As you’ll be aware, the Government has today announced that schools in England will close on Friday this week as part of efforts to help delay the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
We’re heartbroken
In line with this advice, it’s with a very heavy heart that Susan has today announced that SK Dance Studio will also temporarily close after classes on Friday until further notice. We’ll keep communicating via our Facebook and Instagram pages, so please do look out for updates.
Dance show postponed
Given we don’t know at this point when we’ll be able to re-open the dance studio, we have no choice but to postpone our show that was scheduled for July 3rd and 4th. We know this is really disappointing given how hard all our dancers have been working, but we will reschedule as soon as possible, probably in the Autumn. Please do keep practising your dances at home!
Virtual classes hopefully coming soon
Susan is really keen to ensure dancers have the opportunity to continue their dance education and their routine at this time. Her intention is to run some classes virtually. Like many small business owners, Susan now has a lot to do to work through her continuity plans, so your patience at this time is very much appreciated. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible with the details.
In the meantime, please stay safe and take care of each other.
We’re so excited to announce that we’re starting a new course of Acro and Street Dance classes! We’ve listened to feedback from parents and as a result, we’ve moved these popular classes to a weekly term-time Wednesday slot on our timetable.
The first classes in the new Wednesday slot will be on 30th October. And we’re also holding them at our main studio in Appley Bridge, where we have a fully sprung dancefloor!
Both Acro and Street Dance classes are open to boys and girls aged 4 through to teens, regardless of whether they currently attend SK Dance Studio’s other classes.
Acro and Street classes are charged in blocks. The first block is for 7 weeks at just £28 for Street, or £35 for Acro. Places are strictly limited, so contact us now to book your child’s place. Big thank to to Dancer’s Lens Photography for this beautiful photo from our last show! ( www.facebook.com/dancerslens).
We’re so excited for SK Dance Studio pupil Grace who’s dancing at the Town Hall Theatre on 43rd Street in New York TONIGHT!
The Town Hall Theatre is one of New York City’s premiere performance spaces for music, dance, and other performing arts. It seats around 1,500 people, so it’s sure to be a fabulous experience for this young SK Dance Studio pupil.
Grace will be taking to the stage with the Inspirations performance dance group, with whom she performs alongside her ballet, tap and modern training at SK Dance Studio.
The Inspirations are a dance show team who take part in a variety of performances. They were formed to support Rock FM’s “Cash for Kids” charity and through their events, have helped to raise thousands of pounds for underprivileged children in Lancashire.
We’re sure you’ll be amazing Grace, and can’t wait to hear all about your stateside adventures!
Huge congratulations to SK Dance Studio ballet pupil Isabel.
After her recent successful audition, she’s been offered a place on the School of Ballet Theatre UK’s Associate Programme. This prestigious training school is attached to the professional ballet touring company, Ballet Theatre UK.
What’s more, Isabel has also secured a place on their summer intensive course and will be off to train with them in just a few short weeks.
“Isabel has been dancing at SK Dance Studio since pre-school age and has blossomed into a beautiful dancer. She is particularly focused on her ballet studies and has worked incredibly hard on her technique” said SK Dance Studio Principal, Susan Kielb. “I’m thrilled that Isabel has been offered a place – it’s testament to all her hard work and dedication”.
As well as training at SK Dance Studio, Isabel also trains weekly with ex professional ballerina and Royal Ballet School graduate Kimberley Berkin as part of the PDE Associates programme in Leeds.
Please join us in congratulating Isabel on her amazing achievement.
11-year-old SK Dance Studio ballet pupil, Violet Stout, is celebrating success this week after learning she’s won a place on a much sought-after training programme for talented young ballet dancers.
Violet has been studying ballet at SK Dance Studio since she was just two years old, and in the last few years in particular, has really stepped up her commitment and is showing great promise.
With encouragement from her teachers, including dance school principal Susan Kielb, Violet applied for entry into the September in-take of the highly prestigious UK Cecchetti Ballet Associates programme, which is much respected in the ballet world.
She was invited to audition in early June 2017.
Audition success for the Cecchetti Ballet Associates
“The audition was really tough” said Violet. “Not only was it a really hot day, but there were so many very talented dancers there, all competing for a place. I knew I’d have to work extra hard to stand a chance of success, and I was determined not to let this dream opportunity pass me by. I gave it my all”.
