Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts

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Early Childhood Development
  Early Childhood Development classes follow the guidelines established by the National Standards in Arts Education for developmentally appropriate activities for children in each age group. Children of this age are not yet developmentally ready for formal ballet training, yet need quality courses designed to stimulate imagination and foster coordination. Grouping by age levels is very important during this phase of development regardless of the intellectual level of each child. During the first phase (Ages 3-4) a child is introduced to the arts, therefore this phase is the most important.
Training should be extremely nurturing, full of imagination and creativity and provide a gentle structure for development. The next phase (Ages 4-5) is a continuation of the first but begins to structure exercises differently. More emphasis is placed on differentiating gross motor skill activities while still allowing a creative aspect. Coordination activities are used to link the mind, listening skills, and gross motor skills.

The third level is preparatory for the first level of classical ballet development and/or prelude to future studies in voice/acting and movement. During this level young children are gently introduced to a more structured class, pattern and formation, spatial awareness but never engaging in the discipline of classical ballet studies until the bones and muscles are developed in the young child.

Early Childhood Classes


Partnering w/Parents….3 ½ - 4

(no charge for parents to participate) Based on a “Mommy and Me” concept, this class is designed to allow children to feel comfortable with their environment by including a parent (mom, dad or both) while introducing concepts used in dance. EVSPA provides a safe environment with well developed curriculum that was formulated on the principles of Early Childhood Development and what is appropriate for young children between 3 and 4. The direction is to allow expressive behavior but with gentle and nurturing guidance and creative exercises. This class preludes the next levels of dance/ballet.

Pre Ballet (4 ½  and 5 ½)   

Although the discipline of traditional classical ballet studies should not begin until the age of 7, EVSPA’s curriculum offers this interim class as a guide to insure those ambitious youngsters who want to do “ballet” with appropriate concepts and preliminary body positions until it is safe to place them through a true technical classical ballet regiment of exercises and combinations.

Creative expressions      (6-7)  

This course is designed for the extroverted child who enjoys overt expression and works well outside the box. These children enjoy exploring a theme per quarter such as; The Circus, Fairytales and Storybooks, The Jungle and others through songs, acting and movement. This course is introductory to Musical Theater I.