South London Dance Studios

‘My daughter has been attending South London Dance Studios for one term now. I have to confess I was a little worried about sending her as she has high frequency deafness and wears hearing aids. However it doesn't seems to have hindered her at all, and she has actually developed more of a sense of rhythm, and listening to the music to help her to dance has improved her listening skills generally. In addition, being able to carry out an activity such as ballet which is so listening dependent, but which so many other young children do, helps her not to feel disadvantaged. The level of supervision in the nursery class is excellent so I never have any concerns when leaving her there and it is great for her to be able to carry out an activity independently. I highly recommend Nursery dance at South London Dance Studios to other parents of hearing impaired children.’

‘When my son first started at South London Dance Studios I wondered how anyone would ever coax him out of a very deep shyness. Whatever the trick the teacher’s used, he soon gained confidence and showed a growing determination to demonstrate his new skills to their best. I was amazed to see him ready to show off his new talent, enjoying the camaraderie with other students and responding to teachers’ comments on how to improve his performance. This, I feel, is a great strength of SLDS’s; in supporting and nurturing the individual student and developing a mutual respect between dancer and teacher.

Miss Zoe also helped me recognize my son had dance potential and gave me much personal support in putting him forward for an audition for vocational training. Her input in preparing him for the audition process was invaluable and we were thrilled when he received an early scholarship offer from Arts Educational School. He is now in his third year there but still keeps in touch with his teacher’s at SLDS, looking forward to opportunities to take part in special performances and events. In doing so, not only is he recognizing the contribution made by his former teachers but he welcomes the continual artistic challenges that those at SLDS have inspired him to rise to.’

‘My daughter joined the nursery class at South London Dance Studios just over a year ago, when she was 2 1/2 years old. I was apprehensive about her ability to separate, because each time she went to her day nursery she would leave me in tears. However, she skipped in to her ballet classes with growing confidence each week. I believe that her weekly lessons at South London Dance Studios increased her self-confidence and reduced her separation anxiety, thus helping her to settle in to nursery school six months later. The classes are also developing her concentration and listening skills, which has obvious benefits at home and at school.’

‘I feel that dance has helped my eldest daughter with her confidence, posture and flexibility (very important in this day of sitting down at TV’s and computers!). For my younger daughter it is a chance to improve her concentration and direction to listen and follow instructions.’

‘My daughter has always been very bright and very active and at nursery had trouble initially sitting still and listening to a story. I felt ballet would help her self discipline and concentration. That may sound a bit old fashioned but I am sure it did the trick. I feel too many things are "fair weather activities" for children these days and not treated seriously enough. At South London Dance Studios I appreciate the commitment the teachers ask for, and think it is good for my daughter to learn about commitment and high standards. I also think that finding constructive and healthy interests, like dance, for children is very important, and as they get older will hopefully help keep them off the streets.’

‘South London Dance Studios has been a part of our lives for the past 5 years. Over time, its role has increased and the time required for attendance has increased from a few hours on a Saturday to the current position where it takes up four evenings and time on a Saturday.

SLDS has built a reputation for excellence which comes through a lot of hard work and dedication from the children, the teachers and of course the Principal, Miss Zoe Dawson. The parents too have an important role to play, and Miss Zoe has built up a healthy working partnership assisting parents where possible in order to maximise the options available to the children. With a focus on improving ability, this has resulted in examination success, and achievement in competitions, West End show auditions, Royal Ballet auditions and National Youth Ballet auditions. The children learn confidence to perform in front of an audience, and from this to be competitive against others through a number of competitions in the South East. The success of the children is reflected in the growing reputation of South London Dance Studios. Success comes with hard work and none work harder than Zoe and her team of teachers.’

‘My daughter is age four and she is incredibly excited about learning to dance. She is always eager to come to class.es at South London Dance Studios. Across the past months I have noticed that she has gained poise and great confidence in using her body. She is also at her most articulate when telling others what she has learned and demonstrating her skills to them! Clearly the classes involve much more than learning to dance: they are a brilliant way of developing a child’s self-esteem and awareness. It would be great if all children had the opportunity to learn to dance.’

‘Thank you so much for all you and your team at South London Dance Studios have done for my daughter over the past couple of years. Her confidence has increased very noticeably. She really enjoys her dancing, which is the main thing as far as we are concerned. The presentation of work the children performed for us recently showed how much she has improved since the last classes we observed. Well done! Having worked in a school for five years myself, I know how reassuring it is for the children to feel part of such a well-organized framework. Discipline is sadly lacking in many children's lives these days. The way South London Dance Studios’ classes and performances are run gives the children who attend them a great feeling of security, enabling them to really enjoy the whole experience.’

‘My daughter has been attending South London Dance Studios for nearly a year. It is remarkable how much she has grown in confidence and the enjoyment she receives from dancing. The school is also beneficial for the community as local parents get to know each other, and there is a real sense of belonging to a good cause.’

‘My daughter first started attending South London Dance Studios three years ago. I remember her then as a shy and nervous girl who was facing the same daunting prospects as her classmates in having to make new friends and learn new abilities. When I compare her now to how she was then I can see the difference in her so much - that she is more confident in herself and her abilities. Not only does she pick up new dance moves quickly, but she also has no problem in helping her friends when they need it and accepting the help herself. Watching her do a solo performance at school in front of strangers was a wonderful progression to see in her in terms of her confidence and ability. I hope the confidence she is gaining through what you are offering her with your dance school will assist her to grow into a confident young woman who loves and has the ability to dance. Thank you Miss Zoe.’

