Five Benefits of Ballet for Children

Take the time to enrol your child in ballet class. Every single time you leave the house and dash to ballet class will be another day you give your child a creative outlet. Ballet for children adds confidence, exercise, focus, culture, and bonding. It gives children an appreciation for music and rhythm and generates a gift of movement.

1. Confidence. Very young children and especially toddlers have a great deal of confidence. They lose this trait around three years old and become shy and clinging. With ballet, your child can just let go and enjoy a medium that gives them hours of pleasure. You will be amazed at what a group ballet dance class can do for self-esteem.

Ballet improves mental and emotional health. Instil a sense of pride in a student and boost self-esteem. As children master more challenging movements they feel self-assured and empowered. Pride, empowerment, confidence carries over into other areas of their lives.

2. Focus. Focus is always an issue with young children. With ballet, your child learns to become attentive and focused. They discover what it means to pay attention and follow the group. They focus on body movements.

3. Exercise. Ballet for children or ballet class for toddlers is perfect for strength, flexibility and how to move. Any type of exercise should be fun and creative. Ballet is the key in starting children off with the right foot and being active. Ballet for children boosts coordination and balance. It helps to correct poor alignment. Ballet that includes jumping and leaping and increases heart rates. Physical activity improves stamina, cardiovascular health, and endurance. Ballet improves physical self-control.

4. Education. Ballet can be a gateway for instilling in children a love of music and culture. There is a definite educational benefit of ballet. Students, no matter what the age, are exposed to a combination of movement, performance, learning and memorising. They enhance their sensory awareness and cognition. Memory, learning, and consciousness with what is going on around them are skills that will benefit children in all areas of life.

5. Social awareness and bonding. What a great social outlet for children. Ballet for kids can help young children develop social skills. Teamwork, communication, trust, and cooperation are a part of ballet. New friendships happen and shyness becomes a trait of the past. Being in a group and performing in front of an audience enhances bonding between dance mates.

Exposure to sports, the arts and groups help children become well-rounded. Dancing is the perfect medium for girls and boys. Ballet is an great gateway into tap dancing, hip-hop, Latin dance, and jazz. Ballet classes for toddlers help little ones learn to follow instructions, gain a sense of discipline, and find how to control their bodies while in motion.

When children are young, things tend to come easy for them. As they experience ballet at an early age, they are learning an awesome art form, and also being trained for the life that is still ahead of them.

Click Here to find out more about us and kids ballet classes at Tippy Toes Ballet

Step of the Week: Plié

Step of the Week!
Our step of this week at Tippy Toes Ballet is a plie. What is a plie?.................Well a plié [plee-AY] is one of the more basic steps in ballet, but it’s arguably the most important as its often the beginning and ending of the majority of steps. Why not practice plies with your little one or see if you can spot how many plies we do in each of your little ones Tippy Toes Ballet class!

Step of the week: 1st Position in Ballet

Our step of this week at Tippy Toes Ballet is 1st position.

There are five different positions of the feet in ballet that define standard placements of feet on the floor. 1st position is when the toes point in opposite directions, with heels touching.

At Tippy Toes Ballet we like to make 1st position magical as we usually always start each exercise in this position.

Why not practice 1st position with your little one or see if you can spot how many times we do 'magic toes' or 'penguin feet' in our Tippy Toes Ballet class!

Nicola & Emma x

The benefits of dance for young children

With dance children not only learn how to have fun and be creative, they learn so many great attributes. Kids dance class is one of the best ways to get out all of that energy whilst learning discipline.

One of the most rewarding things that a parent has said to us here at Tippy Toes Ballet, is that their child started ballet class as a shy little person, and now they have blossomed into a self confident little ballet dancer! Just watching a child gallop alone, without holding on to Mummy or Daddy's hand is a delight, especially if they have previously seemed very shy about galloping!

We love to share in ballet class and we also love to have friends and hold hands. We find it so rewarding when children can skip around in a big circle together without needing a teacher. We want to teach children to work as a team as well as learning how to dance on their own.

Dancing to music at such a young age is always good for a child's musicality. They learn rhythms and how to count in dance without realising it. They also learn how to concentrate for a little longer each class, so that eventually they can remember an exercise or a short dance on their own.

Mostly we try to give children a wonderful ballet experience in each class so that they will fall in love with dance.

Love Nicola x

Bloch Paris Teacher Shoes Review

Within the last couple of years I have had problems with my achilles, so I have had to start wearing shoes with a heel since I teach quite a few classes a week.  I have tried a few different makes of teaching shoes, but so far have found these Bloch Paris Teaching shoes at Dancemania to be the most comfortable. 