This week Violet learned that her hard work had paid off when she received a letter offering her a place on the programme. She’ll begin training with the Northern Associates group in September, where she’ll be taught by a professional faculty in the world renowned Cecchetti method of classical ballet training.
About Enrico Cecchetti – Possibly the greatest ballet teacher of all time
This rigorous method of teaching was developed by Italian ballet maestro Enrico Cecchetti (born in 1850) who taught legendary ballet dancers such as Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinskyz. British pupils of Cecchetti included Marie Rambert, founder of Ballet Rambert and Dame Ninette de Valois, who founded the Royal Ballet School based on the Cecchetti method.
“There’s a huge amount of competition to gain a place on the Cecchetti Associates programme, so we’re proud as punch that Violet has been successful” said Susan. “This is such a fantastic opportunity for her to further her ballet training and I know she’ll fully embrace it and make us very proud”.
Alongside her Cecchetti Associates classes, Violet will maintain her existing class work with both SK Dance Studio and the Manchester Ballet Associates, where she trains every week with Royal Ballet School graduate and former professional ballerina Kimberley Berkin.
Following the roaring success of our first aerial hoops and silks session in February, we’re delighted to announce that specialist guest teacher Sheryl Moore will be returning to SK Dance Studio on Sunday 23rd April with another fabulous aerial dance skills workshop.
“Sheryl is an amazing teacher and dance artist with bags of real life performance experience to pass on to our students” said Susan Kielb, Principal of SK Dance Studio. “Not only is she a fully qualified dance teacher with her own school, Just Dance Studios Ltd in Yorkshire, but she’s also an ex-professional dancer and seasoned aerial artist who’s performed in an array of dazzling shows all over the world.
"It was the best day ever" said 9 year old Grace of Sheryl's last workshop - she's already signed up for the April session!
During the 1 hour and 30 minute workshop session dancers will learn aerial moves using both the aerial hoop and aerial silks. Dancers who attended our last workshop in February will build on the moves they previously learned, whilst those who are trying aerial for the first time will get a really good taster of aerial techniques and build up the basics. “We had amazing feedback from the February session, so we’re delighted to be offering our dancers the chance to expand their skills” said Susan.
Aerial Skills Workshop with guest teacher Sheryl Moore - Early Afternoon - times to be confirmed once dancers are grouped - Sunday 23rd April 2017 at SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge
All the equipment needed to make the most of the sessions will be provided, including aerial arts practice frames for both the hoop and the aerial silks.
Learn aerial skills using both the hoop and aerial silks
Learn the correct technique from a fully trained aerial artist with an impressive CV of professional experience
Get a taster of what it’s like to be an aerial performer
And have lots of fun!
Just 20 places available in total across two 90 minute sessions
Class is open to Acro pupils aged 8 years and up, Saturday Junior class and up, and students
Cost – £15 payable in advance to secure your place*
Due to the nature of this class, and to make sure that every participant gets lots of time to practice the skills Sheryl will teach on the specialist equipment, places are strictly limited to 10 per group. This means we have just 20 places available across the two sessions, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Want more info? Watch this video from our February session for a good idea of what the workshop will be like...
*Note: Please be sure before booking your place as the £15 class fee is not refundable if you are unable to attend.
Sheryl Moore - Biography
Highlights of Sheryl’s career include being principal dancer and soloist at Casino Povoa in Portugal. She has also performed at the famous Benidorm Palace where she was part of a huge showgirl spectacular. Always wanting to develop, Sheryl began training in aerial silks in 2012 whilst working for Costa Cruise Lines as a dancer. After many contracts working for the company, she completed a world cruise where she developed her aerial arts alongside her dancing. She is now happy to be in the UK passing on her knowledge and experience to others through her company Just Dance Studios Ltd. Sheryl has three studios based in South Yorkshire, which she co-owns with her partner Nina Sykes.
We’re really excited to announce a specialist workshop exclusively focusing on aerial dance skills, coming to SK Dance Studio on Sunday February 5th 2017.
We’re extremely lucky to have guest teacher Sheryl Moore of Just Dance Studios Ltd coming to run the sessions for us. Not only is Sheryl a fully qualified dance teacher, but she’s also an ex-professional dancer and seasoned aerial artist who’s performed in an array of dazzling shows all over the world.
