Dancing into Spring.
- Lynne
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 29 minutes ago
Our studios are bursting with energy as we prepare for 'Open Days' for our Jazz and Tap classes. In a ballet class dancers are learning technique and language and jazz and tap dancing are styles of dance. It takes years to develop strengthen and refine the strength, technique and language of dance and is often challenging. Level 5 allows dancers to experience the style of Jazz Ballet, the classes will challenge their speed of movement and co-ordination, working with partners, stretching and some conditioning. It is louder and seems like more fun but it is usually a challenging 45 minutes of continuous focus with quick thinking. The style of tap dancing is introduced at Level 6 and even more challenging - children love to make noise and are empowered by their sound and even more empowered when they can all make the same sound at the same time. This take quite some time learning that rather than noise their tapping should sound like rhythmic music. The fine motor skills needed to tap dance are next level and does take years with the rhythm and movement in their body for life.
At the Australian Dance Academy we keep our dance styles very age appropriate with the focus being about the enjoyment of dance and accomplishing good technique with the style developing over time as they mature - after all it should fun to be a child and our dancers will develop the confidence to shine rather than just 'show off'. At different times dancers will experience a growth spirt making them feel unstable and tired, our Elementary students feel this the most but it is a really good time to teach them about 'all things theatre' props, quick changes, language, taking directions and the organising of a whole production. To manage themselves with hair, make-up, headpieces and accessories which need to be managed is a short time. Theatres are fascinating places and backstage is the place where excitement high energy is harnessed before your appearance on stage and where cast members quickly bond with each other and experience rare collective support, admiration and appreciation of doing their best work in front of an appreciative audience. Live your best life the freedom to express yourself with confidence and the opportunity to know good it feels to accomplish after persistence and hard work.
Our 2025 - Jazz Collectives performance this year is called 'TIME VORTEX' which should be fabulous for the audience who will relate to the different ways music has been listened to - turntables, tape recorders, CDs' and playlists on ipods and phones. It is enlightening for the teachers and dance students as they learn about how these unusual items played music in the not too distant past.
'TIME VORTEX' will be staged at Araluen Arts Centre on 19th & 20th September 2025 at 6.30pm. Our Jazz Collectives show is always a popular show with audiences and dancers. Our production meetings are also a lot of fun as we try to trim our hundreds of ideas into one performance. The dancers are always excited when they see the costume boxes and begin the process of trying on a costume and see their own named costume bags ready and waiting. Sunday Rehearsals will lead into Dress Rehearsal with costumes and lights - all that is left is the most important part, make-up, final touches with lip stick and our audience.
Don't miss a guaranteed great night at the theatre, we look forward to you seeing people you know, having our parents, friends and supporters in the auditorium house music playing and watching our dancers trying to keep their excited 'butterflies' under control before they go onstage and seeing them come off stage with so much pride they can hardly contain themselves. Their teachers watch on with pride after months of wondering if their young dancers will accomplish some of the choreography that has challenged them - in front of an audience they are so focused, absorb everything and create a wonderful childhood memory.
