Dance For Our Youngest Dancers

AGES 2-7

At Grace Academy we offer a number of classes for our pre-school and primary level students. Our programs are creative, engaging and fun.

Children are naturally drawn to music and movement from a very young age. Starting them in a dance program allows them to explore their creativity and imagination and develop an appreciation of music , while enhancing their motor skills and body and spatial awareness!

All of our classes are taught by highly qualified professional, adult teachers with years of experience working with little ones! We have a genuine love of children and a passion for sharing the joy of dance with the youngest Grace Academy dancers!

In addition to our teachers, many of our younger students’ classes have student teaching assistants who aid the teacher in demonstrating steps and technique as well as providing feedback for the little ones. Our teaching assistants are excellent role models for our younger dancers!

We are now a proud member of DiscoverDance!

“The DiscoverDance approach to early childhood dance education is the perfect blend of discovery and development that leads to a lifelong appreciation for the ART of dance. We are dedicated to teaching the developing child FIRST, the dancer second. Through this lens, we meet every child’s individual needs at their developmental stage.”

Programs offered

DISCOVER WITH ME – A program for the little dancer and a grown up! Geared to age 2, but appropriate for dancers ages 18 months to 3 years who may need the extra security of having an adult with them. We will dance, sing, and play in both one-on-one activities and group activities. Through circle songs, open exploration, and gross motor development exercises, children will blossom with each passing class as they grow with their caregiver during this precious time together!

DISCOVER BALLET – appropriate for 3 and 4 year olds who are new to dance. This program teaches the basics of ballet and fundamental movement skills such as skipping and galloping in a fun and imaginative way. The use of songs and stories to enhance the movements are used. This program follows the DiscoverDance conceptual approach to learning.

Children will also develop listening skills and learn to follow instructions.

PRE-PRIMARY – appropriate for 4 year olds with one year of dance and 5 year olds who are new to dance. This is a 45 minute program that builds on the skills learned in Discover Ballet. A natural joy of movement and use of imagination and expression is continued to be developed.

MOVERS AND GROOVERS - Appropriate for dancers who are 4 or 5 years old. This fast paced class will feature a conceptual approach to creative movement and basic modern jazz/ hip hop, that is age appropriate, imaginative and fun!

PRIMARY 1ST YEAR BALLET – appropriate for dancers age 5 with experience or 6 year olds. Dancers begin a more classical approach to ballet training, following the syllabus of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD). The focus remains on developing a dancer with a keen sense of imagination and expression, while beginning more technical exercises of ballet training.

PRIMARY 2ND YEAR BALLET – appropriate for dancers ages 6 with experience or 7 years old. Dancers begin to focus further on proper posture and alignment and correct and safely attained ballet technique. A sense of presentation and performance is developed.

PRIMARY MODERN – appropriate for ages 5 with 2 years of dance experience or 6 years old. Following the syllabus of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, children will explore a variety of music styles, basic age appropriate jazz technique, and the creative use of imagination in learning to dance. Use of simple percussion instruments is included in this class. Basic, age appropriate hip hop steps are also explored.

GRADE 1 MODERN – appropriate for 7 year olds or 6 year olds who have taken primary modern. A further development of the ISTD syllabus, classes will include traditional and up-to-date jazz movements, which improve coordination, balance, strength, flexibility, and rhythmic awareness. Basic, age appropriate high hop steps are also explored.

JUNIOR HIP HOP – This class will be energetic, fast paced and exciting, and will provide an intro into the world of hip hop dance to our younger dancers. Dancers must enrolled in Grade 2 Modern Jazz OR be 8 years old