Last week I ran the annual Dance Development Day for Foundation and KS1 teachers in the South Charnwood School Sports Partnership. As usual, it was well-attended, with enthusiastic teachers taking part in the practical sessions very much in the way…
I know how difficult it can be to find 'the' right piece of music for your class. I've been teaching for a long time, so I do have a large library of music, but sometimes I still struggle - and…
Diwali is a great topic to link in with your dance teaching. I get very busy at this time of year delivering Bollywood and creative Diwali dance sessions and wanted to share some ideas with you on this blog. One…
I often get asked why I teach with bare feet (which I do for the majority of my classes). And it's a good question - many dance styles such as ballet and tap require specific footwear. However, for creative and…
It's the first time I've come across National Fitness Day - it sounds great! On this Friday (26th September) there will be a huge celebration of physical activity, with many exercise venues hosting events for free. See nationalfitnessday.com for more…
The 4th of August this year (2014) marked the centenary of the start of WW1 and I know many schools will be exploring this topic during the Autumn term. And even if you're not, some of the dance suggestions below…
Happy new (academic) year! To welcome in the new term, here are 10 tips to get you going / refresh your dance teaching... 1. Choose music that feels 'current' but avoid songs that the children will sing along to or…
Taking part in physical activity doesn’t just have a positive impact on your physical health and your well-being. It can actually improve your intelligence. A study in North Carolina focused on raising the activity levels in children and discovered that…
"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh the thinks you can think up if only you try" Dr Seuss As a mother of two little people (4 year old daughter and 18 month old…
“... [dance] can speed up your heart rate, it can enliven your being, it can change your life.” Richard Alston [1] Anyone who has taken part in a dance class will be able to attest to the fact that…