No Back Rows

“ No Back Rows”

 What do we mean when we say we are a“no back rows studio and facility”? Can you ever remember a time that you found yourself sitting at the back of the class room or the bottom of a bench in your favorite sport? How about just feeling like you were invisible to your teachers? Not a good feeling, right?

 

When we say that we offer “no back rows”, what we are really saying is that all students in our programs are recognized for their efforts. Our classes are intentionally small so that we can give that special effort to every student in our classes. No one is ever sent to the back row or end of the bench for making a mistake or not being the right height or size. And waiting in line to take your turn is held to a very small amount of time.

 

No back rows in dance classes means that we actually teach our dance students how to use the dance floor by learning floor positions and terminology. So you will see our dancers moving around the stage in different positions or entering and exiting with music. Dance was never meant to be taught standing in a straight lines for more than a few counts. To everyone's amazement, you will even see 2 and 3 yr old dancers breaking out of standard lines and moving around the dance floor.

 

No back rows in our tumbling, gymnastic and cheer classes means that students enjoy different stations of learning to work on their skills on their own and then moving to the skill station that the teacher/coach are located at to assist them in the new skill. This method thus allows students to learn self confidence and reliance and to not be dependent on the teacher/coach for every skill.

 

No back rows in in our art and music programs means that students are allowed to explore their full potential and classes can be altered easily to be assured of personal success. Teachers are willing and happy to give positive critiques and direction so that a student leave class saying “I knew I could do it!”

 

No back rows in our Move-N-Learn Academy means that young students are allowed to explore and work with project based learning and outcomes. No back rows in preschool education means that we go the extra mile to teach “out of the box” of typical preschool and pre-k education systems by offering more such as foreign language, computers, dance, art music, gymnastics and more.

 

No back rows for all of our students means that teachers are kind and caring and they never allow bullying or put downs. It also means that when correction is needed, it is done in an way that turns into a positive learning experience.

 

No back rows is how every student deserves to learn, no matter what the class. A no back rows atmosphere in an arts based learning facility means success for every student, no matter how big or small, is celebrated! No back rows when a student or teacher does make a mistake is a high celebration of the fact that the student or teacher had the courage to take a risk at something, and although not completed correctly, it is celebrated because they tried.

 

We hope you will join us in class and experience “No Back Rows”.

 

 Academy of Fine Arts

609 Main Street,Woodward, OK 73801

800 w Broadway, Enid, OK 73703                                                                                 580-256-3262 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting

Why Dance May Be What Your Pre-Teen/Teen Needs

The Pre-teen and Teen years can be fun and difficult for the child and parent alike. For those living through those years,especially the pre-teens and teens, it can be confusing, emotional, and stressful.

Dance can be one of the best forces in dealing with the ups and downs of the pre-teen and teen years. Just ask the successful former students that now find themselves as doctors, mental health experts, teachers, graphic designers, real estate professional, financial planners, academics and more.

Dance gives a pre-teen or teen a safe avenue for creativity and expression when they feel that they are being shut down in other areas of their life. Dance also allows them an escape into something physical, and so it can relieve stress and emotions of the day, thus allowing them to be more calm and focused in school and at home. Working and moving with the music has an extra added benefit of connecting right brain and left brain activity.

Dance can be an escape for some teens and we have experienced that the most when there is difficulty at home, such as a pending divorce or illness of a parent or other family member. The studio can be a haven at these times of great stress and emotional upheaval. Over the years, some former students have actually stated that the studio is what saved them.

On a more upbeat leavel, dance can offer your young teens a better self image and higher self confidence (as demonstrated in the second paragraph of this article referring to former students). It can lift them beyond their current feelings and bring creativity and dreaming back into their lives.

Dance helps a young person to set goals and to learn to meet the smaller goals (process goals) that leads to the accomplishment of the main goal. Dance allows exploration without intimidation and humiliation. No one laughs at another in their dance class (if it does happen, then your child is at the wrong studio) because they are all working for the same goal. Dance teaches a young teen about true cooperation and not competition with others in the class.

Dance can bring back a smile to your teens face and sense of accomplishment when everywhere around them they feel like they cannot measure up to the standards. Dance will challenge them physically, mentally, emotionally. Dance can be the path to future successes in life.

Dance changes lives!

*Check out our face book page for the Woodward location at facebook.com/tumbledance&cheerproductions to leanr more about how dance has changed the lives of former students. Follow us on Twitter @FineArtsofOK