The leather is so soft and they aren't too tight around my foot.

I found them for the lowest price at Dancemania which offers a great range of dance shoes and dance wear, they have great discounts for teachers, and I also really love their blog.

Love Nicola x

Move Dancewear - Great dance wear at great prices!

Move dancewear has launched it's very own range, and if you are looking to kit your child or yourself out in dance wear for any dance class, there is no need to look any further.

The quality of the fabric is beautiful. I wore the Caprice Leotard and footed tights to ballet class, and the fabric was so soft. The leotard is lined with a shelf bra that actually fits, not like other brands that are usually too small, and the tights were the softest I may have ever worn!

Move Caprice Leotard £14.50 and Move Footed Ballet Tights from £4.50

One of my tiny ballerina's has the Lottie Skirted leotard, and it is again beautifully soft and the skirt is lovely and floaty.  Perfect for any princess ballerina at Tippy Toes Ballet!

Move Lottie Skirted Leotard £12.50

Above all, I was blown away by the price of each item. I don't think I have come across such good quality dance wear at such a reasonable price before.

Take a look for yourself at the Move Dancewear website HERE

You can connect with Move Dancewear on Facebook HERE

Happy shopping!

Love Nicola x

Ballerina Pop Up Shop

I have opened a facebook shop. I am having a lovely time sourcing beautiful ballet items for little ones! If only we could wear tutu's all the time!

My facebook page is always open, and items can be bought with paypal or bank transfer, and posted out, or if you are one of my ballet mums, I can deliver to the Tippy Toes Ballet classes that I teach. (in Hertfordshire)

Take a look at some of my stock:

Sequin Trim Leotard Dress £16.50 Age 4-6

Beautiful Tutu Dress £16.50 Age 3-5 years

Rainbow Pastel Tutu £7.50 Age 4-8 years

Bloch Desdemona Tutu Dress £18.95 Age 2-4

Bloch Agena Tutu Dress £16.50 Age 2-4 years

1st Position Short Sleeved Leotard £9.75

1st Position long sleeved cross-over cardigan £8.50

Dancing Diva's Vanity Case £7.20

 To check out my facebook page, go here:  www.facebook.com/ballerinapopupshop
Love Nicola x

Beautiful Ballet Hair Accessories

Take a look at these gorgeous hair accessories for children and adults. 

Baby Pink Hair clips

These are hand made by dancer Natasha Creek, who is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Dance in London.
Having dance and teaching experience, she knows which materials to use so that these beautiful hair accessories won't catch on things or be itchy or irritable.

Foam Flower Hair Slides

All of Natasha's accessories can double as summer wear to brighten up any girls hair. Some of the bigger pieces also suit wedding hair pieces for brides, bridesmaids and flower girls. 

Flower Hair Barrette

Natasha's shop Baby Bunheads is over on Etsy. She ships worldwide and also handles custom orders.
You can also find Natasha on Facebook HERE




Love Nicola x

The Perfect Ballet Gifts

Recently I came across some gorgeous gifts from Dancemania that would be ideal for mum’s little dancers; ideal for keeping them inspired when in and out of the studio. Or even a perfect idea for goodie bags if you are holding your own ballet party - and all of them come under £6 too!

No perfectly pinned bun is complete without some added hair accessories.

Ballet clips £1.50

These ballet clips are the perfect solution for any mums having trouble getting their little dancers to sit still whilst doing their hair. There will be smiles all round as your child will love these pretty little hair clips, she’ll carry that smile to class for sure.

Packing a dance bag or keeping it tidy can sometimes be a struggle, so I have chosen this handy ballerina shoe bag which I think will excite your little dancers.

Ballerina Shoe Bag £5.95

Being responsible for their very own bag for their own shoes means there will be so no more time wasting untangling laces.

Along with the shoe bag, the pink dancer heart drinks bottle will make sure that your little dancer will remember to take a drink with them, excited by their very own bottle means it’s one less thing for mums to worry about.

Drinks bottle £4.00

Making sure your money is safe and secure when sending your little dancers off to their dance class is very important. Dance purses are perfect for keeping coins at bay and as an added extra they come with a selection of hairbands just in case your child’s hair becomes loose during class. £1.75

Dance Purse £1.75

What a great little selection of little ballerina presents!

Love Nicola x

Cinderella Ballet Workshop in Hitchin, Hertfordshire!

We are holding a magical Cinderella Ballet Workshop on the 15th August for 3-7 year olds.

