Nurturing a Love of Dance! 

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Grade 1 is mostly for students age 7 0r 8+ depending on previous training who learn classical ballet, character, jazz & contemporary dance so they receive a diverse experience that sets them up for success.. Everyone needs the foundation. 

 

Grade 1 which where classical ballet begins. 

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Each exercise in this program is much longer and has tempo and dynamic challenges. It's simple enough for the first grade and challenging enough to give them a great foundation.

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Benchmarks for a successful student in Grade 1:

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Responsibility: Learn & memorize 11 exercises

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Musicality- dancers learn 3/4 time and continued development of timing, rhythm, phrasing and dynamics.

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Using plie, releve, & saute to develop the foundation of being able to rise and jump correctly.

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Time: Fast/slow in the same exercise with different time signatures

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Spatial Awareness: continued development of us of space, direction changes within the same exercises and learning movement on the croise position.

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Path: circular, small & large, straight, diagonal, wavy, zig-zag, +semi-circle, line, moving in a square

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Plus New movement:

Use of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th positions and arms are fully classical with coordination and dynamics.

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Timing, dynamic, and movement vocabulary is all classical and sets the foundation for success in classical work.

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Tendu, pose, petite jete, parallel assemble with head and arms, skips with arms in opposition, jumping from one foot to the other with assemble and tempo challenge.

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Children at this age also learn classroom etiquette, how to get and put away props, to follow instructions, and to work together in a classroom while building skills that help them foster their imagination & build success.

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