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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Anyone's DS go to dance/drama classes?

9 replies

kimlouiseb · 03/04/2010 21:34

Hello all and Happy Easter,

I'm thinking of trying to enrol my DS in some kind of dance/movement classes. He is 5 and a half, loves to dance and is actually (I'm biased obviously) quite good.

The dancing he does leans towards the contemporary side, I suppose you would call it street/urban if it had to be classified, but really its just a 5 year old wiggling around to a beat, adding a few moves in that he's seen on the TV (and loving every minute of it!).

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has a DS who goes to dance classes and what type of classes they go to, the age they started, how they get on etc.

Thankyou

OP posts:
fidelma · 03/04/2010 22:55

I'm a dance teacher and I teach alot of boys.I teach ballet but gear it towards contempary and often use quite funky music.

The boys love it.My DS goes and just thinks that is what people do.

What part of the country are you in ?

I would shop around and find a class that has boys in and with a teacher you think he can relate to.Any type of dance or gymnastics at this stage would do, the teacher is key.

My boys range from aged 3 - 12 some of them are doing very well and the eldest is heading off to ballet school and 2 others are in associate programmes with major ballet companies.

We have fun thats what is important.

Francesa · 04/04/2010 01:01

My son is six and started ballet last year just after his fifth birthday and he seems to really enjoy it, though he is the only boy in his ballet class.
I think he found it a bit strange at first but he has taken to it and was excited at Christmas to take part in the show which was Cinderella, he was a mouse!

Original poster
kimlouiseb · 04/04/2010 09:34

Thankyou both for replying so quickly.

fidelma - we are in Shropshire, I've looked in yellow pages and quite a few dance schools around so am going to do a bit more research into them.

Francesa was there any particular reason you choose ballet classes for your DS - did he show a particular interest/talent?

OP posts:
Francesa · 04/04/2010 12:07

Hi Kimlouiseb,
I have a friend and both her daughters,ages five and seven have been very keen on ballet for about three years or so.
In 2008 they asked me if I'd like to come along and watch the Christmas show which their school was doing (the nutcracker) I did and I took my son, then almost five years old, with me and he really enjoyed it and was still talking about it the following week!
I mentioned that to my friend and she suggested that perhaps I should ask him if he would like to give ballet a try, I'm quite an openminded and liberal person but had never thought about it until then.
My friend said that she would mention it to her daughters ballet teacher, which she did and and as a result of that, I took my son along the following week to watch a ballet class. He was made to feel very welcome and when asked if he would like to come along the following week, he said "yes please" and it started from there.
On the face of it there are so many advantages, co-ordination etc but I realise he may well just grow out of it and want to do something else. I don't think he feels that it is just for little girls, despite being the only boy in his ballet class and he really has taken to it, he always wears a big smile both before and after class so I'm quite pleased.
It is far better than just playing on a PC or watching TV etc.

Francesa · 04/04/2010 12:17

Kimlouiseb,
Happy Easter and good luck to you and your son, hope he gives dance in which ever form you both choose a go, please don't dismiss ballet on the grouds that you child is a boy.

Original poster
kimlouiseb · 04/04/2010 16:14

Thanks for that Francesa - I certainly wouldn't dismiss ballet as an option, and it sounds as if your son is enjoying it and is gaining a lot from it.

OP posts:
fidelma · 04/04/2010 23:35

Sadly I am in Scotland so I am not going to be much use on recomending someone.

If you are interested in ballet classes look up the Royal Academy of Dancing.

Lots of my boys do street dancing also.They love it and is sooo cool.

I hope you find somewhere and that he has lots of fun.

Francesa · 08/04/2010 07:48

Kimlouiseb,
Like fidelma, I hope you find a good dance school for your son, let us know how you get on, good luck once again.

nappyaddict · 25/04/2010 12:16

Where in Shropshire are you kim?

Tried to CAT you but it says you aren't set up to accept them?

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