Music Theatre Dance provides youth dance classes that specialize in musical theatre type dancing and to operate on a term-by-term basis with the option of coming for casual classes as well. The classes aim to build up skill level, coordination, flexibility, dancing in character as well as choreography retention. Students will learn routines/dances to musical theatre songs.
Music Theatre Class Times
Thursday 5.30pm - 7.00pm Ages 9+
Thursday 7.00pm - 9.00pm Ages 15+
Musical Theatre Dance
12th May, 2009
by Kacey Hocking (Teacher at MBCTA Youth Theatre)
This article was written by Kacey Hocking and published on www.theatrepeople.com.au Dance is one of the only art forms that can connect with people on a purely kinaesthetic level. I think that is one of things that I have always enjoyed about dancing. From an early age I studied traditional theatrical dance. This style of dance involved a combination of classes covering jazz, ballet, tap and of course song and dance. This is where my love for musical theatre flourished. Musical theatre dance is something else; it is something really special and unique. Not only is it wonderful theatrical entertainment but the special feature about musical theatre dance is that it can offer as much enjoyment to the performers as it does to an audience. |
 *Kacey with students Holly, Brad and Nicole.
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Musical theatre dance offers something for audiences of all ages. The legendary works of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals that provided audiences with great chorus numbers, such as in Oklahoma’s ‘Farmer and the Cowman’ where dancers would showcase their skills. The works of Andrew Lloyd Webber, in particular his dance orientated musical CATS, where dancers used their bodies to morph and manipulate into a feline Jellicle ball. The modern day works of Jason Robert Brown that a new style of musical theatre was born. These styles have one commonality: the messages that they send in their dancing is quite clear and the story is elaborated through the movement. I have always found it fascinating to tell stories through movement. Musical Theatre dance allows its dancers to do this. It has proven to be magical, transporting an audience away from their everyday lives into a dream-like place through well known and loved songs and dances. It is the role of the dance in musical theatre to excite and delight audiences.
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There are some Victorian youth performance places that specialize in a combination of dancing, acting and music (singing) but not just dancing. These places are designed for children to gain skills in the 3 areas of performing arts. The classes that these places offer usually run on a semester by semester basis and do not offer any casual classes for children. Occasionally they will run a workshop or holiday programs where children who do not do regular classes can participate in them.
The idea to start my own musical theatre dance classes, started when my cousin actually told me it might be a worthwhile venture. There are a lot of people out there who do musical theatre and want to get an edge on auditions by knowing some basic skills and movement that w=ould enable them to do so. The more I pondered this idea, I came to realise that there are not a lot of dance schools in Victoria that offer musical theatre class for one, and that can offer them on a term-by-term or casual class basis either.
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After researching the musical theatre dance classes or lack there of, I decided it might be a good idea for myself to start running my own musical theatre dance classes. My aim for the classes was to provide youth dance classes that specialize in musical theatre type dancing and to operate on a term-by-term basis with the option of coming for casual classes as well. The classes would aim to build up skill level, coordination, flexibility, dancing in character as well as choreography retention. Students will learn routines/dances to musical theatre songs.
Not only is it a great way to socialize and to learn dancing but it also is a great form of exercise.
It has always been a passion of mine to pass knowledge that I have on to others. Kids are something different. They have this real desire to know, especially if they are interested in the subject. I have started these classes at M.B.C.T.A Youth Theatre where I also teach drama to children. I offer the musical theatre dance classes as an extension to the drama school. The current group of students I teach work for 2 hours every week and in that 2 hours we have a lot of laughs and a lot of musical theatre fun. At the moment we are learning 4 routines and consistently rotate them. |
We are doing a 50’s piece to Hairspray’s “Nicest Kids In Town”, a body percussive dance to Grease’s “Grease Lighting”, A jazz ballet piece to Jesus Christ Superstar’s “Everything’s Alright” and we have just started a very vibrant dance to A Chorus Line’s “I hope I get it.”
I try to really increase their movement vocabulary by choosing very different musical theatre songs that will broaden their knowledge and skill base. The students get used to hearing different music and interpreting songs in different ways. The classes are a fun way to learn dance, increase movement vocabulary and have fun, all at the same time!
