Dance lessons from the best

May 27 2008

THE hour-long class with BRB also means that youngsters have the opportunity to have a go at learning from the professionals whether they go on to become dancers or not.

Class teacher at Prince Albert School Sharon Marks says all the children benefit.

"It gives them an insight into something that they would not usually have the opportunity to experience," she says.

"To have professionals from Birmingham Royal Ballet come into the school and teach them is something very different. I thought it was excellent and all the children enjoyed taking part."

And Sharon is hoping to build on the skills they have learned.

"I will now try and incorporate some bits of that they have been doing, such as the warm-up, in the PE lessons."

* HEALTH BENEFITS OF BALLET

BALLET dancers are among the fittest people as their job sees them leaping, lifting, practising and pirhouetting.

Benefits of ballet include:

* Flexibility - constant practice from a young age will develop and retain movement

* Strength - stretching and training builds muscle power

* Cardiovascular - jumping around the stage raises the heart rate, helping build stamina

* Calming - exercise helps relieve stress

* Weight loss - dancing of any form will help burn the calories.