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​Ballet - Royal Academy of Dance 

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Although no class is mandatory, from minis upwards we encourage all dancers to participate in ballet class alongside their training. You don't have to enter exams, however as it is the foundation of all dance, here at ADC it is expected to develop your technique.

Ballet class is essential for a dancer as it builds a strong foundation in technique, discipline, and artistry. It enhances flexibility, strength, and coordination, allowing dancers to execute movements with grace and precision. Additionally, ballet fosters a deep understanding of body alignment and musicality, which are crucial for all dance styles. Regular classes also provide an opportunity for creative expression and collaboration with peers, nurturing a dancer's passion and commitment to their craft. We follow the RAD Syllabi, which includes classical ballet, character dance, and when they reach vocational grades, pointe work.

Character Dance is the theatrical presentation of national and folk dance. This style is still used in traditional ballets such as Swan Lake, Coppélia, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. Young dancers study the traditional steps, posture, and port de bras (movement of the arms) from different countries. Character dance is a brilliant opportunity to enrich young children’s knowledge of the world, developing an awareness of geography and defining cultural differences. Character work teaches musicality, rhythm and mime, often working with a prop such as a watering can, a garland or a headdress. The character dance music used in the RAD syllabus is orchestrated and uses traditional instruments from the country they are studying.

 

Each grade offer an introduction to new country: 

Grade One: Russian 

Grade Two: Hungarian

Grade Three: Ukrainian 

Grade Four: Italian

Grade Five: Polish 

 

Character Dance represents about a third of the syllabus. The children use character skirts and shoes and spend the last 15 minutes studying the dance style allotted to their grade in preparation for a solo performance in their exam. The partner work involved in character dance enables dancers to interact with each other developing trust and confidence, as well as a sense of working together for mutual benefit. It builds confidence in dancers and prepares them for partner work aiding their transition to pas de deux later on.  We offer exams in Grades Pre-Primary to Advanced 2.

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Modern Jazz and Lyrical

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One of the most popular and well known forms of dance, and most commonly what you would see in Broadway shows. Jazz dance includes strength, flexibility and conditioning technique and progressions including turns, kicks and leaps. In a Jazz class the dancers also learn many fun and trendy dance steps that are used for all forms of dance. It is a wonderful class to get a well rounded variety of all dance steps. Dancers will learn choreography to popular and age appropriate music of today along with vintage styles of jazz from the last decades. This is a perfect class to start your dance training.

Lyrical dance is a combination of ballet and jazz dance that often uses music with lyrics to inspire the movements of the dancer. Choreographers use the lyrics from the song to inspire the dance and the result is a style that focuses on strong emotion as well as a more individual approach than some dance styles. It is also a very precise dance with the dancer’s movements portraying the emotion and story of the song. Get the tissues out, mums!

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Tap - IDTA

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Tap dancing is a popular type of dance that incorporates audio into the dance itself, and is one of the most celebrated dances in the world. The most recognised aspect of tap dancing is the use of special tap shoes. These shoes feature a metal section on the heel and toe, which makes the 'tap' sound. it helps you develop knowledge of rhythm, and boasts a range of benefits including increased cardiovascular conditioning, strength, flexibility, and coordination. Tap dance combinations build strength in the legs and feet in addition to increasing flexibility in the hips, knees and ankles. 

We OFFER EXAMS in Grades Primary to Advanced 2.

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Acro

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We follow the Acrobatic Arts syllabus and certification. Acro-dance incorporates gymnastics skills in a way that compliments their dance training, working on flexibility, balance, and tumbling skills.

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Dance Conditioning and Stretching

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From the fingertips to toes, every body part of a dancer is involved in dance. Every muscle is causing a movement, whether it is relaxing to allow a move or straining to stabilize a joint.

Dancers have to be strong, physically fit and be able to sail through the rigors of dance performance. Body conditioning class for a dancer is a class to learn the kinds of exercises they can do to stretch further and strengthen their entire body. It also highlights the area they need to focus on. Eventually, conditioning class helps a dancer to learn how to develop turnout, improve their footwork articulation and the other regions important to the dance.

Dance Conditioning class will include drills and skills to work your muscles and strengthen your core, turn and jump technique. It will also focus on full body flexibility.

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Busy Bees

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This is usually the first experience in a dance classroom with a teacher and other students and without mum or dad. Etiquette such as listening, following instructions and being respectful is emphasized. Pre-ballet and jazz exersises are taught to introduce important dance basics such as stretching, concentration, rhythm, coordination and discipline. The purpose of this program is to provide a strong foundation for continued dance training as well as develop a love for dance itself, through fun and storytelling. Although a parent isn't needed in Busy Bees, you may want to stay on site in case of any emergency cuddles or wee breaks!