This time of year, we enter our final preparations for examinations. While we, as teachers, hope our dancers practise at home throughout the year, this is the crucial time to ensure that the dancers are attending all their lessons and practising outside of the studio. (These skills can be applied to all areas of life, but I’ll be writing this specifically for dance students). So, what does practise actually mean? Practise means to perform an action repeatedly to obtain, improve, or maintain proficiency. In the context of a ballet exam, this would be performing the set steps, with or without mu ..read more

Something I have been struggling to reconcile is the purpose of exams in the teaching of dance. Particularly with children. Recently, I’ve been thinking about why I teach dance, why I feel dance is important, and the role examinations serve in educating children in dance. My views on dance have changed a lot over the past decade. I used to believe ballet to be the most “elite” form of dance, I would get caught up in competitions and examinations proving the value of a dancer, and I pushed for technique over everything else. As I have grown older and gained further education, I have learned t ..read more

The world moves incredibly fast but dance education does not. Achievements in dance take time and dedication. Progress is not rapid (nor should it be). Dance demands a “whole” person. Protecting our students physical and mental wellbeing is at the forefront of what we do. We take a holistic approach when it comes to teaching our students. We focus on developing technique alongside providing students the opportunity to explore creatively within dance. At it’s core – dance is about personal expression. While we offer exams, competitions and regular performances, our primary focus is the develop ..read more

A selection of some of our dancers at competitions this year. We had four dancers compete in the South Island Ballet Award in March. Eight of our dancers competed in the JT competitions in the April school holidays. It was wonderful to have many of our dancers receive special awards from the judge ..read more

Read on for information on term dates, holiday programme, new classes, and local auditions. Easier link -> https://www.artscentre.org.nz/whats-on/ampd-the-arts-centre-april-holiday-programme/ Easier link -> https://courttheatre.org.nz/moanajraudition/?fbclid=IwAR1errW-8h3HoPl1Ykv4BcH31JIaH9xtysC4XwU7_WdoeMaxxZ9uO7Cb41s ..read more

Here are some images from our amazing performance on 12th December 2020. I’m so proud of how all of our students come together to put on such awesome performances! Dancers in this performance were aged 2+. (Images from dress rehearsal ..read more

While dance is a fantastic creative outlet and physical activity for children, there are many additional benefits a structured dance class can provide for your child. Structured dance lessons can be incredibly beneficial to children of all ages. While dance benefits children through the physical act of dancing, there are also benefits in cognitive development, emotional and social development, musicality, and creativity. Check out our editorial in the Spring 2020 Family Times magazine From the age of two, a structured dance class can aid children in the development of their gross and fine moto ..read more

Hi Everyone, I can’t believe we’re at the end of another busy term, it feels as though it has flown by! Thank you to everyone for your continued support, I am so proud how all of the dancers have managed to carry on with their training despite all the ups and downs we are going through. This newsletter includes important dates for term four, information for our end of year performance, and an exciting workshop we’ll be holding so please read on This information has also been emailed to all enrolled families. Important Dates Tuesday 22nd September – No classes Friday 25th September – Last Day ..read more

We have filmed a tutorial on how to create a simple ballet bun. Perfect for class, exams, and performances. Check it out ..read more

A tutorial for our parents and dancers to learn how to sew ribbons onto ballet shoes. Remember – practice makes perfect ..read more