Ages 8+ year

We love seeing this age group grow and develop. Before we know it, our next crop of Senior dancers begins to emerge!

As with our younger children, our timetable remains full and varied for this age group with a complete mix of graded subjects (Ballet, Tap, Contemporary Jazz) and free work classes to develop technique, performance and the ability to learn choreography.

All of our classes are delivered by our talented team of teachers who strive to ensure that every child is made to feel welcome and given the chance to express themselves. We aim to strike the perfect balance between working hard whilst having fun, creating a nurturing and supportive environment where all children can feel at home.

All dancers are given the opportunity to complete exams with the IDTA which helps to develop technique and gain confidence and every year, the whole school takes part in a full cast production at Theatr Clwyd which is always the highlight of our year. For those wanting to pursue dance further, our Competition Squads also compete regularly, locally, nationally and even at the Dance World Cup representing Team Wales.

Please take a moment to look at the many different style of classes on offer. If you are unsure what class would be best suited for your child, please get in touch and we will be more than happy to help.

Ballet

Ballet really is at the heart of all forms of dance and is where we suggest dancers start their dancing journey. Ballet develops strength, poise, athleticism and grace – all of which are required in many other forms of dance. In addition to our graded lessons, we help to develop knowledge of Ballet steps and terminology with our Ballet Enchainement Class as well as a dedicated Pointe Work Class for dancers who are ready to start dancing on Pointe.

Tap

Tap is a fantastic genre and is great fun for dancers of any age. Tap helps to develop musicality like no other subject, with focus on timing and rhythm at its heart. We love Tap at Elite and are thrilled when we see natural tappers emerging. So much so, that we also offer a ‘Tap Skills’ class, in addition to our graded lessons, to really challenge and push those who really love the challenge of Tap dancing.

Lyrical

Lyrical is a most expressive dance style, incorporating classical ballet elements with the dynamics required for Jazz dancing. This makes it one of our most popular subjects here at Elite as dancers can truly express themselves.

Our Lyrical classes are split based on age and experience and are taught by Laura McCabe and Stephen Morgan; two of the most talented and well-respected choreographers in the UK. Both of whom travel from Liverpool to Elite, every week.

We do not offer graded exams in Lyrical, all content is free work, designed by our expert team of teachers.

Jazz

Think of the Westend and a fast-paced Musical Theatre number; this is Jazz. Jazz requires strength, flexibility and athleticism and as such, is a very popular subject on the Elite timetable.

At around 8 years old, we teach graded subjects with the IDTA, starting with Grade 2. This brand new syllabus is the perfect mix between Ballet, Lyrical and Jazz and works perfectly alongside our weekly technique classes. These classes focus on developing jazz basics including jumps, leaps, turns, kicks, splits and a whole manner of travelling steps.

Musical Theatre

If you have a ‘performer’ at home who loves to sing, dance and act, our Musical Theatre class may be perfect for your child. In this class, we focus on different musicals from stage and screen, working on complete numbers for a set amount of weeks. This class will use dance technique from many different genres such as Jazz, Lyrical and Ballet but will also develop performance skills and confidence.

Theatre Craft

Theatre Craft is a wonderful IDTA subject, preparing dances for more theatrical performances that you may see on the Westend. With a clear focus on performance, this subject is perfect for our Seniors who wish to develop their overall Musical Theatre skills. We offer Intermediate Theatre Craft which is suitable for children aged 14 year and above.

Commercial

Commercial is a relatively new subject on the Elite timetable but is one of the most popular already, resembling the kind of dance routines you may see in a music video. In our Commercial class, we work on a routine for a number of weeks, perfecting choreography and performance skills to really challenge our dancers. With intricate moves and precise timing, Commercial is a fun, yet challenging class which sees our children’s confidence soar.

Singing

Dance and singing go hand in hand and we are therefore delighted to offer a weekly Singing Class with our dedicated Singing teacher, Jennie O’Hare. In this class, children develop their vocal technique, projection and confidence in a safe, nurturing environment.

Stretch and Conditioning

Our Stretch and Conditioning class is designed to help dancers’ strength and flexibility to enhance their overall dance technique. This class helps to achieve higher leaps and kicks with increased leg flexibility, improved turns with stronger core stability and overall strength to perform with greater athleticism and endurance.