We’re delighted to announce a very special festive dance experience coming to SK Dance Studio this Christmas Eve, 24th December 2016.
We’re very lucky to have Northern Ballet School graduate and ex professional dancer Nicola Ciotta with us, who comes all the way from New York where she now runs her own dance school. Nicola will be leading the Nutcracker Workshop for us, which is designed to bring the magic of this timeless classical ballet to life for four to twelve year olds.
Nutcracker Ballet Workshop - 10am to 1pm, 24th December 2016 at SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge
Boys and girls aged 4 through to 12 years old are all welcome, regardless of whether they’re an existing SK Dance Studio pupil. And given the workshop spans a whole 3 hours, parents can use the time to do their last minute Christmas shopping, wrapping or other preparations!
Our Nutcracker Ballet workshop includes:
Ballet warm up
Learn choreography from the famous “Snowflake Scene”
Let’s be Clara
Dress up
Nutcracker story time
Paint & take home your own Nutcracker
And more!
Cost – £15 for full 3 hours including refreshments
21 year old Ben Gambles from Wigan was a pretty fit guy. He ate well, trained at the gym three times a week and was a keen runner to boot. So when his friend Katherine suggested they join an adult ballet class together, he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Ben thought his existing workout regime meant all his fitness bases were already covered
“With my gym regime and long runs, I felt pretty sure I was covering all the fitness bases already” said Ben. “I’d never even considered a dance class before. I was worried I’d be no good and to be honest, I’d always thought ballet classes were mainly for girls.” But despite his apprehension, Ben decided to give it a shot. “I’ve always been one to try new things and I didn’t want to appear narrow-minded, so I just thought – why not?”
Ben and Katherine went along to the adult ballet class at SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge, Wigan, taught by the dance school’s principal Susan Kielb.
“I was really nervous about my first class, but I needn’t have been” said Ben. “Everyone was really welcoming and friendly. Although there were people with different levels of experience in the group, Susan made time to break the steps down. This really helped me to understand the technical aspects of the exercises and what I was aiming to achieve.”
After a couple of classes, Ben was hooked and keen to learn.
Ben found ballet uses lots of muscles he'd previously neglected
“Although professional dancers make ballet look easy, it’s actually one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I’ve ever done. But that also makes it one of the most rewarding” continued Ben.
“Ballet class offers a really thorough all-over workout and uses muscles that my usual fitness regime hardly touches. It’s helped me to build incredible core strength, has made me more flexible than ever before and has massively improved my stamina. All these things have positively impacted both my gym work and my runs. I generally feel healthier and more energised.”
As well as the physical benefits, Ben’s also noticed the positive effect of ballet classes on his mental wellbeing.
“Conquering new steps gives a real sense of achievement, but it’s not just about the technical aspect of the class” said Ben. “Ballet is about bringing everything together to create something special – the steps; the way your body moves; your breathing; the music; how you feel; and your sense of timing. It’s great for the body, the mind and the soul.”
Ballet demands real power and strength - it's as demanding as any serious sport
Asked if he’d recommend ballet classes to his mates at the gym, Ben has no hesitation. “Absolutely yes – in fact I already have” said Ben.
“Don’t let the untrue stereotypical view of male dancers affect your decision to join a class. The power and strength required for ballet makes it more mentally and physically demanding than a lot of serious sports – it’s tough. Ballet needs more men and boys to get involved and since I joined SK Dance Studio’s adult class about a year ago, a couple of other guys have joined too. It’s been great to see.”
Ben has progressed into SK Dance Studio’s advanced adult ballet class and is now tackling much harder steps and enchainment. “Susan is a fantastic ballet teacher. She encourages you to push yourself, because she knows what you’re capable of achieving and wants you to be the best dancer you can be. I think Susan enjoys the class as much as we all do.”
As well as the support of his teacher, Ben also values the camaraderie and team spirit within the group. “If someone’s struggling, we’ll work together to go over things, or give each other big clap when we’ve conquered a step. It’s a really fun class – we laugh a lot.”
“I can’t recommend adult ballet classes at SK Dance Studio highly enough” he continued. “If you’re thinking about it, then just go for it. You never know until you try and it might just be your talent.”
Why not try an adult ballet class for yourself? Come along to SK Dance Studio and give it a go!
We’re all getting excited for our upcoming performance at The Opera House Theatre, Blackpool Winter Gardens on Saturday 30th April 2106. As you’ll have seen in class, all our dancers have been working really hard and our Riverdance-inspired tap routine is really taking shape now.
