Victorian Dance Festival (VDF) has been a staple on the Australian dance calendar for seven years, and in 2019, under the helm of new owners, VDF will bring dance to our littlest movers with Mini Classes for ages three to seven.
Husband and wife duo, Daniel and Deborah Searle, who are also the editors of Australia’s largest dance magazine, Dance Informa, have a mini dancer of their own in their son Edan, who aspires to be a breakdance teacher when he grows up.
Superhero boys. Photo by Graham Read.
“The festival has always offered classes for children aged eight and up, so younger siblings just bopped on the side lines, but this year, we wanted to give the little ones a moment to shine and develop a love of dance,” says Deborah Searle. “Our son is so excited about the line-up of classes and experiences just for his age group!”
VDF is a jam-packed celebration of dance at converted warehouse event space Batman Royale in Coburg on April 13 and 14. With back-to-back dance workshops all weekend in a variety of styles, such as ballet, contemporary, musical theatre, jazz and salsa, from leading choreographers and instructors, VDF is an exciting holiday treat.
But the 2019 program is unique, as there will also be a Mini Ballet Class and a Boys Superhero Dance Class, where boys are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite hero or create their own at the free mask-making station. There will also be a fun and heart-warming Dancing with Dad jazz class from theatre star Luke Alleva and his two children, Alessio and Chiara, where the young dancers can enjoy learning a dance with their fathers (or mothers, if Daddy is absent). These three classes, to be held on Saturday, April 13, will be specifically for the three- to seven-year-old age group, with the sweet treat of free fairy floss for each dancer after class.
babyballet Twinkle and Teddy show.
A highlight of the Mini Dancer program will be the popular babyballet® Show on the outdoor stage, starring life-sized bears Twinkle and Teddy to delight and inspire the children. All mini dancers attending can also enjoy the dance market with Mum and Dad, complete with stalls, food trucks, dancewear and accessories, and other live performances.
“These classes are for all the little ones who’d love the chance to dance, whether they already take classes or have never danced before. We invite the local community to come on down and experience the joy of dance,” Deborah says.
All classes and the show will run for one hour each, starting at 10am, on Saturday, April 13. With tickets at only $15 each for the whole day, VDF will provide a fun, creative and active day out for your little movers and groovers.
For more information and tickets, head to www.VDF.com.au/minidancers.
VDF 2019 will be held at Batman Royale, Coburg on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, the weekend before Easter.
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