DAYCARE DANCE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
About The Program
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Allegra Glinsky developed a dance program specifically for daycares and pre-schools, which involves many different dance styles including creative movement and beginning ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop. Classes are playful, energetic and encourage children's lively imaginations to blossom. The program is designed to improve cognitive function through exercises such as rhythmic counting and remembering directions, while children learn to understand material quickly and accurately. Throughout the year, teachers gradually introduce new and more complex material as students are ready to absorb it. This allows children to seamlessly accomplish new steps, therefore boosting their confidence and motivating them to try more advanced movements in each class.
Check out an excerpt of our 2018 Daycare Dance Performance!
Dance Classes Provide:
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Cognitive Benefits:
The program is designed to improve cognitive function through exercises that help stimulate and develop important neurological connections in the brain. These connections directly affect children’s performance later in life with tasks such as reading and writing.
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Confidence Building:
It is vital that children begin the program by accomplishing small goals that then give them the confidence to accomplish larger goals. This process makes transitions to new movement patterns fun and seamless. As their confidence blossoms they not only understand how to deal with difficult steps and concepts, but actually welcome, and are excited by a new challenge.
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Exposure to the Arts:
Throughout the curriculum, children get exposure to a number of different dance styles including ballet, hip hop, modern and jazz. They also learn proper dance terminology which translates directly into their understanding of patterns and different movement concepts.
Curriculum Overview and FAQs​
Learning through Imagination:
During each class, dance concepts are introduced through simple and relatable movements. Through motions such as galloping like a horse, children are practicing the fundamental ballet step called, ‘chassé’. When imitating a giraffe they are practicing proper posture. When they walk on their hands and feet like a lion they are preparing for the ‘six step’ in breakdancing. Or when they are imitating a snake they are really practicing a modern dance ‘lateral tilt.’ Although these movements are simple, they are both useful and fun for kids.
Introducing Dance Terminology:
Once children become more familiar with movement and a dance class structure, we move on to the beginnings of dance terminology, such as ‘first position’ and “échappé”. We practice these steps while repeating the name of the movement in a rhythmic style. This gives children a graspable way to learn steps and often sends them home singing French dance terminology.
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Life Skills:
Throughout the curriculum we also focus on the concept of taking turns and how that fits into a typical dance class. As students feel more comfortable with new steps, we begin to add them together into patterns, which children have the opportunity to complete individually with the teacher’s assistance. Through these obstacle courses, children learn to wait their turn while watching and encouraging their classmates. In addition, students each have a moment to shine, which boosts confidence and self-awareness. Furthermore, children learn to take directions quickly and accurately, which is what Ms. Allegra likes to call one of dance’s ‘employable skills.’ By practicing patterns of steps one-on-one, children develop the ability to focus on directions with greater detail. This skill transfers over to anything children strive to accomplish in life, and is a concept that Ms. Allegra works on throughout the program.
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Q: What age do classes start?
A: Classes begin at age 1 and progress through pre-school and kindergarten. Children love to express themselves through movement at any age. Daycare is a great place for a young child to try out dance for the first time. Young children might not be ready to separate from parents for a dance class outside of school. However during daycare classes, children feel secure in their environment and are more able to be independent and enjoy the class.
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Q: How long are classes?
A: Classes run for 30 minutes--the ideal amount of time for young children to focus and enjoy themselves in class.
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Q: How often do classes meet?
A: Classes meet once a week (twice a week is recommended for superior results).
Q: Is the program inclusive for boys too?
A: Definitely! In class we explore different forms of dance through imagery that all children can relate to. Instead of talking about the ballet “first position” of the feet, we talk about making our feet look like pizza. In addition to ballet, classes also include the beginnings of hip hop, jazz, and modern dance.
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Q: What are the physical benefits of dance for young children?
A: Children naturally tend to favor one side of the body. However, in dance we
practice both sides equally, which improves children’s coordination and overall
strength. During a dance class, children practice exercises that test their
coordination, strength and balance. Flexibility and proprioception are also
increased during dance class through imaginative play. Our teachers frequently
adapt movement to fit the capabilities of young children. For example, while
adults do burpees at a gym, children accomplish the same thing by
pretending to move like a lion and jump like a frog. During exercises such as
these, a wide variety of muscle groups are strengthened. With strength, comes a
greater ability to complete new movements seamlessly, which builds a child’s
confidence in trying new and challenging things throughout life.
Q: What are the cognitive benefits of dance for young children?
A: Studies have shown that exercises in which children cross the mid-line of the body help develop the part of the brain that is used for learning to read. With this information, Ms. Allegra designed the curriculum to improve cognitive function through specific exercises, rhythmic counting and remembering directions.
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FAQs:
*Classes can be taught in Spanish upon request
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*Please inquire for pricing options