The Value of Summer Workshops for Children

Dance Essentials

Often students move one whole level by attending summer workshops. The reason our Dancers Delight Workshop for children is successful at developing such improvements for our students is the daily training and exposure to a variety of dance styles (ballet, jazz, acrobatics, folk dance, hip hop etc..) while really honing in on basics. Yes. To learn to read you have to really know your ABC's, but to become a dance artist you have to know basics that are essential to all styles of dancing....I'm talking about  ( i ) the ability to learn and remember choreography,( ii ) the ability to improvise,( iii) use dramatic skills and emotion correctly and ( vi ) use of rhythm and musicality. Teaching these areas of dance study for children is pretty unique to California DanceArts. Usually the concentration is mostly on physical technique. But physical technical skills is only one aspect of artistry.

The interesting thing is that when training is approached from this perspective, greater abilities of physical technical skills follow. These Dance Essentials, as we call the area of study,  is very fun to learn, particularly when taught in a way that is creative.  At California DanceArts we teach these Dance Essential skills in our classes year round, but we are certainly able to work on them to a much greater degree during summer workshops. I believe that students who really understand these Dance Essentials obviously become better artists with greater understanding. Not to mention that children who engage in learning these skills become more out-going, creative, self confident and develop sweeping increased abilities to communicate to an audience. No matter the student's age, your child can really gain a sense of artistry and performance skills. In a real sense , young child prodigies can be created in this manner.

Value of Learning to Choreograph

Not only does this workshop really boost students skill level, but children work along-side like minded students who share a love and desire to express themselves through dance. In reality, students get the opportunity to live and breathe dancing, like the "older" dancers...like pro dancers in a company,  and work on huge projects within a group. Projects such as producing their own show  to be presented at the end of the workshop! That's right. Its "THEIR" show. The group of students in the workshop elect a theme for the show, they create dances for the show and even decide the order of the dances to be presented and how to introduce each dance. Working on group choreography is a huge endeavor as there are basic rules students learn about choreography...simple rules that they can understand and apply even at their young age.  Students learn to work out choreography problems and how to solve them by working with each other. As a choreographer and director, I enjoying seeing students increase their creativity and this is what I find most valuable about the program. As a teacher, I see kids grow up before my eyes as they learn to take care of each other... take responsibility as a group member, develop better communication and problem solving skills. 

No limits with Inspiration

I'm not bragging when I mention that many of our current dancers in our professional performing company, California Contemporary Ballet, grew up attending Dancers Delight Workshop every single summer. Ryan Morrison who performed as the Prince in our Snow Queen ballet, never missed a Dancers Delight Workshop as a young dancer at our school. He still attends the summer workshops offered for advanced dancers. Jaclyn Stryker danced the role of the Enchantress in the Snow Queen this past winter and she too grew up on Dancers Delight.

I point this out because these career dancers are examples of how inspired young dancers can become when given daily training, responsibility and high expectations.  Instructed in a creative and encouraging method, there is no limit to the potential of a young dancer once inspired. Coupled with high expectations and rewards such as dance games children love to play and an occasional video of a great prima ballerina from history, this is a fun workshop...a Dancer's Delight! Honestly, wouldn't YOU have loved to attend this workshop when you were a kid? 

Please see all the information regarding the Dancers Delight Workshop Here:  http://www.caldancearts.com/pages/333/Dancers_Delight.htm

Spaces in the workshop are already filling up! There are less then 12 spaces available! (Talk about exclusive instruction!)  Some of our workshops are already Full! 

(The photo above is of an 8 year old summer student in her costume for the show at the end of the workshop. This young girl grew up to become a teacher at our school for a time and a professional ballerina.) 

Enroll by May 1st and receive 10% off while spaces in the workshop last!  Spaces won't last, so enroll now!  The discount is available when you register with deposit online or in person.
Contact us by calling 818-790-7924

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