We can all remember how it felt when mom placed our scribbles on the fridge for all to see. We want our children to feel that pride, build independence, confidence and an eagerness to learn. This is why we find it extremely important to make our art activities open-ended.

We encourage every child's individual creativity. Children have their own thoughts and ideas of how things should look and they come to art with their own unique experiences. Children enrolled in program will discover and create artwork that reflects different time periods in art history, emphasizing the different cultures of the world - without ever leaving Miami! They will explore the Lascaux Cave in France, make Molas like the Cuna Indians of Central America, weave Kente cloths like a tribesman of Ghana, make there own scarabs like the ancient Egyptians and create self portraits like Andy Warhol.

All classes will start with a discussion period, presenting examples of cultures and art pieces. Then the children will plan the direction of their work and create their own artwork with the instructor's guidance. We want children to receive an education in art as a means of developing creative and flexible forms of thinking and global human understanding.

It is well documented that the study of movement encourages the use of balance, coordination, flexibility and awareness of space to work in unison. These elements, which are learned in the preschool years and further developed by activities in the formative years, take on an additional dimension with dance instruction. Dance teaches one how to better read body language and assists with expressing emotions and feelings. Our students will have an opportunity to learn creative movement and classical ballet, which improves social skills while fostering participation and interaction with others.

Dance is as much about flexibility of mind as it is flexibility of the body. Each class will begin with a warm up to wake up the body and help the mind focus and concentrate for the work ahead. The warm up period also establishes a welcome period to break down barriers and build rapport between the teacher and students. The core portion of class is based on technique. Yet, technique and creativity go hand in hand as all dancers are interested in jumping higher, leaping further and lifting their legs higher.

Often we will incorporate props and instruments to aid in teaching and learning. Students will have opportunities to perform for one another in preparation for their end of term performance and to learn and practice skills of appropriate manners when part of an audience. All classes will end with a cool down to return the body to its resting state.

"Strike a pose.there's nothing to it!" Stand tall like a tree, flutter like a butterfly, soar like an eagle or swim like a creature of the sea and have fun with yoga, the ultimate mind and body activity. Recently we have come to understand how helpful yoga can be for children in their formative years.

Yoga enthusiasts contend that its meditation tools and breathing exercises are a natural relaxant and particularly helpful for children with behavioral disorders and attention deficit disorder. They learn to relax and focus. Regular yoga practice increases their self awareness, builds their self esteem, strengthens their bodies and improves flexibility. Breath work, meditation and games are combined with traditional yoga poses and creative movement to create an activity that spells F-U-N!

This is a time to enjoy; a time to have compassion for ones self in a sincere effort to bring more calm and peace into one's life.

Click for Class Schedule