Candy Alternatives for Halloween Class

Posted in Pinspiration, Studio Life, Teachers by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

As Halloween approaches, we often do special activities at my studio or allow students to wear costumes. Many teachers like to reward their classes with a special treat, which historically has been candy. I feel that as dance teachers, we have a responsibility to celebrate healthy choices and I like to search out alternatives to candy–especially with all of the food-allergies and preferences that my students have.

Coloring Pages
Such an easy and low-cost “treat”

Glow Bracelets
This is my choice for this year – trying something new and potentially something that they kids can take with them on Halloween. I found glow bracelets on Amazon for $8.79 for 100 bracelets, so for under $20 I was able to get enough to cover my 16 weekly classes.

Stickers, Stamps & Temporary Tattoos
My elementary-aged kids love stickers, stamps and tattoos. Not sure if their parents love them as much, but its fun to do a grab-bag of these items.

Rolls of 500 Halloween Stickers: $9.99
72 Glitter Halloween Temporary Tattoos: $5.50
24 Halloween Stamps: $7.95

“Haunted House” Class Picture
This one is fun to do with the older kids or students who love social media… the “Haunted House” class picture – take a group picture but tell your students to make a face like they are going through a haunted house – leads to lots of funny faces!

Slap on a filter/background and send to your students and watch them share 🙂

More Ideas For Those Blessed in the Craftiness Department (THANK YOU PINTEREST)

Do you do something special with your classes for Halloween? Do you hand out any treats? Share in the comments!

5Jul2012

Rock Star Camp Day 4: Bling Bling

Posted in Studio Life, Teachers by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

Read more about our camp here!

Day #4 Set List

Warm-Up: Jazz warm-up and across the floor progressions
Class Time: Jazz class – learn dance #3
Craft Time: Sunglasses & Necklaces
Snack
Class Time: Tap class – learn dance #3
Fun Time: Relay Races

Playlist

On Day 4, we learned our final dances to “We Built This City”

by Starship and Hannah Montana’s “Rock Star”

.Since we needed more time to practice our dances, we kept craft time shorter than the other days.

Craft #1: Blinged-Out Sunnies
Supplies: Cardstock or Folders, Gem Rhinestones, Glue, Paintbrushes

Teacher Prep: Cut out glasses from cardstock.

Using glue and plastic gems, decorate glasses.

Continue reading →

4Jul2012

Rock Star Camp Day 3: Glitter, Glitter, Everywhere

Posted in Studio Life, Teachers by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

Read more about our camp here!

Day #3 Set List

Warm-Up: Jazz warm-up and across the floor progressions
Class Time: Jazz class – learn dance #3
Craft Time: Microphones, Picture Frames, Stars
Snack
Class Time: Tap class – learn dance #3
Fun Time: Alphadance

Playlist

For Day 3, we lip-synced with our microphones to “Rock Around The Clock”

and did a fun jazz dance to Little Richard’s rockin’ version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Main Craft: Glittered Microphone Heads
Supplies Needed: Styrofoam balls, glue, paintbrushes, glitter, hot glue, painted tube from Day 2

1) Apply glue to styrofoam balls with paintbrushes (we put the balls on a fork to make “glitterizing” easier).

2) Dip in glitter and repeat until covered. Set aside to dry.

3) *Teacher Step* Hot glue glittered styrofoam to painted tube (from yesterday’s step).

Microphones and guitar necks drying.

Our forks wouldn’t fit in the small tubes so we let them

dry in the guitar necks.

Craft #2: Picture Frames
Supplies: foam sheets, foam stickers, hot glue, photos

Continue reading →

29Jun2012

Dance Camp: Rock Star Theme

Posted in Studio Life by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

What a great week of camp at the studio!

Our studio offers two types of camp: 5-day “Dance Camp” for ages 6-10 and 4-day “Princess Camp” for ages 4-6. For both camps, the students come each day for three hours from 9am – noon and we dance and do arts and crafts. It’s a lot of fun and we’ve run both programs successfully for a few years (we’ve been doing Dance Camp for more than 10 years… Princess Camp we just started last year).

Each year we do a different theme and base the week’s lessons around that theme. We hold an impromptu little “show” on the last day of camp for family and friends.

This year, the older kids’ camp theme was “Rock Stars”, which was a blast to plan and to do. I wanted to share our week with you and hopefully it will give you some ideas for your camp or even just some fun crafts to do at home this summer!

Our Rock Star Camp Schedule
Day 1: Totally Tie-Dye
Day 2: Rockin’ Guitars
Day 3: Glitter, Glitter, Everywhere!
Day 4: Stars, Frames & Bling
Day 5: Performance Day

This coming week, look for a new post every day with a breakdown of what we did, craft ideas and song suggestions for a rockin’ week of camp!

Do you have camp at your studio? What’s the format? Is it successful? Comment below!