Why Dance?

In this time of economic incertainty, quality is an important consideration when spending money. Invest in an activity that will last a lifetime with your child. Introducing your child to an art form such as dance will broaden their knowledge to a new exciting level. Careful consideration deciding what activities are best for your child and the right place to send them is a must.

Benefits
The coordination, strength, poise, quick thinking and quick movement developed through quality training lasts a lifetime. Don't forget the possibility of college scholarships acquired through dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading, as well as career in dance. Although proper dance training takes a lot of hard work, in today's busy schedules, dance is form of stress release for children and adults. Dance is a joy that should last forever. The quick thinking and quick moves developed through dance will help a child's mind learn and study all forms of education at a faster pace, if taught by a well qualified and caring teacher.

Why Our Dance Studio?
In the United States, dance instructors are not required to pass any criteria to open a studio. Therefore, parents need to thoroughly investgate studios. The teacher must be selected carefully because poor training can do serious damage to both the body and the techniques of the dancer.

Quality:
We give quality training to all ages and levels by a faculty carefully chosen by the artisitc director.

Economy:
Reasonable tuition for professional training. Our dance training is top notch, but we try to make it easy on the parents so that more children can experience the art of dance. Our annual dance recital is optional. Well done and entertaining, our recital showcases the talent and progress of the students in a professional atmosphere without putting a severe strain on your budget.

Class Variety:
You have a choice at the Debby Dillehay Dance Studio. Our studio offers class levels for every type of dancer including wonderful recreational programs to our strong advanced competitive programs.

Service:
Having two classrooms at our studio allows us to offer a wide range of classes at various times of the week.

Morality:
We strive to be good role models for your children. Be sure that the values of the studio you choose are in line with your own or your child may feel uneasy in that dance environment. Our faculty is instructed to screen all music used in class for improper lyrics.

Dependability:
Debby Dillehay has over 25 years teaching experience and has been at the same Kenner location since 1983.

Wood Floors:
The cushioning of our wood floors helps reduce fatigue and prevent injuries. Dance flooring should never be tile or concrete. Dancing on this type of surface can cause serious stress fractures and injuries to feet, ankles, legs, hips and back.

Personalization:
Reasonably sized classes mean individualized attention. The variety of our class schedule allows us to set a schedule to benefit each student's needs to improve.

Opportunity:
for performing, competing and career training are offered.

Extra Curricular Activites:
Include guest teachers, workshops and convention classes, competiton, performance opportunities with our dance company and field trips to dance concerts. (Please note that these extra activites are not included in tuition.)

New waiting room monitors : If you would like to watch your child’s class, you may do so by either our viewing windows or our TV monitors located in our waiting room.

Less recital Hastle: Even though we order our costumes already made, sometimes adjustments have to be made. You may do this here at our studio using our in house seamstress.
CONVENIENCE: We sell the dance shoes you will need for class at our studio.  This helps with uniformity in our classes and recital, but also makes it a “One Stop Shopping” experience for you.

Choosing the Right Preschool Program
In the United States, dance instructors are not required to pass any examination criteria to open a dance studio. This information should give you a better insight on why to pick our studio for your preschoolers dance education.

AS A TEACHER:

The decision to teach dance to the preschool age child is one which requires much thought and planning. While teaching students at a very young age can be rewarding for the student, parents and teacher, a poorly developed program can be harmful, driving many students from dance for the rest of their lives as well as possibly doing serious damage to both the body and technique of the dancer.
Teaching children three to six years of age is a very different task than teaching an older child. The preschool aged child is not as fully developed physically or mentally, in most individuals, as the school aged child. Therefore a greater degree of patience, tender loving care and gentle discipline is required of the instructor.
Debby Dillehay has been certified by test to teach not only by her dance instructor, but by Louisiana Association of Dance Masters and nationally by Dance Masters of America and Dance Educators of America. She trains her faculty on the same strict guidelines so that all faculty members teaching preschool classes are teaching the same materials.

CLASS LEVELS:
(As Recommended by Discovery Health Network)
Our preschool classes are divided into four distinct levels:
(1) Mom and Tot
(2) Primary for ages 2½-4 years of age
(3) PK for ages 4 and 5 and
(4) K for age 5-6.
Each level is specifically designed for that particular age bracket. Classes are one hour consisting of tap, ballet and basic tumbling to give the student a well-rounded start and to keep their interest with variety. Ballet is the best subject to build technical strength and posture, tap works on speed and intricacy with tumbling for strength.
Each class involves creative movement and much song and dance. We use a “color and learn” program where students take home a picture of a character performing a certain step they may have learned that day and are instructed to color the picture. This adds fun to the learning process.

Scarves, swimming noodles, hoops, stuffed animals, etc. are used to develop creativity and stir the student’s interest.  Debby and Staci have been trained in the Leap n Learn (LnL) early childhood development pre-ballet program personally by author Beverly Spell and child psychologist, Dr. Annie W. Spell.  The rest of the faculty has now been trained in the LnL program by Debby and it will be incorporated into our program. LnL provides a framework for motor, perceptual and cognitive skills teaching meaningful movement, not just copying. LnL aids our already successful program addressing the many factors that make up dance: musical awareness, relating to dance space, movement concepts, pantomine, performing and many more. Pretend play/dance is an important factor in a child developing a perspective of the world around them.  LnL is designed to develop the “whole brain” with the right hemisphere accessing feeling and emotion and the left hemisphere serving as the technician or organizer.  This program also teaches that introducing a child to movement and its concept will help to ensure a lifetime of good health. 

Middle School and Upper Level Classes:
More variety is offered at this stage including jazz, pointe, musical theatre and lyrical as well as tap and ballet. We recommend students take a well-rounded course if they wish to become the best dancer possible. As you progress up to the levels, the work is harder to achieve the proper techniques, strength and flexability.

TO MAKE THE PARENT COMFORTABLE:
Even though parents are not allowed in the classroom, we believe you should always be allowed to watch what is going on in your child’s class.  Therefore, we have large television monitors in the waiting room for you to observe.  We also use age appropriate music for your child as well as age appropriate costumes in our recital.  Parental involvement is very important to the success of each child.

FOR THE CHILD:

Young dancers should be instructed in the following:
1. Dancers never run in the studio, especially in their tap shoes. They are slippery and you may fall.
2. Dancers never chew gum as it is dangerous if you swallow it.
3. Dancers always tie their hair up.
4. Never hang on the ballet barres.
5. Listen to your teachers. They want to help you become a beautiful dancer.
6. Be polite to your classmates.

I sincerely hope this information helps you make this very important decision.
Debby Dillehay