Senior and Advanced Academy News
1 September, 2026
Uniform and Attendance September
September’s monthly theme is….. Uniform and Attendance! This month we want to see students rocking their uniforms and buns with pride, and bringing their water bottles to class too!
8 September, 2026
Why wear uniforms?
Wearing a uniform in dance class creates discipline and sets a tone for the class, promoting a sense of unity and professionalism. It also ensures safe dance practice so that our teachers can clearly see the dancer's alignment and posture.
From a practical standpoint, uniforms are designed to be safe and functional for movement. The materials used allow for comfort, flexibility and breathability to support the dancers range of motion and keep the body regulated during intense physical activity.
These are just a few reasons we love seeing our dancers in their TDC uniforms. At TDC we value the uniform not just as a tradition, but as a tool for fostering safe and successful dancers.
22 August, 2026
Fitness benefits of Dancing
Dancing is a form of anaerobic cardio which is one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise. It also encourages and supports the production of strong bones.
Find out more here
25 August, 2026
Respect
Respect is a key value that children carry with them throughout their whole life. This starts in the home and translates into the studio. Here are some ways dancers can show respect to themselves and others:
4 August, 2026
BOOT CAMP AUGUST
This months theme is bootcamp, get ready to work, sweat and improve. In classes we want you to focus on stamina and power, getting ready for our recital and for our performance team competition season.
16 June, 2026
Injuries
Parents, does your dancer have an injury or a niggle? During Winter as weather get colder and children get tired we want to make sure your dancers stay safe, warm and healthy. Keeping their bodies warm by wearing warm clothing to and from their dance classes helps to reduce injury risk.
If they express to you that they have an injury, or that something isn’t feeling right, listen and if needed please get it checked out by a sports physio, chiropractor or doctor. Please also inform us and have your dancer tell the teacher if they have an injury or niggle! This is really important for us to be informed so we know how to help manage or reduce their workload in class to not further put pressure or stress on the injured area.
Ignoring and dancing through injuries makes things worse and dancing on an injury can increase recovery time and can cause permanent damage. At TDC we don’t encourage this and want to see our dancers strong and healthy, and to help teach them manage themselves through an injury period so they can keep themselves safe in the future.
3 July, 2026
Safety
Hi All,
Just a quick reminder that even though your children are Senior/ Advanced we still need to prioritise their safety. Big earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets are fun accessories for outside the studio.
We please ask that you can remind your child to remove any bigger hoops and other accessories prior to class. This helps keep your child and other students safe and looking polished.
Thank you!
4 June, 2026
t’s Technique June
This month in classes we want to focus on our technique. Dancers are encouraged to work on skills outside of class time to further improve and during class time are urged to think about their technique.
Some ways to focus and improve technique are to think about what muscles they need to activate their skills and technique. Another way is a head to toe scan thinking about where their head, shoulders, arms, fingers, centre etc should be placed.
We want to make sure that heading into recital practice that technique continues to be nurtured and not neglected!
11 June, 2026
Mind and Body Connection
This month's academy theme is Technique. To focus on this we want your dancers to think about their bodies and how their muscles work to perform each step/skill.
It's not about the end product, rather the steps and intention it takes to achieve this. By being aware and developing an understanding of our bodies and how they function, we can better utilise them to achieve what we want and do so safely.
Read below for some easy tips your dancers can apply in class.
23 April, 2026
Confidence
“Believe you can and you’re half way there.” This is a common saying you might have heard and one which is true!
In class when your child learns new skills, choreography or executes a movement their initial thoughts and beliefs they have before undertaking the task at hand sets them up for either success or failure instantaneously. This ties in with the growth mindset, having a positive and optimistic outlook before trying something instead of already believing they are not capable.
See our poster for ways your teenager can boost their confidence, and have a read below of this interesting resource.
5 May, 2026
GOAL SETTING 📝
Last month we touched on goal setting, this month it is time to dive deeper, check in, reflect and upgrade our goals to keep everything on track.
1 April, 2026
CHALLENGE YOURSELF APRIL
Drumroll please……. 🥁
This months theme is Challenge Yourself April!
This month, we're pushing your teen's limits — in the best way possible.
Dance class isn't just about learning steps — it's about building resilience, confidence, and the ability to keep going when things get hard. This month, we're asking every student aged 13–18 to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.
TRY A NEW STYLE
Hip hop? Contemporary? Jazz? Say yes to the unfamiliar.
PERFORM OUT FRONT
Volunteer to lead a move or take centre stage — even briefly.
EMBRACE MISTAKES
Mess up, laugh, reset, and go again. That's how dancers grow.
SET A GOAL
One skill to master this month — and celebrate when they do!
How you can help at home: Ask your teen what their challenge is this month. Cheer their effort, not just the outcome. A little encouragement from a parent goes a long way.
14 April, 2026
Dancing and Cognitive Health
Study of Dancing and reduced risks of Dementia:
Dancing is medicine for the body and also the mind. Dancing is a sport which demands not just athleticism, it also requires, creative and critical thinking, self assessment and reflection and social skills.
In a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, it was investigated how leisure activities improved brain function, reducing risks of dementia in elderly. The researchers looked at the effects of 11 different types of physical activity ranging from cycling, golf, swimming, and tennis, with only one of the activities (dance) being found to lower participants’ risk of dementia. It was found that citizens over 75 who dance regularly reduced the onset of dementia by 76% which is twice as much as reading.
TDC Class Creativity Approach:
Despite this being fascinating, this information is also useful in helping us understand why dancing is so important. In classes at TDC as we consolidate our dancing and technique, it is important to not neglect freedom and artistry in our movement. In classes recently we have been exploring freestyle and improvisation (Dancers decide and create their own movement and expression). This requires quick decision-making, and is key to creating new neural pathways, which make it easier for the brain to store and access information. This can feel scary for students at first, and here at TDC we foster a safe environment for your dancers to try new things. Learn, Fail, Create, Grow, Fall, it is all a part of the journey.
In classes while your children are learning new routines this is great for their neuroplasticity, however, free dance and improvisation is what consolidates their understanding and challenges their boundaries. That is why we believe it also super important to train this in class and at home.
Think dancing around your lounge room or kitchen, having a boogie at the traffic light, pulling out your best daggy dad moves at a party. This movement is what connects and liberates us, helping to maintain and increase cognitive function. Make dance fun. Play music in the car, and around the house. The more we listen the more we understand, the better we can create, and fuel our cognitive function.
19 March, 2026
Turning Tuesdays 🌪️
March is all about posture and alignment, and this translates into our pirouettes. See below for some fun ways to improve your turns using both posture and alignment as well as some mindset tricks to keep turning fun.
Time your dancers single leg balance and comment below their balance time!
28 March, 2026
Posture and Alignment
This months theme as you all know is Posture and Alignment. Exercising correct posture and alignment is so important and goes beyond standing up straight. Everyday activities like sitting at our desks, reading, scrolling, exercising or even doing chores impact this.
This week make sure you check in and consciously turn your attention to your and your childrens bodies. How do they stand, relax, sit? Are they hunched over, is there spine twisted? Take note and make them aware of this.
Here is an at home posture check if you need some help.