| Konocti Dance Academy Philosophy Dance is a beautiful form of art and entertainment. We strive to give our students an experience that will evoke a lifetime of love for dance. We emphasize technique, style, and skill development while maintaining a fun, warm, safe, and supportive environment. We are dedicated to providing a comfortable and exciting place to learn where our students can experience the joy and fulfillment of self-expression. Our students' safety and welfare are always our first priority. We are experienced professionals with comprehensive training and experience in the education of young dancers. Our training and experience enables us to go beyond recognizing talent in the students we teach. We have been trained to observe physical growth patterns, muscle tone and bone structure, intellectual development and many other components of child development. We have spent years developing a high quality dance program that has proven to offer a solid foundation on which aspiring dancers may build. Curricula We also take seriously our role in our students' educational process. As a result, we have developed appropriate curricula for each grade level in order to compliment the learning that will be taking place when they are in the academic classroom. Toddler Program: We all know how much toddlers love to move! Movement and dance are important parts of a child's cognitive development. Exposure to music stimulates the logic and mathematical areas of the brain. For this age group we facilitate a "Mommy and Me" class that introduces listening skills, balance, rhythm, and creative movement in a fun, inviting, and supportive manner. Pre-school Program: This program is taught in the form of a 30 - 45 minute combination class that exposes the children to the dance fundamentals of ballet, jazz, and tap. The positive, creative, and fun format of the class promotes a love for dance. The children gain a basic understanding and comfort with basic dance terminology and classroom etiquette. The exercises and activities are specifically designed to compliment the development of their listening, processing, gross motor, coordination, music appreciation, and counting skills. Early Elementary Program: The early elementary program takes advantage of the student's growing coordination and cognitive abilities to further develop their interest in dance and their dance skills. Again, we teach a combination of tap, jazz, and ballet in these classes. It gives the young student's developing attention span just enough material in order to effectively absorb elementary dance fundamentals. Later Elementary Program: For older students the classes are little bit longer in order to accommodate separate training in each of the dance styles. Self assurance, mental, and physical development is enhanced and supported with a variety of classes to accommodate each student's unique abilities, interests, and commitment. Standards Each program adheres to a set of specific standards that the students must demonstrate before advancing to each subsequent program. These standards consist of specific dance steps and classroom behaviors. Advancement to the next program is considered when the student demonstrates an understanding of each of the aspects of the preceding program and is able to safely participate in the next program level. |
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