A full dress rehearsal for ALL dancers taking part will be held on Sunday 24th April at Shevington Community Centre. Everyone will need to arrive, dressed in full costume, ready for a 2.00pm start. The rehearsal will last until 3.30pm. The fee for this session is £3, payable with your Saturday class fees on 23rd April.
We’d be really grateful if you’d make every effort to attend this rehearsal as it’s the final opportunity before the show for all dancers to work together.
It’s where we finalise spacing, and where we make sure that everyone knows their cues and places throughout the whole routine when all class groups dance at the same time.
It’s important that costumes are fully finished and worn by dancers throughout the duration of the rehearsal. If there are any ‘wardobe malfunctions’ this is where they’ll be spotted so they can be fixed before the Opera House show!
We’ve put together a full checklist below which includes all the information you need to know about costumes and hair. However if you have any questions at all, then don’t hesitate to ask us.
Costume for younger groups (11.30am class and younger):
Green velvet sequin-trimmed dress with white net underskirt
Plain white knickers (the high waisted ‘granny’ style with good coverage!)
White ballet socks
White tap shoes (tied with green ribbon – Susan to supply)
Stage make-up (blusher, blue eye shadow, red lips)
Hair “half up, half down” style as per image:
Front section secured with plain elastic bobble
Dressed with green ribbon (Susan to supply ribbon)
For April 30th show, please curl damp hair overnight with curly rags or similar
Neatly hairsprayed into place with plain bobby pins to secure
Costume for older groups (12.30pm class and older):
Green velvet sequin-trimmed dress with white net underskirt
Black opaque tights
Black tap shoes (tied with green ribbon – Susan to supply)
Black leather ballet shoes (those doing soft-shoe part of routine only)
Stage make-up (blusher, blue eye shadow, red lips)
Hair “half up, half down” style as detailed above and shown in image
Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for our Blackpool performance. With so many dancers and parents in the building at the same time, we know it will be a little hectic at the dress rehearsal on Sunday 24th April, so we thank you in advance for your patience. It’ll be worth it when your tap superstars make you so very proud on stage at the Opera House!
We’re really excited to announce that Hannah Wilson, professional dancer and musical theatre cast member of “Fame – The Musical”, is coming to SK Dance Studio to run a special Fame workshop!
Open to everyone aged 6 years old and upwards, the workshop will take place at Shevington Youth Club on Sunday 28th February 2016 between 12 noon and 1.30pm. You don’t have to be an existing SK Dance Studio pupil to attend – this special class is open to all.
“This is sure to be a really fun class” said Susan Kielb, Principal of SK Dance Studio. “We’re thrilled that Hannah is able to come and give our dancers a taste of what it takes to star in a huge professional musical like Fame”.
During the hour and 30 minute workshop, you’ll learn some of the iconic dance routines from the show and get a taster of what it’s like to audition for a big musical theatre production. Regardless of age or experience, you’re sure to have huge amounts of fun!
About Hannah Wilson – Professional Dancer
Hannah Wilson is a performing arts graduate from Studio La Pointe in Leeds. She has performed in stage productions of Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland, was a semi-finalist on the TV show “Got to Dance” and has worked as a professional dancer with Pacific Pearl Australia before winning a role in Bill Kenwright’s “Fame the Musical” production, touring both the UK and Ireland.
To reserve your place:
If you have any questions, or would like to reserve a place, either call Susan 07952 864 084 , send us an email, or send us a Facebook message. We just need the name and date of birth of the dancer.
The workshop costs just £10 per person, payable ASAP after booking.
The SK Dance Studio Fame workshop will take place at:
Shevington Youth Club and Community Centre
Highfield Avenue
Shevington
Wigan
WN6 8HB.
It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
As you’ll no doubt have heard on the news, many parts of Lancashire were affected by terrible flooding as 2015 drew to a close. It’s been a really difficult time for many communities across the UK, including our very own community of Appley Bridge, as properties became overwhelmed by flood water.
The SK Dance team were devastated when on Boxing Day, our dance studio in the hall at The Vale Methodist Church in Appley Bridge was flooded, along with the meeting space in the adjoining room.
Once the water receded, Susan and friends of the church tried their hardest to make the space usable for the first dance classes of 2016, but for the immediate future at least, it’s now clear that we’ll need to move to an alternative venue whilst building works are carried out to refurbish the hall.