Highlights of Sheryl’s career include being principal dancer and soloist at Casino Povoa in Portugal. She has also performed at the famous Benidorm Palace where she was part of a huge showgirl spectacular. Always wanting to develop, Sheryl began training in aerial silks in 2012 whilst working for Costa Cruise Lines as a dancer. After many contracts working for the company, she completed a world cruise where she developed her aerial arts alongside her dancing. She is now happy to be in the UK passing on her knowledge and experience to others through her company Just Dance Studios Ltd. Sheryl has three studios based in South Yorkshire, which she co-owns with her partner Nina Sykes.
Aerial Skills Workshop with guest teacher Sheryl Moore - 12 to 1.30pm or 1.30 to 3pm, Sunday 5th February 2017 at SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge
All the equipment needed to make the most of the sessions will be provided, including aerial arts practise frames for both the hoop and the aerial silks.
Learn aerial skills using both the hoop and aerial silks
Learn the correct technique from a fully trained aerial artist with an impressive CV of professional experience
Get a taster of what it’s like to be an aerial performer
And have lots of fun!
Just 20 places available in total across two 90 minute sessions
Class is open to upper school pupils (inters, seniors and students)
Cost – £15 payable in advance to secure your place*
Due to the nature of this class, and to make sure that every participant gets plenty of time to practice the skills Sheryl will teach on the specialist equipment, places are strictly limited to 10 per group. Across the two sessions we therefore have just 20 places available, so book early to avoid disappointment.
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
On Sunday 20th November 2016, 48 tap dancers from SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge, Wigan joined thousands of other tap dancers across the UK in an attempt to break the World Record for the biggest EVER tap dance.
As well as a really fun thing to be involved with, Tapathon 2016 tap dancers helped to raise money for BBC Children in Need, with dancers paying a £10 entrance fee each to take part. In addition to the entry fees, the generous SK Dance “family” also raised an additional £187 for this very worthy cause via a bake sale and a raffle.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped on the day, and to the generous local businesses who donated prizes for our raffle, including:
Were SK Dance Studio's tap dancers world record breakers?
We were SO close to the World Record this year we could almost smell it. In fact, we were just 116 dancers short of breaking the World Record for the largest ever tap dance. 7,484 tappers took part across the whole UK but sadly, we didn’t do it this year. HOWEVER…. and here’s the BIG and IMPORTANT point that all our tap dancers can all be really proud of… YOU helped raise a whopping £38,000 via Tapathon for Children in Need, and that’s an amazing achievement.
Well done everyone and here’s to finally getting the record next year!! Regardless of the outcome, our dancers absolutely LOVED taking part and were really proud to play their part in raising money for Children in Need.
Dancers from SK Dance Studio are gearing up to break a world tap dancing record and hope to help smash last year’s total of £36,000 raised for BBC Children in Need too.
For the second year running, SK Dance Studio in Appley Bridge is taking part in the national “Tapathon” event, which takes place at hundreds of locations across the UK on Sunday November 20th.
Around 40 of SK Dance Studio’s dancers will be joining in this year, representing children from the primary class, all the way through to the SK adult tap dancing group.
Tap dancers will be performing a funky tap routine, choreographed to X-Factor finalist Fleur East’s hit ‘Sax’.
The Guinness World Record for the largest ever tap dance currently stands at around 7,500
SK Dance Studio’s tap dancers will be performing the exact same routine, at the exact same time as thousands of other dancers in hundreds of locations UK-wide. Collectively, they hope to smash the Guinness World Record for the largest tap dance which currently stands at 7,596 persons dancing simultaneously.
“We were so close to breaking the World Record last year, but didn’t quite get there” said Susan Kielb, principal of SK Dance Studio. “Although our dancers were a little disappointed, they all loved being part of the record attempt and were really proud to have played their part in raising such a phenomenal amount for Children in Need – around £36,000 in fact. This year we’re back again, with our fingers crossed and our tap shoes ready to smash it”.
Good luck to everyone taking part in Tapathon 2016
The Tapathon 2016 routine will be performed twice back-to-back starting at exactly 1:00pm on the record attempt day. “Good luck to everyone taking part, especially those at other dance schools across the Wigan borough” said Susan.
Pictured: One of our little tappers wears last year’s Tapathon attempt t-shirt, surrounded by some of the SK Dance Studio tap dancers who’ll be hoping to smash the Guinness World tap dancing record with Tapathon 2016.
