Moving Munchkins
This class is designed for children who are ready for their first ballet class unaccompanied. Parents remain on the premises but stay outside of the classroom to allow their children an independent experience with the teacher. Through music, movement and song, young students are introduced to early ballet movements and concepts and exposed to the joys of experiencing their bodies at play.
Age 3 1/2 to 4 1/2
Taught by Nina Ries, graduate of the Juilliard School of Performing Arts.
Sundays 9:30 - 10:15am or Wednesdays 3:30 - 4:15pm
Cost $ 160.00
*Students must be 3 1/2 by September 1st, 2023 for enrollment.
Dress Code
Munchkins are encouraged to wear a leotard and tights or leggings. Ballet slippers are required. The color of leotard is optional. Hair must be secured tightly away from the face and neck.
Benefits of Elementary Dance
Through an introduction to movement, gesture, musicality and body awareness, your children will benefit from development in all aspects of a child's growth:
Physical - Body Awareness, Balance, Coordination
Social - Working in a Group, Cooperation, Sharing, Respect for Others, Bonding with Peers
Mental - Musical Awareness, Focus and Concentration,
Emotional - Supportive Environment, Confidence Building
On Performing
The annual recital is for our traditional ballet training program that begins at the age of 5 with pre-ballet and ends with our Advanced Class. The munchkins program (and the adult programs) are run outside of the school "proper" and do not perform in the year-end school recital. I understand that for some it might feel exciting to have your child on stage and some children may even be ready and exhilarated for what they imagine this experience to be but we have learned from many years of running performances that this age is generally too young to create expectations around performing. The dancers perform on a large stage with 500- 700 people on average in the audience. There are bright lights and loud music and over 125 students backstage waiting for their turn to go on a dark, vast stage! Their parents are in the audience and not allowed in the close quarters of the backstage. It can be a very overwhelming experience for children much older than 3 or 4; we do not want to put this pressure on the youngest ones.
The Moving Munchkins program is the only children's class that does not have an assumed Sept- June enrollment, but instead has a rolling enrollment to allow children to join at any time between ages 3.5 and 4.5 - so they can experience the beginning phases of ballet training as they age into it. Training is still largely imagination and play-based, conceptual with a bit of technique and spatial awareness work- and is designed to set them up for success with the structure and movement they will encounter when they enter pre-ballet. We do not ask them to remember choreography or perform it.
In the past we have had an in-studio "showing" (which some children will skip because even that can feel overwhelming)- similar to Parent's Day, but that is the extent to which we "showcase" their progress to an audience! (their closest and trusted families!)
We are happy to hold an end-of-the-year studio "performance" this year- and that is our intention again this year. You can feel free to tell us if this is a concern for you or your child. Hopefully, it will feel like an appropriate first step in what we hope will be a lifelong love of performing!