Creating choreography can seem like a daunting task when it comes to preschool dance. Can you create a dance for them that they'll actually remember? How will they do on stage? Sure, they're at an age where they'll look cute no matter what. But we still want them to succeed, right?
Read MoreWe're off to visit Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood! What do you think that silly bear is doing? Do you think he might be looking for honey? Let’s see!
Read MoreLevels are a basic dance concept that you can do so much with! Movements and poses can be done low to the floor, at a medium level, and a high level. Here are a few ideas for your preschool dance classes.
Read MoreWhen it comes to teaching turnout (to any age), there are some tried and true tips you should always think about. But when it comes to teaching turnout to young children, there are a few more things you should be thinking about.
Read MorePliés and tendus are two of the most basic steps in ballet. And if you think about it, they’re really the building blocks of just about every other ballet step there is! Here are a few tips and things to think about when it comes to pliés and tendus!
Read MoreBy the age of 7, children have much better control and awareness of their bodies. We also work much more on turnout, especially turning out correctly and safely at this age. Because of this, we work more on a turned out retiré.
Read MoreAfter almost 6 years of developing preschool dance curriculums, there's one question I've really found impossible to solve.
Read MoreThis month, we’ve been so excited to release our Giselle lesson plan sets for ages 7 to 12 in our Story Ballet Curriculum!
Read MoreWhen we teach ballet though stories, we immediately open up a new world for our students. The way ballet is often taught is like watching a silent, black and white movie from the 1920s. Teach through stories, and it’s suddenly like watching in 4K color.
Read MoreWhen I set out to create our 7-12 year old curriculum, the OUB Story Ballet Curriculum my biggest struggle was not having everyone’s students in front of me. Not knowing how long your classes would be or how many times per week your students are taking ballet.
Read MoreIn my later years of dance in a company, plié was always my favorite barre exercise. So today, I want to talk a little about pliés. If you’re a dancer, I hope this helps you get more out of your pliés, as well as barre in general. If you’re a ballet teacher, I hope this helps you to inspire your own students a little more when it comes to pliés.
Read MoreWhen you understand child development, so many things change in your classes. First, you'll see your young students differently. I can remember when I first started teaching preschoolers. I THOUGHT my students would stand in lines, wait their turns, and work hard just like my older students had.
Read MoreWe focus a lot on posture in Once Upon A Ballet even from early on. Posture is important in the early years to promote good habits in the future. We focus on students’ posture mostly during the more technical portions of class like centre barre or barre, centre allegro, and traveling exercises.
Read MoreI want Once Upon a Ballet to help teachers inspire their youngest students. All of our materials are meant to bring FUN into the dance classroom, but in a way that is educational, age-appropriate, fosters child development, and gives students a strong foundation for beginning levels of dance later on.
Read MoreSpark your students' imaginations with circus-themed dance activities! You can also grab our circus elephant coloring sheet. Meet me at the circus!
Read MoreThe best dance teachers I had when growing up were ones who saw each student as an individual—regardless of what curriculum, school, or method of dance they taught. So what makes a great dance teacher great?
Read MoreMost of us started dancing simply because we loved it. But did you know ballet provides more benefits to children than just joy of movement? Here are seven simple benefits of pre-ballet classes for young children...
Read MoreI think as teachers, many of us have our favorite ways to begin a preschool dance class. We bring our students into the classroom, mark the role sheet, then what?
Read MoreToday I want to give you a few quick tips for teaching tots—on helping your students wait for their turn during travelling exercises.
Read MorePlanning transitions for preschool dance classes is one of those things that can be easily forgotten in a dance class. BUT, if you teach toddlers or preschoolers, I don’t need to tell you what you already know: transitions will make or break your classes.
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