‘While studying for my A-levels I decided I wanted to do something more fun and active with my spare time, so I joined South London Dance Studios as a hobby – I always did like dancing! I spent two years at SLDS learning tap, ballet, modern and jazz dance, and then also acting. With the encouragement, discipline and inspiration of Zoe, dancing soon became more than just a hobby; it became my passion. SLDS helped me to relive my childhood dreams of anything being possible, and at the same time introducing me to new people and the fantastic world of performing arts. My time at SLDS provided me with the technique, confidence and knowledge to be able to successfully audition for several of London’s top full-time Performing Arts Colleges. It is now four years since I left SLDS and, having trained at the Urdang Academy, I am now a professional performer. I am very proud to say that I have already worked at The Royal Festival Hall and in Europe in large scale musicals. I will always fondly remember my time at South London Dance Studios because my life path was made there and it is where some of the best days of my life were spent.’

‘South London Dance Studios is a great local facility. It helps a range of youngsters not only acquire a new skill but gives children a self-confidence and sense of direction. For my own son, it has helped him feel he can achieve something and be a part of a very special team. Because the teachers require a real discipline from the children, in my experience, they are always well behaved. I think this discipline is one of the greatest qualities the academy helps teach. For our boys today it is key. Recently SLDS put on a dance display, which involved their students who come from all over South London. It included a real mix of children from a huge range of schools and social backgrounds. They loved it, my son was buzzing with excitement for a long time before and after the event. It gave all the children a chance to meet new friends and opened up their horizons. I don’t think my little boy will become a professional dancer – I think the classes help him to move his body, learn about what his body can do, enjoy his fellow dancers and he has gained a real love for music. But I do think it will give him a sense of discipline – which for a child who his school teachers have called ‘defiant’ is a fantastic attribute. I hope my child will continue the classes. I believe the teachers have found a way to capture his imagination and channel his energies into something positive. This has helped him achieve greater things at school and added a new positive dimension to all of our lives. The dance school is a true asset and something South London should be proud of.’

‘My daughter joined South London Dance Studios in September 2004 and initial reason for it was providing afterschool activity for an extremely active child. Since then she has been attending classes regularly and is at the moment doing 6 lessons a week – she absolutely loves her ballet school. South London Dance Studios is run by young, committed, very enthusiastic and creative teachers who provide high quality training in different styles of dance for children of all ages. Over the years my daughter's involvement with the school grew up from "simply having fun" into a deep and serious passion due to children being involved not only routine lessons but also into a lot of exciting events . In her academic primary school we, as her parents, have been constantly complemented on our daughter's balanced mental and physical development, her physical strength and level of fitness. It has been noticeable as our daughter, from a very shy and "all the time worrying" child, started turning into a more confident child with a stronger self-esteem, who is currently doing very well in all areas. SLDS provides not just an afterschool activity but a meaningfully directed and professionally delivered activity. At SLDS children learn a lot about social and team skills as they very often work in pairs and groups. They also become more aware of how discipline and commitment affects life and achievement at school, in the home and in the dance class.’

‘South London Dance Studios has been most beneficial towards my daughters’ development; she has grown enormously in her confidence. Doing her dance classes, she has developed a real attitude of discipline and commitment. The school has provided good scope for her to grow within the arena of dance, doing festivals, shows, auditions and exams. The Principal, Zoe Dawson, is very dedicated and puts lots of her own time and energy into seeing youngsters reaching their potential, which is really great, and we thank her and her team for that.’

‘My daughter has been dancing at South London Dance Studios since the age of 5, she is now 9. It has been wonderful to see her develop as a dancer from doing one class a week to seven! I asked her how SLDS has made a difference in her life & she answered, “it has really encouraged me & makes me feel I can do anything in my life, it has helped to bring out the best in me, bringing the good things inside of me, out! I love making friends & supporting each other when we take exams & go to auditions. I look forward to seeing them in every lesson!” The Principal, Zoe Dawson, has created a great community which is a privilege to belong to & be a part of.’

‘My daughter has been with South London Dance Studios for 3 1/2 years. She is only seven and during this short space of time she has been enriched with a number of life-changing experiences. SLDS has provided a number of professional forums enabling my child to grow. One example of this is my daughter’s confidence, she has now performed on stage on six occasions – five of these on her own whilst competing in regional dance competitions (festivals). SLDS provides not only a unique opportunity for young people to learn a variety of dances it also provides a social environment for students to meet young people from different cultures, classes and abilities and share their life experiences. SLDS has also demonstrated to my daughter that the enjoyment and rewards achieved from participating in dance far exceed the wish to hang out on streets getting into trouble or to become unhealthy and overweight, two areas which are prevalent in our society for young people today. In addition to this but correlated to the above SLDS provides a wonderful sense of dance discipline; from personal presentation, time keeping to learning various styles of dance. These disciplines are transferable to life social skills enable my child to value adults, peers, society’s values and respect and adhere to sound and safe rules and structures. SLDS has been an asset to my daughter’s development both physically and mentally and I would highly recommend this provision to all parents.’