Fun Activity to Share With Your Students.....

Check out the Eagle Cam at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens!  You can get an up close look at three eaglets and their parents in the nest.  It is a live cam--and so fun to watch.

The past few months we have been working on tempo here at Little People's Creative Workshop--one of our exercises was 'Birdie in the Nest, Birdie Out of the Nest'; so your children will have a neat connection with what is going on inside this real nest!  Enjoy!  {Warning:  it has been known to be addicting to watch this cam!}

We Must All Work...

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe--a moment that never was before or never will be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that 2 and 2 are four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are?

We should say to each of them: 'Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the world there is no other child exactly like you. In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been a child like you. And look at your body---what a wonder it is! Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way you move!

You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must cherish one another.'

We must all work---to make this world worthy of its children."

- Pablo Casals

Summer is Coming!

Summer Workshop fun..check out the costumes we made!

With the beautiful spring weather comes visions of wonderful summer plans for young children's programs!  Be sure to not miss out on a great opportunity to offer camps, classes, workshops, parties, etc---that maybe you are not able to offer throughout the school year.  Parents are looking for neat, new learning opportunities for their children this summer.

Summer is a great time to continue learning; creativity is always needing to be nurtured in young children---and dance and theatre are wonderful ways to do that.  Physical fitness and agility, creative thinking, critical thinking, and expression---just a few of the skills that are covered in this art form.


Check out Little People's Creative Workshop's summer program opportunities!

Inspirational Quotes

Everyone needs inspiration!  Here's a small collection of some great quotes:

Art does not consist of making a living or producing an objet d'art or in self-therapy, but in finding a new soul. ~Henry Miller

You have to care so much that you can't sleep, you can't eat, you can't talk to people...You can't do it without passion. ~Agnes de Mille

It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though limits to our ability do not exist. ~Teilhard de Chardin

Seize this very minute; What you can do, or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There are not days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open...whether you choose to take an art class, keep a journal, record your dreams, dance your story, or live each day from your own creative source, above all else, keep the channel open! ~Martha Graham

Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order. ~Virginia Woolf

Take your work seriously, but never yourself. ~Dame Margot Fonteyn

The devil himself always seems to get into my inkstand, and I can only exorcise him by pensful at a time. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

My favorite thing is to go where I've never been. ~Diane Arbus

Inspiration will always sing; inspiration will never explain. ~Kahlil Gibran

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

To follow without halt, one aim; there is the secret of success. And success? What is it? I do not find it in the applause of the theater. It lies rather in the satisfaction of accomplishmen~Anna Pavlova

Art is the only thing you cannot punch a button for. You must do it the old-fashioned way. Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises. ~Leontyne Price

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

I have never found...an enjoyment equal to sitting at my writing-desk with a clean page, a new theme, and a mind awake. ~Washington Irving

Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me! ~D.H. Lawrence

Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training. ~Anna Freud

Go out on a limb -- that's where the fruit is. ~Will Rogers

Benefits of Dance in the Early Years.....

Physical Development 

• Moving safely, imaginatively and with confidence 

• Moving with bodily control, co-ordination, flexibility and balance 

• The development of spatial awareness 

• Dancing with props; developing manipulative skills 

• Experiencing a range of gross motor movements and fine motor movements 

• Keeping healthy - dance as part of a healthy lifestyle 

Creative Development 

• Communicating ideas, thoughts and feelings non-verbally through movement 

• Using the imagination to create ideas, characters and narratives 

• Making movement responses 

• Having an enjoyable, exciting and motivating time 

• Working individually, with a partner and as part of a group 

• Developing trust and co-operation 

• Selecting and using movement ideas independently and with others 

• Exploring feelings and views of self and others - including other cultures and beliefs 

• Accepting the moral code on which discipline and courtesy within the group is based 

• Interacting with a new social group 

Communication, Language and Literacy Development 

• The use of sounds, music, words, poems, rhymes, texts and stories as stimuli for, and 

   accompaniment to dance 

• The use of language to imagine and recreate roles and ideas in the dance 

• Interaction - negotiating plans and activities and developing conversational skills 

• Appreciation - talking about personal dance performance 

• Observation - talking about the dance performance of others 

• Developing a vocabulary of movement 

Child Development and Dance.....