At this point, it’s not known exactly how long it will take before we’re able to return to The Vale, though the estimate is currently thought to be in months rather than weeks.
SK Dance Studio classes will continue at an alternative venue Please see below for temporary venue arrangements
In the meantime, we’ve arranged alternative temporary local venues for all our classes. You can find details below and also on our Facebook and Google Plus pages.
We know the next few months will be a bit awkward and we truly are very sorry for the inconvenience our dancers and parents will face. But we hope you’ll agree that SK Dance isn’t about the bricks and mortar of our hall, it’s about our wonderful, talented dancers and the high quality of tuition delivered by our dedicated teachers. Regardless of the temporary venue we use, that will never change!
We really hope you’ll stick with us whilst the building works take place. We have a wonderful year of dance to look forward to, with ISTD exams, a big show production at Blackpool Winter Gardens and our own full dance school show in the summer.
We’re determined that this awful flooding won’t beat us and would like to thank everyone for their patience and messages of support whilst we await our return to The Vale.
Update 26/05/16: With effect from today, all classes except those on Thursdays have returned to The Vale! Thursday classes will remain at Shevington Youth Club.
Saturday Classes – Now at Shevington Youth Club
All Saturday classes will be held at Shevington Youth Club & Community Centre starting Saturday 6th February 2016 until further notice. Address: Highfield Avenue, Shevington, WN6 8HB. It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
Timings:
With effect from Saturday 12th March 2016, we’re pleased to confirm that ALL Saturday classes will return to their usual time-slots (that’s the standard class schedule we followed when we were at The Vale). Click here to view our standard timetable.
Monday Adult Ballet Classes – Now at Shevington Youth Club
Our adult ballet class on Mondays will now be held at Shevington Youth Club & Community Centre starting Monday 1st February 2016 until further notice. Address: Highfield Avenue, Shevington, WN6 8HB. It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
Timings:
In line with our usual timetable, adult ballet will run every Monday at 9pm to 10pm.
Tuesday Ballet & Student Classes – Now at Shevington Youth Club
Tuesday ballet classes will now be held at Shevington Youth Club & Community Centre starting Tuesday 2nd February 2016 until further notice. All Cara’s Tuesday classes for older students will also run from this location. Address: Highfield Avenue, Shevington, WN6 8HB. It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
Timings:
All Tuesday ballet and student classes will follow our usual schedule.
Tuesday Adult Tap Classes – Now at Shevington Youth Club
Our Adult Tap classes on Tuesdays will now be held at Shevington Youth Club starting Tuesday 12th January 2016 until further notice. Address: Highfield Avenue, Shevington, WN6 8HB. It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
Timings:
Beginners & Improvers – 8.45pm to 9.30pm
Advanced Tappers – 9.30pm to 10.15pm
Thursday Classes – Now at Shevington Youth Club
All Thursday classes will be held at Shevington Youth Club & Community Centre, starting Thursday 7th Jan 2016 until further notice. Address: Highfield Avenue, Shevington, WN6 8HB. It’s just behind Shevington Methodist Church, down the side of Muffin Man bakery.
Timings:
Grade 2 Ballet – 4.15pm to 5pm
Acro – 5pm to 5.45pm
Street Dance – 5.45pm to 6.15pm
Friday Ballet Babies Classes – Now at All Saints Church, Appley Bridge
Our Friday ‘Mummy & Me’ and ‘Advanced’ Ballet Babies classes will be held at All Saints Church, in Appley Bridge starting Friday 15th January 2106. Address: Finch Lane (off Appley Lane North), Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DT. It’s right next to All Saints Primary School.
An attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest tap dance is to be held on Sunday 15th November 2015 at hundreds of different locations across the UK, in aid of BBC Children in Need…. Including at SK Dance Studio!
Everyone is invited to take part and we’ll be teaching the special Tapathon2015 routine to SK Dance Studio tap pupils and adult tappers in class over the next few weeks. But don’t worry if you’re not perfect – it’s all about joining in, having fun and raising money for a very worthy cause.
What is Tapathon2015?
It’s not about duration – we won’t be dancing for hours. Tapathon is about the number of people across the UK who perform exactly the same routine at exactly the same time on the same day.
How is money raised?
Each tap dancer wishing to take part in Tapathon2015 orders a special Tapathon commemorative T-shirt costing £10 – all proceeds go to Children in Need. If you wish to raise even more money and donate it directly to Children in Need by getting sponsorship – feel free!
