Happy Christmas

Hi everyone,

With only a few days until Christmas I hope you are all prepared and ready for a relaxing time with your loved ones.

After a hectic few months of work and a big move as well as dealing with the changes of pregnancy I'm delighted to finally be able to put my feet up! The bump is growing and we are gradually getting ready for the arrival of our first little one next year. I've take up pregnancy yoga which is calming and helps you to connect with your baby as well as learning some great breathing techniques and positions to help during labour. I go to Yoga Mama in Putney www.yogamama.co.uk

All of our classes are on hold until the 5th of January when we will begin the Spring term as well as continuing preparation for our February show 'Over the Rainbow' which is being held at the Secombe Theatre Sutton. The theme of the show is colours and I can't wait for it all to come together. The preparation and performance is always a great experience for all of the children involved. It's an amazing way to build confidence as well as giving the very young children their first taste of performance.

Next year we'll continue to provide Education programmes to nurseries and schools and I'm very much looking forward to us working with Rutherford house school where we will provide all of there in curriculum and after school dance. I'm building a new team of teachers who will be covering more classes for us us this year particularly whilst I'm on maternity leave. For more info on all of our dance education programmes contact emily@dynamicdance.org.uk

It's been another great year for me and I feel grateful for all of the opportunities within my business and continue to enjoy my work. My biggest blessing is of course my pregnancy and I feel grateful every day. We are praying for healthy baby in 2015.

Have a great time over the holidays everyone; eat drink and be merry!

Happy Christmas

Emily X

baby bump!

Hi everyone,

I haven't blogged in a while as I've been busy and keeping a little secret... I'm having a baby!

My first little one is due in May '15 and we are delighted. Everything is well so far and I am loving my growing bump! I've had so much support and well wished from family friends and other mums which is lovely.

So far my pregnancy has been Ok apart from the overwhelming tiredness. My usual insomnia and crazy energy levels have been swapped for early nights and afternoon naps. I've remained active and I'm still doing all of my teaching although the heavy gym workouts were shelved early on! I'm looking forward to starting my antenatal yoga classes soon and will be putting my feet up from Easter sending out a great team of dance teachers to keep Dynamic Dance running strong!

We are currently preparing for our February show 'Over the Rainbow' which we'll hold once again at the Secombe theatre in Sutton . I'll have more news on that soon but rehearsals are going well!

We've had  great term at Dynamic Dance and with lots of new pupils in our classes as well as providing dance to more Schools and nurseries spreading dance education even further! Contact me for more info on our programmes for Schools and nurseries.

I am feeling very blessed right now and look forward to sharing all of my baby news with you over the next 6 months.

Have a great weekend

Emily x

Defining Me

Recently I got to thinking about what defines me. What is it that really defines who I am and makes me feel happy and fulfilled. What defines you? 

For as long as I can remember it was always my work. Becoming a dancer and then a teacher and choreographer was the most important thing to me and really shaped my life. I left my roots in the north east many years ago and came to London to follow my dreams and for better opportunities. I love it and have built a great life here but having no family around isn't always easy. 

Being self employed and choosing a creative career comes with sacrifices and not always the stability of a career such as being a solicitor or a doctor or any 9-5 job. I've been judged many times for not having a 'proper job' and when you feel vulnerable you question yourself and your worth. Recently I felt this very strongly and questioned what I was doing, if I was good enough and was I even successful. I'm sure many of you can relate to that. We are only human after all and it's impossible to feel amazing about ourselves all of the time. 

Then something happened. I had a great day at work and suddenly remembered why I do what I Do and that where I am in life is ok. I was overcome with happiness and relief and the doubt and vulnerability and care of what others thought melted away. My work, my relationship, my friendships and most importantly how I feel about myself is what defines me. 

For some people it's a career. For some it's family or Charity work or A creative hobby. What matters most to everyone is being happy and being able to hold your head high and know you're doing the very best you can. We should support, help and encourage each other and not judge or criticize. No good ever comes from that. 

Whatever it is that defines you or make you happy do it unafraid and with passion.

Love  and light 

Emily x 

'On The Run' in Paris

I can't wait to tell you all about my wonderful weekend in Paris!