Children naturally communicate through movement.  They express their fears, excitement, and all other emotions with movement.  Dance for young children focuses on the following:

*  developing creativity
*  expressing emotion
*  building social skills
*  encouraging independence
*  building their self-confidence
*  stimulating mental processes
*  enhancing their physical development
*  expanding their rhythmic and body awareness

These young years are so important---and the very time to encourage these traits.  These are building blocks for the rest of their life, that will be used and needed in every arena.  

Needs of Little Ones.....

We have witnessed so very many dance classes over the many years of being in this industry.  You have the uninterested dance teachers that just want to 'get class over with'--and not the least bit interested in young children; treating their classes like some kind of sentence.  Then, you have the ones that think teaching 'Where is Thumpkin' and the 'Hokey Pokey' can actually count for dance instruction---they love the kids; but are teaching them zilch.  Then, there is the rigid, hard-core teacher that wants preschoolers to have perfect technique and stand at attention.  Then there is the misguided dance education majors that have been taught that preschoolers should be just fine and do nothing but walking and pausing for thirty minutes.  What a waste!

Young ones are capable and deserve so much more than this!  They crave eye contact, variety, challenges that are age appropriate, and passion for creativity!  Let's not waste this wonderful opportunity we have been given---to work with little ones.  We have a chance to make an investment for life!

Mind and Body Benefits of Dance for Children

ARTICLE 

Dance provides youth with mind and body benefits 

By Debra Strickland 

FamilyTalk Magazine, March/April Edition 2006 

  

Many different types of dance classes are available for children, from modern dance, 

ballet, tap and jazz to dance that celebrates unique ethnic and cultural traditions.  What’s 

the most important thing for parents to keep in mind when choosing a dance class?  It’s 

that research has proven that dance provides physical, developmental and artistic benefits 

to your child. 

Physical Benefits - Students build muscle strength while increasing flexibility.  Young 

dancers develop a sense of balance and improve agility and coordination.  Importantly, 

children also develop body awareness and learn correct posture. 

These benefits extend beyond a student’s involvement with dance, helping youth involved 

in other disciplines, such as sports and martial arts.  Studies have shown that physical 

activity helps children relieve stress and feel relaxed.  It also is a great way to help your 

child develop a positive lifelong attitude about staying active and healthy. 

Developmental Benefits - Dance classes are fun and a great way to meet new friends.  

Young dancers develop essential social skills through interaction with other students.  

Group choreography fosters teamwork, communication, trust and cooperation.  Dance 

also has been proven to nurture important life skills, such as discipline and focus.  

Dancers naturally display confidence, self-esteem and poise.  These skills are developed 

through participating in dance performances. 

Artistic Benefits – One of the greatest benefits of dance is that it sparks a child’s 

imagination and nurtures individual creativity in a unique way.  Dance classes share the 

joy of physical self-expression in a supportive and structured setting.  This can have a 

positive impact on children who have limited physical abilities, who act out or who have a 

difficult time sitting still.  Involving children in dance also teaches the basic elements of 

creative movement, such as time, space, rhythm and design. 

While people may not be as familiar with modern dance as with ballet or jazz, modern  

 dance in particular honors the creative spirit and celebrates the individual.  Modern dance 

does not simply conform to conventional movements, shapes and patterns.  Instead, it 

requires the young dancer to learn movement from the inside out, nurturing the body and 

focusing the mind.  This form of dance especially is welcoming to children of all shapes, 

sizes and genders. 

  

There is one final reason to get your child dancing.  Research proves there is a strong link 

between involvement in the arts and increased educational achievement.  In fact, one 

study showed that “students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to 

participate in a math and science fair, but also out-perform their peers on the SATs by 87 

points” (www.artsusa.org).  These educational benefits are gained by students regardless 

of their socioeconomic status.   

There’s sure to be a dance class that fits your child’s interests and your schedule, so why 

wait?  Enroll your child in a dance class.  The lessons she or he learns will last a lifetime. 

Debra Strickland is the executive director of Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, southwest 

Michigan’s only professional modern dance company.  Debra holds a Master of Public 

Administration degree from Western Michigan University and has been passionate about 

working in the arts and women’s issues for nearly a decade. 

Seeing A Child's Creative Mind

As a dancer and performer since the age of three, I cannot think of a better way for young children to explore movement, enhance creativity and build self-confidence than through dance classes. I have taught many age groups and with many companies, but Little People’s Creative Workshop provides a completely rewarding experience. 

