Wayne Rutledge
Preschool activities that are healthy, fun & educational! These adorable creative dance students are taking their bows, having just performed for their families in our in-house, no-cost, no-hassle dance recital.
For Parents, Teens, Kids
We surveyed 300 discerning Seattle area parents asking why they insist on dance classes for their children. Here are the most often cited responses. (53 seconds)
Preschool Activities: Why Creative Dance is the Best
Creative Dance: Does your child love to move when you play music? Play music and they will dance around the room. Observe them closely and you will notice that they repeat the same movements over and over. They not only have a limited early speaking vocabulary, they have a limited early movement vocabulary. The best Creative Dance activities makes use of your child's imagination. Expanding their movement vocabulary in our creative dance classes is so beneficial. We make learning fun and that is why this is perhaps the perfect preschool activity for your child.
Our creative dance classes work on the obvious things like developing body awareness, loco-motor-skills, strength, and flexibility. However, children are capable of much more learning, and we take full advantage of this opportunity. Your child will learn more in our classes as a result.
We introduce your child to concepts such as levels in space, directions in space, pathways, qualities of movement, etc. Your child will see, feel and experience whether something is fast, slow, sharp, smooth, strong, light etc. As they become familiar with these concepts they can understand points of reference and perspective. For example, they will take one movement that feels very familiar in their body and with the instructors guidance, make it a dozen different creative dance movement variations. They’ll try it high, try it low, try it backwards, upside down, with a partner etc. It’s all wrapped in fun creative themes and it opens up unlimited possibilities to move, express and relate to the world around them.
Connie Bergstein Dow, MFA, is a huge advocate for preschooler's creative dance. Connie has performed and taught dance in the United States and Latin America for 38 years. She is the author of Dance, Turn, Hop, Learn! Enriching Movement Activities for Preschoolers. Connie's article for the National Association for the Education of Young Children is a wonderful read.
Creative Dance Class Schedules
Winter-Spring 2019
Summer 2019
American Dance Institute on King 5's New Day TV Show
American Dance Institute's founder/Director, Elizabeth Chayer is featured on King 5's New Day Television program promoting the school's partnership with the world acclaimed Moscow Ballet and their 2018 production of the Great Russian Nutcracker at Seattle's Paramount Theater.
DRESS CODE
Girls wear black cotton tank leotard with pink footless tights. No skirts/tutus please except for special skirt days. Boys wear black shorts or sweats, white t-shirt and bare feet.
These items can be picked up at Center stage Capezio, 5261 University Way NE or order online at discountdance.com and use school code TP120018
We wrote a quick read guide: 10 Top Questions to Ask A Dance School-Before You Give Them Your Money. It's FREE here.
Meet Your Child's Creative Dance Teachers
"Just as is true in the best preschool activities, the quality of the creative dance teacher makes all the difference." Elizabeth Chayer, Founder, Director
Originally from Fort Collins, CO, Margaret holds a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Women & Gender Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She has been a member of Louder than Words Dance Theatre in Denver, CO and most recently with Keshet Dance Company in Albuquerque, NM.
Sophie Stanley, Dance Teacher & Office Manage, Shoreline WA
Sophia Stanley teaches dance at our Shoreline studio and serves as the office manager for American Dance Institute Shoreline and the Shoreline Music School.
Sophia was graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a bachelors in News and Information.
She grew up studying ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was part of her high school dance team for two years.
During her sophomore year of college, she founded the OBU Pom Squad and acted as coach and captain until graduating.
Dakota Crist
Emily Curtis
Emily Curtiss holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Montana. She had her early training at Studio One and Allegro Dance Studio, both in Sandpoint, Idaho. She studied Ballet, Jazz and Modern and danced for 4 years on the Sandpoint High School Dance Team. She Emily has extensive choreographic and performance experience and has been teaching since 2012.
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