We are so excited about all the Cinderella fun we can have! Plans are already underway as to what props we will be using, and what lovely sparkly items we might make to go to the ball with!

We absolutely love using our imaginations here at Tippy Toes Ballet, and can't wait to see what all the children come up with whilst being taken on a Cinderella journey.

Of course, we encourage dress up and are looking forward to seeing what our ballet dancer's come dressed as! In fact, we may just have a lovely ballet prize for the best dressed Prince or Princess!

If you would like to book your child into our 2 1/2 hour workshop, just visit our website HERE and fill out our online registration form.

For more information contact nicola@tippytoesballet.co.uk

Ballet Blinds

Margot Fonteyn
Credit: Sasha/Getty Images

Recently I came across these gorgeous ballet blinds. They would certainly look great in a girls bedroom or give inspiration to young dancers in a studio.

They are made by Creatively Different Designer Blinds, a company that offer digitally-printed  roller blinds using your own photo or logo. They also have an extensive selection of images for use, including this great ballet range. They are a UK company but ship worldwide, and you can have the blinds made to your own measurements.

My favourite one is this Margot Fonteyn print above, the most beautiful ballerina of all time. 

(in my humble opinion!) 

Take a look at the rest of the collection, they are just lovely:

Female Ballet Dancer holding Male Ballet Dancer
Credit: John Lund/Paula Zacharias

Alicia Markova as Sugar Plum Fairy, photograph Gordon Anthony, 1950
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

 

Ballet Slippers
Credit: Mike Kemp

Alicia Markova as Giselle, photograph Gordon Anthony, 1937
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Margot Fonteyn in Swan Lake, photograph Gordon Anthony, 1945
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

 

 

Pink Ballet Shoes
Credit: Tom Grill/Getty Images

What a great way to display a beautiful ballet print, don't you think?

 Love Nicola x

Tippy Toes Ballet Parties

 At Tippy Toes Ballet we have started hosting ballet parties.

We had so much fun at the last one we decided to make a little video!

If you are interested in hiring us for a party, take a look at our website for more information.
Nicola x

Tippy Toes Ballet Infographic

A Tippy Toes Ballet friendship - Emma and Nicola

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.”

- C.S.Lewis

Emma and I have been friends since we were 15 years old. 

I had successfully secured a place at The Dance School of Scotland, a full time vocational dance school in Glasgow.
 I was visiting for the first time after my audition to have a look around, watch a ballet class, check out our halls of residence, and meet the teachers.

That day will forever be imprinted in my memory, for it was the first day of the rest of my life. I knew that by getting a place at the school, I was about to embark on a journey that I had always longed for. I had known since I was as young as 8 years old that I would be a dancer, and by being at this school, my dreams were falling into place.

The class I watched was Emma's class. Everyone in that class had something special. I had never seen such a high standard of ballet before, only in a theatre. I knew then that I had a lot of work to do, but that I was in the right place to do it.

When I started in the autumn term, I was in Emma's year. Emma and I soon became firm friends. I suddenly felt like there was someone who was just like me. Emma had the same outlook on life, the same passion, the same dream. We became as close as sisters, going on holiday together, sharing our secrets, planning our lifes. Those days were filled with excitement about what was yet to come.

After school finished at 17, We decided to go to the same performing arts college in London. We lived together, worked hard and worked through our insecurities about life after college, we were still excited about becoming professional dancers, but we were nervous. What if it didn't work out for us? What if the competition was too great? We also faced the day when we had to go our separate ways, we couldn't stay together forever.

Emma and I were blessed to have professional dance careers lasting over 10 years, which for a dancer, is good innings! But, of course, we were no where near each other for those years. We would visit each other when we could, but it was very rarely. We managed to meet up in the Bahamas for a day once and we laughed at how strange it all was!

We kept in contact and went about our own lives, but it's a funny thing, you never really know how much you have missed someone until you are with them again. Every time Emma and I saw each other, it was like no time had passed, except we were both more wordly,  a bit older and more confident.

A couple of years ago, we both realised that we still had the exact same interests, and that instead of  performing we wanted to give back. We both felt it was time to pass on all that we had been taught and loved so passionately when we were younger. The joy that we get from dance is always there, and to help children find that joy is priceless.

So we set up Tippy Toes Ballet, and whatever people say about not mixing friendship with business just doesn't seem to apply to us. We have such similar ideas and ways of doing things that we only help to spur each other on. We have always been there for each other, cheering each other on, helping each other see their true potential, and with Tippy Toes Ballet there is no difference.

There is no better way to share a passion, than with a true friend like Emma.

Love Nicola x

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