Dance and LPCW, is more than just another form of exercise for the children, it provides an exploration into the arts that all children should be exposed to.  Through LPCW, children are able to learn how to use their bodies as a form of expression and a possible outlet for creative thinking. Learning this at an early age can provide life long benefits for our students; such as better problem solving skills, more self confidence and of-course better coordination.

Personally, there are few things more rewarding than being able to see a child’s creative mind grow and see them move and explore on their own.  I enjoy seeing children approach the lessons in a completely different way than I expected them to and everyday is a surprise! I have grown as a dancer with LPCW because it caused me to look at movement from a child like perspective; giving me a new approach to dance.

I look forward to continue to share my love for dance with young children through Little People’s Creative Workshop.

~Jennifer Delfin, LPCW Northern Virginia Regional Director & Instructor

Teachers Need to Also Be Students

As dance teachers of little ones it can become easy to lose focus of the need to also be a student.  We need to be a student of life---and definitely remain a dance student ourselves.  It is important to nourish our own souls and dance passion with classes and performances that keep our enthusiasm and art polished, and enabling us to pass on new inspiration to our young students.

A soul left unnourished will soon wither.  If you are an instructor of young ones be sure to invest in yourself so you can keep investing in your students.  Enjoy!

The Obvious Benefits of Dance

We wanted to share this great article written by Sarah Wilkiamson:

"The Obvious Benefits of Dance School"

www.romancetracker.com/the-obvious-benefits-of-dance-school/

Here is an excerpt-----

"There are many benefits to your child when they attend dance school.  It not only enables them to realize creativity within them but gives them training for other areas in life.  Dance is a wonderful creative art that can enrich your child's life for many years to come."

Ms. Wilkiamson goes on to list several benefits such as:

Learning the art of creativity

Dance is a good exercise

Confidence

Dance leads to learning respect

Dance helps develop social skills

Dance helps with bonding

Be sure to click the link above to read the entire article.  All of us in the childrens dance industry see the many benefits before our eyes each day---it is a pleasure to invest in young lives with what we do!

Benefits of Children's Dance Classes.......

Children--boys and girls--who dance when they are young enjoy increased self-esteem, coordination, balance, poise, and many more wonderful benefits!  Whether a child continues to dance or becomes a professional dancer is not the goal---the many benefits of participating in dance are causing parents to seek dance programs of excellence in which to invest.  Read this great article that we found on the benefits children that dance enjoy:

http://www.essortment.com/all/childrendancec_rczk.htm

A Great Note from a Parent.....

"My son attends the Wed. afternoon dance class.  The purpose of this E-mail is to probably tell you what you already know:  your program has terrific teachers!

I happened to pass the classroom a time or two last semester (prior to my son's enrollment) and it looked like everyone was having fun and the instructor was full of life.  I asked a parent of one of the students what they thought of the class and they said they loved it.  So I signed my son up for the semester.  I could not be happier with the class and your teacher's overall approach.  She not only teaches them how to be creative with their dance moves, but also allows them the freedom to make the setting as comfortable as possible for them.  My son is very apprehensive about new situations and new faces.  At the beginning he took more of an observer status.  Your instructor did not force him to participate in anything that he did not feel comfortable with; but by the same token she didn't forget that he was "participating" in his own way and would always be sure to call on him for his "turn" whether or not he actually waited in line.  Each week he participates more and more in class in the traditional sense.  He really loves dancing now and the interaction with the stories.  And of course the instructor's bubbly personality and the exuberance helps keep everyone interested and dancing.  I feel very fortunate that my son has been able to have such a positive experience with dance class and just wanted to let you know how much we love our teacher."

Dance is so very powerful for young ones---especially when instructed with the right heart!

Creativity is Key

Young students need to have an outlet for creative expression; it provides a feeling of accomplishment that helps them in other areas of their lives.  The arts can serve as a tremendous asset towards helping children develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.  Listed among many benefits of dance are confidence strengthening and character building.  What's more, the cultivation of creativity is a major component of any successful program and strategy designed to produce positive outcomes for little ones.  There are so many programs out there that only use their classes for young ones as a playtime.  Savvy parents clue into this and are very unsatisfied; as well as the students gain absolutely nothing from participating in the class.  Young students are capable of so much more than most educators give them credit.  Preschoolers love learning age-specific dance technique and being given challenges that stretch their skills.