Monday, October 25, 2010

Balance, Flexibility, and Coordination


What an amazing month October has turned out to be! Our students have LOVED the classes and have had so much fun they haven't even noticed how their balance, flexibility, and coordination have improved! It's spectacular to see the growth of students, and their growth is abundantly clear in just a couple of the moves we learned this month. Let's take one student for example:

During our first lesson in October we learned how to stretch our arms and legs while balancing on our bottoms. We stretch out, say, "Hello!" and then crumple up into a ball saying, "Goodbye!" all while balancing on our bottoms. Needless to say this is pretty tough for young ones. It not only requires balance, flexibility, and coordination but the heavy use of their abdominal muscles. During our first class she rested on her arms, rolled onto her back, and continued to touch her feet to the ground for stability. We kept at it though! After a couple of weeks of practice, continued encouragement, and reminders of what our muscles should feel like while balancing she now is able to do the stretch beautifully while balancing, all while pointing her toes!! Isn't the picture above just beautiful! Fantastic job!!

It's great achievements like this that prove how important it is to keep on trying! Our students learn this important lesson during class and are able to transcribe it to their every day lives. Giving up is not an option. Not in dance class and definitely not during their school work. We teach not only balance, flexibility, and coordination but life skills that will continue to shine through in each of our students' lives!

I can't wait for November and all of the great times it will bring us!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall from the Philly Region! Our classes are underway and it is so great to see all of our returning dancers and to meet all of our new dancers! There is nothing better than seeing returning students who are so excited to start class and who spread that enthusiasm to the new students joining us!

One of our favorite activities by far this month is our Hansel and Gretel story! Our little ones love "cleaning" our classroom and then going out and playing and dancing in the woods. We are noticing a lot of fun fall stuff in our journeys through the woods. One of our little boys noticed how all of the leaves were changing and falling all over the forest. He also told us to be very careful while we were dancing so we didn't slip on any of the leaves and fall down! We also are learning to be very, very sneaky and quiet as we tip-toe up to the candy house and munch on some of our favorite candies!

We are also finding out this month how important it is to warm up our muscles before we begin dancing. Our little ones are learning how to sit up "straighto greato" and follow along as we stretch out our muscles and warm up before we start dancing. We love riding our bicycles in the air and walking the tightrope with tiptoes!

Our students are all looking forward to Halloween and trick-or-treating at the end of the month. They have been "painting" pictures with their imaginations of their costumes and fun Halloween things like candy and carving pumpkins. We have also done our good-bye dance at the end of class with everyone dancing like their costumes have come to life! What a fun mix of princesses, fairies, super heroes, and animals! Our dancers really know how to use their imaginations and make creative dances to go along with whatever our theme is for the month!!

Happy Fall Everyone!!
-Ashley O'Neill

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Going Batty for the Fall!

Classes are underway in Northern Virginia and we are off to a great start! I always enjoy the beginning of a new session; getting to meet new friends and giving hugs to the returning students.

This a great time to start with the basics of dance- good placement, balance, and foot positions-and our dancers are doing a great job! Its so nice to see dancers on their carpet squares with perfect "straighto greato" backs and showing great body placement. I especially love when I am reminded to sit "straighto greato" by one of my students.

Even though we are working hard on establishing techniques, we are always enhancing our creative thinking. Our students love closing their eyes and using their bodies to paint beautiful pictures. Its great to see them really concentrate on painting to the music. They are also doing a great job, using their bodies to make shapes at "The Shape Shop". We are having fun with everything, but the most fun so far is the "Batty Bat Dance"; our dancers are having such a great time putting on their bat wings, flying like bats and of course doing bat hops! This is a great dance and a fun way to learn to count in threes. With dances like this, its no wonder we are going Batty for the fall!

We are looking forward to learning more dance moves and getting ready for the holidays!!

Happy Fall!
~Miss Jenn~

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Greetings from Central New York!

What a fantastic fall we're having here in New York! The leaves are all changing bright reds, oranges, and yellows ... just gorgeous! The new program is up and running with some absolutely wonderful students! I must say I already see the benefit of the program with a couple of the little ones and would love to share one story!

One of our little ones happens to be very shy. In the first class she did not want to participate at all. It was even hard to get a smile! Five weeks in and she's now participating, and I must say her technique is fantastic! Her school teachers have informed me that she has been dancing in her classroom between lessons and reaching out to more children since she started with LPCW. How amazing and rewarding!

We're so excited for October and the new centers that are signing on. We look forward to many more stories like this one!

Happy dancing! Happy fall!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Greenville, NC Happenings!

We've had a great start to the year!  Many new schools have been added and our schedules are filling up!  It has been great to see faces from last year; as well as all the new ones in class.  We are moving into our favorite time of year---the holidays are so much fun in class.  It's not too late to register---so feel free to give us a ring if your child wishes to join us.  We want to welcome our newest schools to the program this year--and we're so glad you have joined us!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Congratulations to Charlotte Montessori for being our featured school of the month. They have been with LPCW since we started in the Charlotte region. We really enjoy working with their faculty, parents, and most importantly children. They give high praises to our curriculum and presentation of our program. Thanks Charlotte Montessori for your continued support.