
| EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM (ECE) Ages 3-5yrs Our Early Childhood Education (ECE) program is specially designed to provide children between three and five years of age with a strong foundation in dance and movement. It teaches the young dancer the basic elements of movement and dance; space, musical rhythm, beat and time, opposites and directions, locomotor movements, and elementary dance movements. Integrated with these physical concepts are the intellectual concepts of self-awareness, creative expression, imagination, teamwork, and basic body / health awareness. Through participation in these classes, students also learn the basics of classroom behavior and manners, which remain the same throughout their dancing years. These concepts include learning how to take turns, following or leading, waiting patiently, working together with others, and having a positive attitude. Educators know that training young children in the concepts of movement sequencing, pattering, and spacial relationships lay a strong foundation for the later development of reading, mathematics, and other educational skills. Classes in our ECE program are grouped into specific levels for 3-5yr olds These classes meet once a week and last 55 min. Class structure for all levels is essentially the same, with the content based on appropriate developmental skills. Class begins with a warm up that includes all the major muscle groups. From this, students learn correct posture and placement of the body over legs. The exercises in this section also teach balance, port de bras, and various jumps. The last part of class is based on different monthly objectives geared to the age of the students incorporating their imagination and creative movement. Class consists of Ballet, Tap and a little Tumbling. Dance class is not only where we learn .... it's a lot of FUN!!! |