I was lucky enough to be taken to Paris as a treat from my boyfriend and the main event was watching Jay Z and Beyonce perform their On The Run Show at the Stade de France. It was an amazing show which lasted almost three hours with a massive variety of their solo and joint hits. Beyonce was simply  phenomenal! This woman really does have amazing talent and is such a powerful performer with a great live voice. My favourite song was Flawless during which the rapper Nicki Minaj made a guest appearance sending the crow wild. Jay Z was also amazing and any rumours of animosity between this beautiful complete looked false to me as their chemistry and unity appeared electric. If you have the chance to see them live go, it was a really wonderful night.

We took in many of the great sights of Paris including the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. This was my first trip to Paris and I definitely fell in love with the city.... I can't wait to go back.

All classes are in full swing at Dynamic Dance and we've welcomed lots of new students this term already which is great. Prep is underway for our Feb '15 show and you can guess where some of my inspiration is coming from!

Wishing you all a great week

Emily X

Dynamic's Got the X factor!

I hope you're all well and ready for back to school!

I'm so excited that some of my pupils are featuring on the talk talk ad breaks during X factor! The clips used so far are brilliant and the children who are featuring are naturally excited to be on prime time TV! This is one of the many performance opportunities I work to create for my students. Look out for the girls Tarlee and Phoebe who will be 'flippingtastic' and our star boy Andrew with his amazing freestyling and cartwheeling during the rest of the series!

All of our classes are back from Wednesday with classes in Kingston, Cheam and Clapham. We'll begin work towards our next big show scheduled for Mid February. I'll also be returning to St Mary's University Twickenham as a  lecturer in dance which I'm really looking forward to. With nursery and school sessions plus Dynamic parties it's going to be a super busy term! We're offering FREE trial classes at all branches so contact me to book in  emily@dynamicdance.org.uk

The new school year is so important for me to set out goals and ideas for my business and I feel really positive about the coming year. At Dynamic Dance I'm able to create performance opportunities for young people and a platform for my own creativity. I've missed my students and can't wait to get back  in that studio!

Come and join us if you can, I promise it's way more than a dance class.....

Love and light

Emily X

Groove On Down!

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all having an amazing summer! Our summer here in London seems to have disappeared hopefully only temporarily...

If you're looking for things to do with your children you can bring them along to our Hip Hop dance camps this week at Eddie Catz Wimbledon and Putney. Suitable for ages 5-10 years they will be great fun and will keep your children active and entertained! book at www.eddiecatz.com

I went along to see 'Groove On Down The Road' at the Southbank Centre by Zoo Nation and it was awesome! Following the successful Some Like It Hip Hop and Into The Hoods this was just as good with an amazing cast of  talented young dancers and flawless choreography by Kate Prince. It featured amazing music including my favourite Justin track Let the Groove Get In. Based on The Wizard Of Oz it will entertain the whole family and have you dancing in your seat! I'd definitely recommend this and you can get great deals on tickets. There is so much going on at the Southbank this summer with lots of free live music, a food festival and fun fair.
www.soutbankcentre.co.uk/groove
.

I'm busy preparing for the new term and will be taking lots of classes over the next couple of weeks to give me inspiration for new choreography. We're offering Free trials at all of our branches so book in now as classes are filling up! We have classes in Clapham , Cheam and Kingston as well as offering programmes for schools, nurseries and dance parties. Contact me for more info
emily@dynamicdance.org.uk

Finaly I'm really excited that some of my Dynamic dancers will feature in the Talk Talk ad breaks during the X Factor live shows! Tarlee, Phoebe, Andrew, Maddie, Amber and Flynn all did amazingly during filming and made the cut. Watch out for them in October when the live shows kick off!

Have a great week.

Emily X

Body Matters

I recently got to thinking about body issues....

The singer Kesha wrote a very honest and and open article for Elle magazine about her own body battle and how it led to a two month stay in rehab. The press and publications such as the daily mail are very focused and critical about womans bodies and I can't imagine the pressure that must put woman in the spotlight under. The dancer and presenter Kimberly Wyatt also recently spoke out about her refusal to conform to 'skinny'   instead choosing the fit and healthy approach to her body. I think Kimberly is an excellent role model for dancers and she looks great.

