The Dancefest Method

What makes Dancefest different to other dance schools?

Our classes are about children and young people progressing and feeling a sense of achievement as they move through stages/levels of expertise. Our classes are process-driven and help children and young people to express themselves through movement. We encourage a sense of friendship and community, learning and encouraging each other, taking pride in what they and their friends achieve. 

• Our classes are not competitive.
• We want to make our classes open to everybody, and understand that means different outcomes for each individual.
• Our classes are led by friendly and adaptable dance leaders.
• You don’t have to buy or wear a uniform to take part in our classes.
• You don’t have to perform if you don’t want to - our dance leaders are skilled in ensuring that any dancer who chooses not to perform will not feel left out in the run up to a performance.
• Our classes are inclusive and open to everybody.
• We focus on developing dancers' creative and technical skills.
• Beginners can join our classes at any age.

Do Dancefest do exams?

We don’t generally do exams, but we use a specially created Dancefest curriculum, developed through over 30 years’ experience, so that at each stage, children are progressing. Dancefest's curriculum is equally divided between developing children's and young people's creative skills as well as technical skills.

What skills will my children learn?

All of our dance teachers are highly skilled and trained in dance. Between them they have many decades of experience. Most classes begin with half an hour of contemporary technique or warm up games and tasks, depending on age. This leads into creative dance, sometimes learning taught dance phrases, and sometimes created by the children together. We'll help dancers to develop their performance skills.

Will they perform?

Dancers can perform if they wish, but there's no pressure to be part of performances. Taking part in classes can be a gateway to opportunities to take part in events like Worcester Carnival, Youth Dance Platforms and other performances, ranging from small informal events with family and friends, to theatres and more unusual or outdoor spaces.

What will they get from the classes?

Taking part with children from different backgrounds grows understanding and tolerance, creates a sense of community and working together. Our classes are often the start of a life-long love of culture for dancers and their families. They can be a stepping stone into further artistic and cultural experiences, or just a way to encourage joy, exercise, creativity and community.