CHILDREN'S CLASSES

MMM teachers are extremely creative and use an extensive range of stimuli such as:- musical instruments, material, rhythm and art. The aim is to build the child's confidence to take part and have fun while developing a strong creative foundation in movement and dance.
MMM's intention is that through positive experiences of good tuition the children will continue to enjoy and include some form of physical exercise throughout their lives.

HEALTH PLAY
FOR CHILDREN OF NURSERY AGE

The title Health Play was so named through Margaret's early recognition in the 1920's of the need to combine play in the tuition of children and healthy exercise. Margaret Morris believed, 'Dance is an expression of life and growth and is necessary for the harmonious development of the young child'. Play while educating children

The global psychological benefits of play and having fun have been recognised for many years as essential to the social and emotional growth of the child and is vital in MMM's approach to teaching children.

This is a delightful syllabus using story, song and movement. Within the 'story' dance exercises are performed combined with nursery rhymes and other songs. Improvisation and mime form an integral part of each session thus helping the child to develop physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually.

The classes encourage the child at a very young age to express themselves in movement in a safe, imaginative and un-pressurised atmosphere.

MMM 5 CHILDREN'S GRADES
FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

'The MMM 5 Children's Grades provide more than an ordinary dance class as it sets the foundation of good posture, breathing and natural graceful movement through the tuition of simple exercises followed by improvisation and self expression through the ever present imagination of children'.
MARGARET MORRIS 1936

GRADES 1-5

Classes taught in the school environment are linked to the relevant key stages in the school curriculum.
The exercises often greatly improve gait, posture, respiratory and co-ordination problems.

The children's grades combined with free expression and composition help the children to develop physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually and encourage the development of a creative mind as well as a broad movement foundation.

For those who wish, examinations are available which comprise of a class performance of all the exercises, and an individual short dance and improvisation piece. These are assessed by an approved MMM examiner.

The gradual progression through the grades enable the students to be prepared for a bigger step into the Elementary Dance Grade.

ELEMENTARY DANCE

Elementary dance is a combination of some of the adult dance exercises and Dance Technique Grade 1. Dance Technique is a series of more contemporary dance exercises that Margaret Morris developed in the 1940's for her professional Celtic Ballet Company and to support the higher adult grades).

It is a stylised contemporary method and is taught with a wide range of modern music. The clear structure is ideal for teenagers and supports them in developing their confidence in performing and dance ability.

Elementary Dance forms a stepping stone into the adult dance classes and further Dance Technique Grades.