awareness
• Creative expression
• Imagination
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Students also learn the basic of classroom behavior and manners:
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• How to take turns
• Following another dancer or leading the way
• Waiting patiently
• Working together with others
• Having a positive attitude
Class Structure
Classes in the Early Childhood Dance Program are grouped into age-specific levels for 3-7 years olds.
These classes meet once a week and last 45 minutes. Class structure for all levels is the same, with the content based on appropriate developmental skills for the specific age.
Each class begins with floor exercises that progress in difficulty as students gain flexibility and strength over the years.
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Class continues with a center warm-up that includes all the major muscle groups and is the basis for the barre work taught in ballet class later. From this, students learn correct posture and the placement of the body over the legs. The exercises also teach balance, port de bras (arm movements), and include various types of jumps that are the building blocks for the allegro steps of classical ballet.
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The third section of class develops the locomotor skills that form the basis for all ballet steps that travel. The final portion is devoted to creative expression and musical awareness. Young dancers are exposed to movement exercises that teach listening skills, rhythm, and relationships to energy and space. Training young children in sequencing and spatial relationships lays a solid foundation for the later development of reading, mathematics, and other educational skills.
Levels
Classes are based on age and experience. Teachers will place children in the most appropriate level for their personal development.
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ECD 1 & ECD 2
3 & 4-year-olds
Children are gently introduced to the classroom environment. The stepping-stones to skipping are introduced and characterizations are used to develop movement quality and imagination.
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ECD 3
experienced 4-year-olds and new 5’s
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The program for this group builds on the work done the previous year. They continue to work on the same concepts, but in greater degrees of complexity. Students now learn to further control their movement. Skipping is refined and then other locomotor skills are introduced. Traveling steps across the floor are expanded and often done with partners. Students start learning the concepts of counting music and opposites.
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ECD 4
5 & 6-year-olds with some dance experience
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This level of the program is especially geared towards the more skilled kindergartener and first graders. All the concepts explored in previous years are expanded upon, the quality of execution of exercises is increased and basic ballet terminology is introduced. After completing this level, students will be place in the Junior Ballet class, ready both physically and mentally to begin studying the beautiful and disciplined theatrical art form that is called classical ballet.
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Intro to Ballet
new 1st grade/2nd grade
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This level of the program is especially geared towards first and second graders that are new to our program. It takes the child thru pre-ballet materials introduced in our Pre-K/Kinder program and then moves into more advanced work in preparation to joining Junior or Level 1 Ballet in our Classical Ballet Program.
August - May