Finding 3-4 year old dance classes in Woodstock isn’t hard. But it is important to make sure that you are choosing a studio and a class that alignes with your own personal values for your family. At Footprints it is so important to us to educate our parents and our dancers into the dance world so that they can make informed decisions for their 3-4 year old dance classes.
It’s no secret that dance is a great form of physical activity. But what you may be wondering is what the pointe (excuse the pun) of putting your little 3-4 year old into a dance class is.
Won’t they get the same amount of activity running around in the backyard?
Are they really learning anything when they play pretend in class?
How come they aren’t learning pirouettes and “actual” dancing?!
Every little child out there has come across the image of a ballerina somewhere – whether that be in books, on TV or because their older sibling dances too. Many parents dream of the day when their little one will be able to put on their dancing shoes and get started on the dance floor. However, the purpose of a dance class for your little 3-4 year old is much more than just an amazing performance at the end of the year.
At Footprints Dance Centre, right here in Woodstock, we are committed to providing a dance experience for your 3-4 year old that will not only provide them a great start to their dance training but also to provide them an encouraging and fun environment to test their imaginations, learn social skills and grow as a person. When designing our set syllabi for what we call our Teacup Dancers (our 3-4 year old dance classes) we are sure to include the principles of imaginative play, teamwork and communication and confidence building to ensure that your little dancer has the best dance experience possible.
Imaginative Play:
We utilize elements of imaginative play to inspire our little ones to perform and enjoy the class with their teammates. Children are being sent to school younger and younger now. We expect them to be able to sit still, to listen and to do what’s expected of them in school. What we often forget when we ask children to listen is that they don’t know what that word even means!
In our 3-4 year old dance classes we strive to give our dancers the ability to explore their movements on their own terms. By providing guided sessions of creative movement inspired by storybooks, pictures or themes, we are giving back their right to play. We encourage our dancers to try out different ways of moving. How can we wiggle with our elbow? Or our nose? What about upside down?
Our Pre-School Ballet Dancers love seeing what’s going on in Miss Lainy’s storybooks!
Teamwork and Communication:
Not only do we work on expanding your dancer’s imagination and movement vocabulary in our 3-4 year old dance classes, we also strive to build their understanding of teamwork and communication. It is not uncommon in a dance class to only hear the voice of the teacher. Instead, we encourage our dancers to provide inspiration for the movement concepts they are developing. Your 3-4 year old is also learning about how to work together with their classmates while in their 3-4 year old dance classes. Learning to collaborate with their classmates and knowing that we all must be involved for activities to work will help to keep your dancer accountable in class.
Our 3-4 year olds love being able to make music with their friends in class! Learning about rhythm and tempo is one of the many ways we communicate with our pre-school dancers!
Build Confidence:
Ultimately our 3-4 year old dance classes will give your little dancer the confidence they need. Many of our young dancers begin the year clutching on to their parent’s hand, nervous but excited for class. It only takes them a week or two before they are running up into the studio, banging on the dance studio door to begin their dance class! Our 3-4 year old dance classes allow for constant interaction with other children allowing your dancer to step outside of their comfort zone and make new friends with the other dancers in their class.
With the support of our caring instructors. Your 3-4 year old dancer will learn how to conquer their fears and reach for their goals!
Our 3-4 year old dance classes are so much more than just learning steps. It’s about giving our students the ability to think, create and explore their bodies, their movements and their sense of self.
We at Footprints Dance Centre invite kids from all across the Oxford County, to take part in one of the many dance classes offered to our Teacup Dancers. Registering your 3-4 year old for dance classes with Footprints Dance Centre will be an unforgettable experience, so if you are looking for a positive outlet for your child, contact us today at 519-532-4905.
