Why Lead to Succeed?

Last month, we started a new group at Academy of Fine Arts that all registered students, ages 7 - 18 yrs can opt to be a part of. The group is about learning to be a leader in school, classes at AOFA and in the community, and is at no extra charge to participating families.

September was our first meeting and most of the meeting was talking about what leadership is and what qualities do we think a leader has, or brings to different events and situations. It was a very enlightening time for all in attendance.

So why offer children an opportunity to learn about leadership and develop leadership skills of their own? Because becoming a strong leader takes time. Just like growing from a child to an adult cannot happen, learning to be a true leader takes time to mature as well. After all, leadership is more than just making better choices or being a big boy or girl. Leadership skills of true leaders, tend to start to develop as a child and teen.

I was invited into leadership training when I was ten years of age. I was involved with lessons as a student when the head of the program approached my parents about me becoming more than just a student of the course. She explained that I would continue to learn and improve my skills in the course I was participating in, but I would also learn to assist the instructors, be a demonstrator and learn leadership skills as well. This lady, that saw something special in my abilities, started me on one of the most wonderful adventures of my life...... teaching and leadership.

Over the years, I have had many opportunities to listen to and be trained by some of the worlds greatest personal development leaders. Jack Canfield, Les Hewitt, Michael Gerber, Fran Hewitt, Darren Hardy, Les Brown, Dave Crenshaw, Jim Abrams, Jim Rohn,  Dave Rendall, Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford to just name a few. Each with their own specialties and viewpoints, have helped me to develop into a leader for many different groups and organizations. Their knowledge about personal development and leadership growth continue to influence my life.

Now it is time to share this wealth of knowledge and training with a different group, our students at Academy of Fine Arts. As I stated before, last month we learned and discussed what leadership is and what it is about. We also discussed qualities of a leader. This month, we continue the conversation and will learn time management skills that leaders use to stay on track. Other things we will be discussing is switchtasking/multitasking versus prioritizing, planning and scheduling. Because these are all skills that help a person to be in position to lead.

As the months go by and the group grows in skills, we will be reaching out to others in our classes, school, homes and community with projects to continue the growth of leadership. We will also be learning skills as to how to supports others on their leadership journey. And we will also explore challenging others in the group to explore how they can put their leadership skills to use outside of the group and Academy of Fine Arts/

If you, as a parent, is unsure about your child dedicating one Saturday morning a month to this adventure, I suggest that you visit with me or allow them to attend a couple of meetings to see what your child's response is to the experience. Registered students age 7 - 18 yrs may attend and participate. We do hope to see your child this Saturday at Lead to Succeed.


Mary Myers is the owner and director of Academy of Fine Arts in Woodward, OK

Why A Boys Program?

WHY SELECT A BOYS DEVELOPMENTAL TUMBLING PROGRAM OVER OTHER SPORTS PROGRAMS?
Because it is a fact:

1.Tumbling and dance provide a variety of physical challenges that encourage the development of agility, flexibilty,balance and coordination.

2.Tumbling and dance are based upon control of the body, as well as the timing, positioning, balance and coordination of movement that defies gravity.

3.In tumbling and dance, the motor and sensory systems in the body are provided an excellany opportunity to develop basic functional relationships that carry throughout adulthood.

4.Tumbling and dance students are more aware of their body as an extension of their minds.

5.Tumbling and dance training allows for basic movement sequences to develop and be stored for later activities such as competitive sports. Competitive sports programs do not take the time to perfect movement sequences with every child. This is why some will always sit the bench while other play.

6. Tumbling and dance allows for motor programming of two or more muscles at a time giving the athlete simultaneous control of two or more actions. Tumbling and dance ARE athletic and are considered sports.

7. The motor programming that a person receives up to age 10 years is the level that most experts believe is carried throughout adulthood. How well they balance on a log at age 10 years will be the how well they can balance on a log in adulthood. More balance is obtained after age 10 years, but as we age and start loosing balance skills, some kinetic specialists believe you only loose back down to age 10 years.

8. Today, athletes study dance as part of their training for several sports. Over the years, dance forms have been adapted and integrated into training for a variety of sports. Dance has been an important part of gymnastics and figure skating for years, but in the 1980's, football, basketball, skiing and diving teams began to study dance disciplines and to recognize them as an important part of training programs.

9. Professional dance companies have featured popular sports stars in their productions. World-class athletes such as Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis, basketball star, Michael Jordan, professional football players such as Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker and former Chicago Bears player Willie Gault have studied and been featured with professional dance companies.

10. In the past two years, a collegiate study was conducted in California as to who was stronger. Athletes or dancers? Dancers each time stood out as the strongest in being measured up against collegiate athletes.

The facts state the obvious. Developmental tumbling and dance training beats ALL OTHER sports programs hands down for children ages 2-12 years of age. Development specialists state that a program offering skipping, jumping, hopping, balancing, throwing and rhythmic movements should be chosen over competitive programs for ages 2-10 years of age.

Want to give your child an edge over the other athletes later or just in life general? Then highly consider registering into a dance and or tumbling program right away.

 

Only Strong Men Dance!

In case you missed the news, JR Martinez won the mirror ball trophy from Dancing With The Stars. Over the weeks, Jr has improved alot. But he has done more than that. As an American Veteran, actor, motivational speaker and now an award winning dancer, JR has proven that only strong men dance. To put everything on the line for ten weeks in a row and a willingness to risk his image on national television, JR has demonstrated determination, courage, camaraderie, cooperation, loyalty, patience, focus, self discipline and the abilty to meet a goal.

Dancing challenged him and push him forward to a whole new knowlege about his body and his mind, I am sure. Dancing is one of the toughest sports around and carries some of the biggest benefits for everyone that participates. But most of all, it can give young men and young boys a better sense of who they are and who they can be with the right focus.

Rob Kardashian stated on GMA this morning that the competition changed him as a person and his partner highly agreed. Dancing with a partner or even in a group, can help a person beome more focused on meeting the needs of others and not just being self focused all of the time. It can help you to dicover your personal weaknesses and strengths.

Dance lessons for boys and young men have been talked about for generations. It has also been a topic of criticism towards those that do dance versus any other sport. But the ones that truly get it, are those families that support their sons dancing and performing. How many other sports does the runner up come off the floor or the field still feeling good about themselves and not defeated??

Dance changes lives. Parents should be lining up to get their boys into dance classes. With role models such as JR and Rob ( and all of the other male dancers that have participated in DWTS and other dance programs), life is changing for male dancers. It is now cool to be a dancer. It is athletic. It is focused and goal oriented. Only the strong dance! It is time to get into a class!

Dance changes lives!

New Computer Lab in Woodward Location

Be sure to check out the new computer lab in the Woodward location. Here students from the Move-N-Learn Academy, as well as our music students in the Woodward Academy of Music Department, will use specialized software to enhance their learning! It also makes learning fun and improves their com puter skills for the future.

Coming soon will be dance sotware to assist our company dancers!

Super Hero Camp for Boys!

Super Hero camp starts next week and registration is available on our website. Young boys will enjoy the fun and adventure each day of the three day camp and are encouraged to arrived dressed as their favorite super hero! Adventures await the Super Heros in this camp. Call us at 580-256-3262 for more information about Super Hero camp for boys in our Woodward OK location.