Dublin Dance and Gymnastics Centre

Curriculum

Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics offers classes for beginners through pre-professional students; 2 ½ years old through adults! Each class is designed for the age of the students, and their level of experience in the art-form. DDC&G offers each art-form in a non-competitive atmosphere where every student is celebrated!

Creative Dance

Creative Dance classes are the most rewarding and educationally stimulating classes for young students. DDC&G teachers are trained to use the creative teaching philosophy; children are encouraged through verbal imagery, the use of props, and age-appropriate themes.

Teachers use creative tools to reach and engage their students in learning the basics of the art form. The safe and supportive classroom environment allows children to learn early social skills, to cultivate their imagination and develop cognitive thinking routines. The physical activity throughout every class promotes a healthy lifestyle and builds confidence and strength in young bodies. Creative Dance classes are based on ballet technique that is suitable for young, developing muscles and minds. Basic terminology and steps are presented and incorporated into creative choreography.

Creative Gymnastics

Each of these classes include a full body warm-up appropriate for the age group and their physicalmaturity. Basic floor gymnastics such as rolls, headstands, handstands, cartwheels, round-offs and more are taught. Loco motor skills and basic leaps, jumps and turns are practiced. Creative Dance is incorporated so students may explore basic elements of dance through personal imagination and individual expression. Creative Gymnastics classes safely integrate basic floor, tramp, vault, and bar skills for young children.

Extended Movement

This program was specially developed as a supplement to the student’s pre-school education. The highly developed curriculum is based on studies proving the benefits of movement for young student’s language acquisition, physical development, and creative problem-solving. This 2 ½ hour morning or afternoon offers 2 ½, 3, 4 and 5 year-old’s a joyful way to explore movement through music, develop physical skills, channel energy, stimulate imagination and promote creativity. Story-time, crafts and other stimulus divide the directed movement time.

Drawing from our Creative Movement Program, developed and refined over the past 24 years, Extended Movement offers children:

Creative Ballet

Ballet experts everywhere in the world agree that children under eight years old should not do pure ballet technique classes for physical and psychological reasons. Creative Ballet fundamental classes combine creative movement and basic ballet moves to prepare the young student for ballet technique classes in a safe, appropriate way. An introduction to basic ballet and simple terminology allows young children to experience enough discipline and structure to challenge them without frustration. This builds a sense of physical achievement and teaches an awareness of the art of Ballet.

Creative Ballet & Tap

This class exposes children to more than one art form. Ballet fundamentals encourage movement detail, control and discipline. Creative Dance allows guided individual movement expression. Tap fundamentals emphasizes rhythmic skills and weight transferring skills. The class offers the young student a good variety of dance styles in which each style aids the other. (For 5's / 1st / 2nd)

Creative Hip-Hop/Jazz

This class is geared to the younger student and is taught through a creative process. Creative Dance, fundamentals of Modern Dance concepts, plus basic Jazz and Hip Hop Dance skills are introduced. Creative Hip Hop/Jazz is fun, energetic, and age appropriate. Creative games and practice combinations develop the child's rhythmic knowledge, physical coordination and mental stimulus.

Gymnastics (3-12th grades)

Gymnastics concentrates on floor skills that develop strength, coordination, balance and flexibility. DDC&G runs a noncompetitive, recreational program including tumbling and floor exercises, beginners through advanced, learn mat skills according to individual capabilities. Jumps, leaps, and conditioning are all reinforced in gymnastics.

Gymnastics/Cheerleading

Gymnastics/Cheerleading is a popular choice for young gymnasts who wish to concentrate on their Cheerleading skills. Tumblers in this class focus on leaps and jumps relevant to cheerleading. They also work on tumbling passes that most schools request from their cheerleaders. Teamwork is emphasized in this fun, noncompetitive class.

Hip Hop

Hip Hop has evolved from African dancing, street dancing traditions, tap, and jazz. At DDC&G Hip Hop is taught emphasizing jazz technique as well as popular Hip Hop moves and style. Students learn syncopated pop movements to up-beat music and incorporate performance attributes into choreography. Hip Hop for 1st/2nd grades is fun, energetic, and age appropriate.

Jazz

Jazz is a dramatic experience that encourages rhythmic movements, gestures and mimicry. Music stimulates the movement, accompanies it and motivates it. High energy, exhilaration and freedom of movement are all inherent in Jazz. Techniques taught include isolations of the body, polycentrics (coordinate 2 or more centers), movements of tension with spontaneous relaxation, loco motor actions, use of level changes and counter movements such as twisting. Jazz style is intense and charged and students are taught to fully feel and illustrate the movement.

Ballet

Ballet technique classes require high levels of concentration and discipline in order to execute the movement detail properly. Each class is divided into barre work, port de bras, centre barre, adagio, and allegro. Strengthening and stretching exercises are balanced. The ballet class builds a strong foundation of coordination, discipline and appreciation of art and an expressive achievement which are great assets for any endeavor.

Tap

The art of Tap involves the whole body. Good Tap-dancing is performed with control, speed and smoothness. Movements of the arms, legs and body are incorporated with the tap steps. In tap technique classes, the exercises and combinations directly develop a sense of coordination, body control, the rhythmic sense and detailed development of the feet.

Irish Dance

The success of River dance and Lord of the Dance has placed Irish dance on the international stage. Thanks to people like Michael Flatley and others, Irish Dance is seen on television, on tour, and locally at festivals and celebrations. At DDC&G traditional steps, complete with traditional music, terminology, and respect for the rich culture of Irish Dance is explored in a non-competitive atmosphere.

Modern Dance

Modern Dance originated as a rebellion from ballet. Where ballet is lifted and flowing, modern technique is more grounded, engaging the whole body in dramatic expression. At DDC&G, Modern is offered in order to expose dancers to different movement forms and encourage creativity and expression in each student’s individual style.

Adult Dance

Adult Classes are a fun way to stay in shape and explore your love of movement. Everyone is welcome in these classes, if you have a dance background or not! Sign up today and enjoy learning to dance from some of the best instructors around!

NOTE: Some classes are mixed with High School aged students.

Yoga

Yoga is exercise anyone can do at any age and any level of physical condition. Yoga builds strength, flexibility, improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and reduces psychological stress. DDC&G emphasizes Ashtanga yoga, which is fluid in nature. Consistent attendance is recommended for optimum achievement and beneficial results. Students provide their own sticky mat.

Placement and Pre-Professional Classes

These classes are specifically designed for a select group of students at Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics. Students recommended into Placement and Pre-Professional level classes have demonstrated their commitment, talent, and desire toward the art form and have chosen to study it with greater intensity. Specific eligibility into Placement and Pre-Professional levels is through teacher recommendation. New students must be assessed in order to enter the program.

Intensive Ballet Program

The Intensive Level training program is a high-powered stratagem designed to offer aspiring young dancers the opportunity to commence their journey towards either the professional or collegiate level. These special dancers are required to attend 9-12 hours of ballet each week. They are given numerous opportunities to showcase their craft, including 4 repertory shows in October, December, March and June. Class work typically includes; barre, center, pointe, variations, pas de deux, and choreography. It is our desire that dancers from the Intensive Level leave with the tools necessary to succeed in any performing environment of their choosing.

Those interested in the Intensive Ballet Program must demonstrate their skill, desire, and commitment to the program. A student letter of intent and teacher recommendations begin the process. For more information, contact the DDC&G office.