As a dancer I've had my own body issues over the years, ever since I was a teenager and my body began to change. I've been curvy, skinny and in recent years worked on having a fit and athletic body. This is what works best for me. Exercise helps me to stay balanced and keeps me fit and able to meet the physical demands of my job. It's not always easy to fit exercise in when my schedule is hectic and I'm tired but I do my best to work out 3-5 times a week.

During my years as dancer we were often told to lose weight and I can tell you this shatters your self esteem. I saw one dancer suffer terribly from the disease anorexia and it was horrifying. Dancers who are fit, strong and healthy are more likely to be hired than those who are overweight and underweight. However there are ways to manage it and most choreographers are supportive and encouraging thankfully.

The instagram phenomenon of today and the selfie generation puts an awful lot of pressure on your girls. I see my students affected by this and when they lack confidence in how they look it really upsets me. I tell them they all look great and try my best to build the confidence in all of my pupils. It's vital as parents and teachers we instill a healthy body image in children from a young age.

I'd like to run a programme for girls aged 10-16 focusing on building confidence and self esteem through dance and performance. I'm currently writing a proposal for funding for this and hope the Art's council will consider it and see this as a great idea.

However you look we all know it's what's on the inside that counts.

Love yourself and be kind to yourself!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend

Emily X

Hot Right Now! promo 2014

Hot Right Now! promo 2014

Heat wave!

Hey everyone,

It's a heatwave in London! I'm absolutely loving this weather and have been enjoying a week off with training in the gym and lots of Dynamic stuff.

We have our Hot Right Now summer schools starting next week. These week long courses are going to be amazing! We have an excellent schedule lined up, including street, jazz and break dance workshops, putting together a fantastic show, games and awards! For ages 4 upwards.
Clapham next week 28th July- 1st August at La Retraite school
Teddington 4th-8th August at St Mary's University.
The whole week is just £120 per child with day rates also available. Booking now so don't miss out!


Check out our first Youtube video! Subscribe to the channel for a free gift! Just quote dynamic blog/youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0SFxXD31rM

I'm very excited about my new sister company I'm busy setting up, Dynamic Productions. Ill be bringing more news on that soon!

All classes are on hold now until September. I'm looking forward to the next School year and already have shows and trips lined up for the team. I'll spend the holidays recharging and finding new inspiration so all of our classes are fresh and challenging.

I hope you all have a great summer if you're off somewhere exotic or staying home to enjoy family time. I had  a great time in Italy a few weeks ago with my lovely boyfriend. Next stop, Paris...!

Happy holiday's :-)

Emily X

Consider yourself!

Hi everyone,

Holiday season is upon us but before the Schools break we have a CRAZY time filled with workshops, performances and parties.

Towards the end term is sports week for most Schools and I'm delighted to be providing dance for new Schools this term and that dance is now often included in Physical Education. I'm particularly enjoying working on a production of Oliver choreographing all of the numbers including Consider yourself, food glorious food and oom pah pah! This is such a  great musical and the students are doing a brilliant job. For more info on all of our dance programmes for Schools contact me; emily@dynamicdance.org.uk

Places are filling up for out Hot Right Now summer schools taking place in July and August in Clapham and Kingston. The course is open to children aged 4-16 years of all dance levels. Keep your  children active and entertained during the holidays! We have  fantastic schedule lined up....

Before the term is out I'm escaping To Italy for a break which I'm so excited for! I'll be indulging in some pizza and red wine whilst celebrating a friends wedding. bliss. I'll blog when I'm back to tell you all about it...

Ciao! x






                                             

It's getting hot....

Things are definitely hotting up for summer and with events, parties and summer Schools I have lots to tell you about!

Dance to the Beat...!
First of all I will be getting hot and sweaty this Friday at our Beatbox night in Ham! Beatbox is a business I started last year with my friend Suzanne Cox who was famously Gladiator 'Vogue' in the 80s TV show. I love working with Suze and we've created dance nights for woman; a mix of dance and socialising where we knock and some awesome routines that everyone can follow whilst having a drink or two. Come along at 8pm in your party clothes at Ham football club ready to Dance to the Beat...!
Admission £7

This Saturday I'm taking the team along to Holy Cross Prep sports festival in Kingston where we will showcase a few routines and I will then give some master classes to anyone who wants to join in! Holy Cross is a great School with excellent facilities and I'm delighted we will be part of this event. Always love an excuse to get the children on stage!