How do I register to take part?
To give enough time for the T-Shirts to arrive, you need to register to take part and pay your £10 by Tuesday 6th October. Please place your £10 in an envelope, write your name and t-shirt size (i.e. your usual clothes size for adults, or clothes age for children) on the front, and hand it in to Susan. And that’s it! Just learn the routine in class then come down to SK Dance Studio on Sunday 15th November at 12 noon to join in the fun and hopefully break a World Record!!!
Not danced with us before & want to join in?
No problem! Just come along to any of our tap classes in the run up to the event to learn the routine. Contact Susan to chat about the most appropriate class for you.
SK Dance Studio LOVES tap, so we’re super-excited to be involved in Tapathon2015 to use our love of dance to raise money for this very worthy cause.
Get practicing now with this video of the Tapathon2015 routine!
The results from our recent Allied Dancing Association (ADA) medal tests and ballet exams are in, and we’re delighted to say that they’re absolutely fantastic with a 100% pass rate.
We’d like to say a huge well done to each and every dancer whose hard work has paid off, with everyone securing at least a coveted merit grade or higher, which is an outstanding group achievement.
“I’m thrilled with these results” said Susan Kielb, Principal at SK Dance Studio which is based in Appley Bridge, Wigan. “All our dancers worked very hard to prepare for exam day and I’m delighted that all that work has been rewarded with such great grades. You’ve made Cara and I very proud dance teachers indeed”.
Pupils of all ages took part in the medal tests on July 12th 2015, presenting performance dance pieces for the examiner in tap, ballet and modern dance. Some dancers also took ballet exams.
For some of our younger dancers, this was their first ever dance examination experience, but they overcame their pre-exam jitters and entered the exam room with lovely smiles on their faces, and with poise and grace.
“The Allied Dancing Association medal tests are the ideal complement to the more formal ISTD examinations into which we also enter our pupils” explains Susan. “They’re a great way to build the confidence of our young dancers, giving them an opportunity to really show their dance performance skills. The examiner looks for confidence, style, musicality and presentation, as well as great dance technique. Judging by the excellent grades, the examiner saw all that in spades in our pupils!”.
Congratulations once more to all our dancers. We hope you’re as proud of yourselves as we are!
Presentation Evening
4pm on Saturday 19th September at The Vale
To give our dancers the recognition they deserve, we’re holding a special presentation evening on 19th September at The Vale, starting at 4pm. During the evening, dancers will get an opportunity to perform some of their exam and medal test work for their families, and of course, they’ll be awarded with their well deserved certificates, medals and trophies. We hope that you’ll all be able to join us.
Refreshments will be provided – Tickets are £1 per person at the door.
We’re delighted to publish the timetable for the Allied Dancing Association (ADA) medal tests and exams, which will take place here at SK Dance in the dance studio at The Vale on Sunday 12th of July.
All Saturday pupils apart from the Baby Ballet class will be taking medals tests, along with students who take ballet classes in the week (excluding Baby Ballet).
Medal tests are less formal than an ISTD syllabus-based exam (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing), but they do give dancers a fabulous opportunity to receive recognition for their performance-based dance skills.
Here at SK Dance Studio, we give pupils the opportunity to enter medals tests as well as formal ISTD exams. We’ve found that medal tests are great for building confidence, which helps to prepare pupils for a more formal dance exam situation and of course, getting a medal or a trophy in recognition of their performance gives young dancers a massive sense of achievement.
Please arrive promptly at the time detailed below. As an exam is likely to be taking place in the dance studio when you arrive, we’d be very grateful if you’d be really quiet both outside, and in the waiting area.
Arrival Times
If your usual Saturday class starts at 9.30am, 10am or 11am – Please arrive for your medal test at 1.30pm
If your usual Saturday class starts at 12 noon, 1.15pm or 2.30pm – Please arrive for your medal test at 2.00pm
All Tuesday and Thursday Ballet pupils – Please arrive for your medal test at 4pm
Older grades – please check your specific timeslot with Susan
Hair for Medal Tests & Exams
All pupils should wear their hair in a neat bun which sits just above the nape of the neck. Fringes are not allowed, so if your child has a fringe, please ensure it is pinned back securely and lots of hairspray is used to keep it back! Please use a hairnet and kirby grips to secure your bun in place.
