A child steps early into the world of dance. No music needed! Skipping and twirling down sidewalks, and good luck getting through dinner without a chassé. In a class, a child is free to move, experiment with energy, with time, with space. In class there is the discovery of the language of movement and the thrill of speaking through the body.
Berest Dance Center's Young Child's Program offers an engaging selection of movement and dance classes for children ages 2-6. These classes are designed to introduce students to dance in a creative and inspirational environment.
Movement is consistent with the developmental level of the young child and associates moves with toys and stories that embrace a child's world. May include tap if appropriate. Each student's skill and maturity are assessed throughout the year.
Written notification of placement in a pre-approved format of classes for the following year is sent by email at the end of the spring semester.
(ages 2-3; a separation class after the first month)
These classes teach movement that is consistent with the developmental level of the young child and associates moves with toys and stories that embrace a child's world. May include tap if appropriate.
Benefits include:
• Increased coordination, an awareness of how to move at different levels, ability to change speed at different levels while moving in all directions
• Increased knowledge of parts of the body and how they move in relation to each other
• Increased vocabulary of movement and an understanding of the basics of movement, i.e. time, space, directions and balance
• A strengthening of listening skills, concentration and problem solving skills necessary in the education of the young child
• The channeling of a child's boundless energy into paths that will encourage, structure gently and provide means for greater creativity
Dress code: Skirted leotard, pink, blue or lavender, pink tights, tan tap shoes, pink ballet slippers. Boys: comfortable shorts or sweat pants, sneakers and Berest T-shirt.
(ages 3-4, a separation class))
This class is an introduction to ballet and tap
Benefits include:
• The gentle discipline of a pre-ballet and tap class beginning with warm-up exercises that strengthen and prepare the body for more difficult movements
• The introduction of basic ballet positions of the arms and feet, along with the names for beginning tap vocabulary
• An understanding of ballet as a means of storytelling using childhood related stories
• An understanding of weight transfer in both ballet and tap leading to the implementation of simple steps
• The development of creativity in movement with stories and toys
Dress code: Girls: Skirted leotard, pink, blue or lavender, pink tights, tan tap shoes, pink ballet slippers; Boys: comfortable shorts or sweat pants, sneakers and Berest T-shirt.
(ages 4-5)
This is a class developed around the songs of the great Broadway musicals
Benefits include:
• Developing greater coordination
• Developing the ability to execute phrases of movement with specific step sequencing
Dress code: Skirted leotard, pink, blue or lavender, pink tights, tan tap shoes, pink ballet slippers
(ages 5-6 for children in Kindergarten)
This is a pre-ballet class with tap. It is a continuation of the skills taught in Broadway to Ballet with an emphasis on the introduction of classical ballet.
Dress code: White leotard and white skirt, pink tights, tan tap shoes, pink ballet slippers, hair in neat ponytail
New ! Dance with Me A family class
All ages are invited. This is a family dance party to be enjoyed. Not your regular dance class.
Kids learn to move before they learn to read or sing. To allow them to move is to allow them to be some essential part of themselves with YOU in an important way. When we communicate with our bodies, we are not expected to make sense of things or string together a cohesive narrative. Movement taps into deeper feelings — more primal urges — and makes room for an inventiveness and silliness that language does not.
Come join the fun as a family. No prior dance experience is needed-just bring your enthusiasm and a smile. Comfortabel clothing and shoes are recommended
Music Together is an early childhool music program for children and their parents and caregivers. Families in over 3000 communities worldwide participate in music together's research based parent- child and pre-school programs.
Classes at the Berest Dance Center will be on Wednesday at 9:45 am and 10:45 am. Join us for musical fun this winter with the BELLS collection.
Click here to register for classes with Music Together
Click here for contact information or call 516-361-3716