Hot Right Now summer Schools!!!
This year I'm holding two summer schools; one in Clapham at La Retraite 28th July-1st August and at St Mary's university Twickenham 4th-8th August. These week long courses are suitable for ages 4-16 years and will include learning dance styles such as street and jazz. They are great fun and also include games and awards with a fantastic show at the end of the week for family and friends to enjoy! Price is £120 for the week; book before the 10th June for  a 10% discount. This is  great way to entertain the children and keep them active during the holidays!

During the hectic summer period I'll be trying to still my mind and stretch my body out with some hot bikram yoga. I have long been a fan of this yoga and plan to get back into the studio soon.

With the world cup about to kick off and a possible heatwave it's looking to be another great summer.

Stay cool :)

Emily X

love to dance

Recently I got to thinking about dance, all that it means to me and the journey my chosen career has brought me on.

A girl who featured in an commercial for dance wear recently received some backlash for her terrible feet, bad posture etc and this hit a nerve for me. I appreciate those dancers that have worked so hard to be excellent technicians and I have complete respect for them as I do all performers who are dedicated to their art. Dance comes in many different genres and to me it is about expression, performance and beauty of movement. Different standards are required depending on the project of course. I want my students to reach their full potential in every area but ultimately I am teaching them to have confidence, personality and expression. There is much speculation towards Abbey Lee Miller of the famous 'dance moms' TV show as to if her strict teaching method is healthy for her students. I haven't watched a massive amount of the show and I imagine a lot of this is bigged up for TV. I try to reach a balance in my classes of having structure with a level of discipline whilst encouraging my students and being careful not to knock their often fragile self esteem. As teachers I believe we have  a big responsibility and I'm hard on myself when it comes to finding that perfect balance.

I've received various levels of discipline throughout my dance training as a child then an adult. In the professional world it is of course very different but I can honestly say I have good memories of all parts of  it. When I experience the challenges that come with running a business single handedly and I'm having a difficult week and there is no one to help carry the load I this;

I love to dance!


I love to create and have the opportunity to share this with young people. I love to watch dance and learn from other choreographers, teachers and performers. I feel very privileged. I may not be the best teacher or choreographer and my feet most certainly are not perfect after all these years. But I'll keep working hard and becoming better than I was yesterday.

Love and light

Emily X

Tiny dancer!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and made the most of the very long weekend.

Schools are back and so are all of our classes! From tomorrow in Kingston at David Lloyd, Thursday in Cheam at David Lloyd and Monday in Clapham at Better Leisure centre. We are welcoming lots of new pupils and offer a free trial class so it's not too late to book in! contact us and get your child moving. There is no better way to keep children active and our classes are high energy with an excellent structure. Dance is a great way to build confidence, discipline and social skills and with our excellent performance opportunities your child has the chance to shine and be part of something special.

Huge thanks to the team at Eddie Catz for helping make our dance camps over the Easter holiday's a great success. I'll be blogging with more info on our half term and summer workshops soon. I also had a great time at St Peters School in Chiswick working with pupils on their dance week. For more info on our Schools programmes contact me emily@dynamicdance.org.uk

I'm looking forward to the term and working on our new show plus some other exciting projects!

Have a great week and check out this little gem I found; adorable!

Love and light

Emily X

Easter holiday's!

Hi everyone,

The Easter holiday's are here and I'm sure you're looking for ways to fill them!

I'm running street dance camps this week at Eddie Catz Wimbledon and Putney for ages 5-10 years where children will learn great routines, some breaking moves and of course a fab performance at the end of each day! At just £20 per child for the morning including lunch places are filling up. You can book at www.eddiecatz.com 

I'm looking forward to working with some new schools including St Peters in Hamersmith and Rushey Meadow in Carshalton where dance is included within the PE curriculum. The classes we provide for Schools have proved popular as it's such a great way to get boys and girls moving whilst improving confidence and working towards a performance. Contact me for more information on our Schools sessions emily@dynamicdance.org.uk   

We are preparing for our summer show 'Carnival' which will be held at Lambeth College Theatre in Clapham Common on Sunday 29th June. It's not long since our last big show but already the students have learnt some great routines and Dynamic Dance is all about performance opportunities! More info on the show will be with you soon.