Uniform for Medal Tests & Exams
UNIFORM 9.30 & 10AM SAT CLASSES:
Pink skirted leotard. White ballet socks. Clean white tap shoes with fresh white ribbon. Pink leather ballet shoes for modern. Pink satin ballet shoes for Ballet. If you need ballet socks, please ask Susan.
UNIFORM 11AM SAT CLASS: Plum leotard & plum tights. Black ballet shoes for modern. Clean white tap shoes with fresh white ribbon. Pink satin ballet shoes with ribbon, white ballet socks and plum chiffon skirt for Ballet. If you need ballet socks, please ask Susan.
UNIFORM 12.15PM SAT CLASSES:
Plum leotard & plum tights. Black ballet shoes for modern. Black ISTD tap shoes & tap pants. Pink satin ballet shoes with ribbon, ballet tights and plum chiffon skirt for Ballet.
OLDER GRADES – Full uniforms please!
We’d like to wish all dancers taking a medal test or exam the very best of luck. If you try your very hardest, we know you’ll all do really well and you’ll make us very proud. Don’t forget to smile!
We’re delighted to announce that SK Dance Studio teacher Cara Birchall has qualified as a FitSteps® instructor, so come along and try out this fabulous Strictly Come Dancing inspired exercise class on Thursdays at 8.40pm
Developed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Natalie Lowe, Ian Waite and Mark Foster, FitSteps® brings Latin and Ballroom to the exercise class! It’s a dance fitness programme that’s so much fun, you won’t even realise you’re working out!
“Since qualifying as an instructor, I’ve really got the FitSteps® bug” said Cara, who’s also a fully qualified teacher of ballet, tap, modern and jazz at SK Dance Studio. “FitSteps® is an amazing workout that will really get you moving, burning calories, toning up and most of all, having a really great time. The hour session goes so quickly because it really is enjoyable, yet you’ll feel like you’ve worked hard”.
The FitSteps® programme was developed around popular Latin and Ballroom dances that any fan of Strictly Come Dancing will recognise from the show, including Jive, Cha Cha, Samba, Tango, Waltz and Quickstep. During the class, you’ll learn dance sequences that are broken down into bite-sized sections so you can pick them up really easily. And because you can choose the effort level you’re comfortable with, FitSteps® is suitable for people of all ages and levels of fitness.
Come along to a FitSteps® class at The Vale, Appley Bridge, Wigan – Just £3. No dancing partner required!
Cara’s FitSteps® class takes place at the The Vale, Appley Bridge, Wigan every Thursday at 8.40pm. FitSteps® sessions cost £3 each, payable on the night. Wear trainers and comfy clothes (like your gym kit) and don’t forget to bring a bottle of water!
Hot on the heels of our ballet classes for two and three year old toddlers, we’re delighted to bring you news of yet another new class to the SK Dance Studio timetable… Tiny Tappers – a tap class exclusively for 2 and 3 year old toddlers.
As the name suggests, this is an ideal first tap dancing class that’s designed especially to engage and entertain little ones with music, movement and of course, lots of loud tapping!
Susan Kielb, principal of SK Dance Studio explains more… “Our Ballet Babies classes have been a huge hit with toddlers and parents alike that adding a tap class for two and three year olds to our schedule seemed a really logical move. Tap dancing is such tremendous fun”.
Tiny Tappers is held every Saturday morning at 9.30am, straight after our Ballet Babies session at 9.00am, making it really convenient for parents who’d like their child to do both classes. Like all SK Dance classes, Tiny Tappers is held at our dance studio at The Vale, Skullhouse Lane, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DJ.
If you need tap shoes, they’re available from SK Dance Studio for just £10. Toddlers can join up at any time.
“Percussive dance styles like tap dancing are really engaging for little ones” explained Susan. “The sound of your own taps on a dance-floor is something truly exciting and helps children to develop rhythm, coordination and of course, burn off some energy. Tap dancing is fast and fun for both boys and girls, so come along and try out class”.
Like all our dance classes, Tiny Tappers is taught by a fully qualified dance teacher (registered with Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing I.S.T.D. and the Allied Dancing Association A.D.A.). For more information on Tiny Tappers, Ballet Babies or any of the other classes on the SK Dance Studio schedule, don’t hesitate to contact Susan on 07952 864 084.
“Although professional dancers make ballet look easy, it’s actually one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I’ve ever done. But that also makes it one of the most rewarding” continued Ben.
