Like many little girls, my 3 and ½ year old daughter Avery is obsessed with tutus - I am pretty sure I own them in every color and style. She also loves to pretend she’s a ballerina. I put 2 and 2 together, and figured that signing her up for a ballet class would be something she would really enjoy. (And, selfishly for me…it would be really adorable to watch.) So, I registered Avery for the fall session of “I Can Dance” Classes at the Dance Center of Severna Park. She would get a leotard and have fun, and I would get some cute pictures – it seemed like a win-win.
I definitely did get my share of cute pictures (see below)…but I also got SO much more! The girls were taught ballet and tap technique, as well as musical rhythm. I was BEYOND impressed with the quality of instruction and all the things my daughter actually learned – like, REALLY learned. I cannot say enough good things about Avery’s teacher, Miss Kellie. She really has a gift in how she communicates with a group of 10 or so 3 year old girls; she commands their attention while still being a sweet and encouraging instructor – it’s amazing!
The Dance Center is located in the Severna Park Community Center, and there are chairs for parents to watch the children during their classes. Week after week, the girls all responded to Miss Kellie so well; personally for me, she really left a lasting impression on my daughter. Avery would talk in length at home about ballet terms like “relevee” and “plie” and know EXACTLY what they meant. She would repeatedly pretend that she was Miss Kellie, and instruct her student (my almost 2 year old daughter, Madeleine) to touch her toes while saying “Don’t Bend Your Knees”. Even my 2 year old now lines up her toy dolls and tells them to do the same – you can’t make this stuff up! What really stood out to me the most was that Miss Kellie expected the girls to actually listen to her direction and to respond appropriately. To me, it was a great lesson in not only dance, but learning to respect a teacher and fellow classmates. We also had the pleasure of having Miss Jennie for one class as a substitute teacher – she was fantastic as well!
https://youtu.be/FcgXRTdBcSg
As you can see, I am so thrilled I signed my daughter up for classes. It certainly was cute watching her dance, but the joy on her face when she got to “gallop” in her tap shoes toward the end of each session was priceless. Jump on your chance to sign your child up for dance classes before they fill up. You won’t regret it, and if you’re like me, you’ll be signing up again for the next session!
The Spring Session of I Can Dance begins March 6th! Find more information about this amazing dance program here. Don't forget to tell them Macaroni Kid sent you!