I'm looking forward to some time off over the Easter holiday's. I'm loving running in Regents park at the minute and hoping there will be some Easter eggs coming my way so it all balances out! A Little bit of what you love....

Have a great week

Emily X

Half term fun!

Hi everyone,

I hope you've all had a lovely Valentines weekend and are feeling the love! I have to say it was a romantic weekend for me and the first I've had off in a while so I'm definitely feeling rested.

This week is half term and We have the perfect way to keep your children entertained with our Dancetastic camps at EddieCatz Putney and Wimbledon. These workshops are suitable for children aged 5-10 years and they will learn some great moves over the morning and prepare a small performance for parents to enjoy. The camps take place at Wimbledon 19th February 10am-1pm and Putney 20th and 21st 10am-1pm. The price is just £20 per child for the morning and includes lunch and a free play at Eddie Catz. Book at www.eddiecatz.com Meanwhile you can take take a few hours to relax parents!

Last weekend we had our show 'We've got Talent'! at the Secombe Theatre Sutton and it was a great
success. The children all performed brilliantly with the standard showing significant improvement since last year. Our three finalists in our 'Talent show' were Spirit; a super talented gymnastic trio who are just 9 years old, Andrew Self who performed a jive number and Dynamic our crew who were a mixed age street dance group. The show was diverse and really showed off the talent we have at our three branches of Dynamic Dance. The feedback from parents was great with all of the children super hyped and proud of their achievement which is what staging these large shows is all about for me.

The standout performer was our only senior boy Andrew Self. Andrew is 17 and is Down's syndrome. He first came to Dynamic Dance two years ago after showing a real flair for dance and being a massive strictly fan so his mum wanted to get him into a dance class. Andrew fitted in well with us straight away and our girls are great with him; he takes the opportunity to freestyle all over the studio before class every week showing off his perfect splits and cartwheels! Over the last two years Andrew has shown incredible progression and talent and performed as Danny last year in our Grease medley. His flexibility and ability to freestyle is really amazing and we feel lucky to have him as part of Dynamic Dance. Everyone agreed last Saturday night that he really does have magic in his feet.

We were lucky enough to have David white photography take some shots of the children in rehearsal and at the Theatre during our dress run and they are really beautiful photographs. I can't recommend him enough. Contact david@dancephotography.co.uk

Wishing you all a great half term week! Spring is just around the corner....

Emily X

We've Got Talent!

It's been a little while since I blogged but I'm back with plenty to tell you all about!

We are currently preparing for our show 'We've got Talent' which takes place on February 8th 2014 at the Secombe theatre Sutton. Rehearsals and preparation is going brilliantly and the kiddie are all just so excited! this show is based on talent show so it's different to our previous promises as there is a presenter, judges, singers as well as lots of amazing dance acts. We're working hard and I know it's going to great and most importantly  a wonderful experience for all of the pupils involved. Please come and support us! You can book tickets at www.suttontheatres.co.uk

 

 I've relocated to North West London in the very lovely st John's wood. I fancied a change and I'm already very settled here. I'm planning to open my first North London branch of Dynamic very soon, so watch this space for details.

We have half term not far off and I've teamed up once again with Eddie Catz for some 'Dancetastic' workshops. these camps are for ages 5-10 years and take place in Putney on 20tha nd 21st February and in Wimbledon on 22nd February. places are limited so book soon if you can at www.eddiecatz.com

I was lucky enough to be taken to see Cirque du Soleil last night at the Royal Albert hall (by a special someone!) and it was spectacular! If you get the chance I can't recommend it enough, the talent and production is excellent and Quidam is the best I've seen of the Cirque shows. 

I hope you have an awesome weekend everyone. I'm off to teach some master classes for my friend Shelly at her very successful Razzmatazz Theatre Schools in Woodley and Wokingham tomorrow and Saturday. Sunday we are rehearsing for our show at Dance attic studios Fulham and of course there are Dynamic Dance parties going on. It's a busy one and for that I'm grateful.

Love and Light

Emily X