The very first Tiny Twos dance class at Arabesque Ballet Centre is about to get under way. Little would-be ballerinas are being coaxed into tiny leotards, tutus and silk ballet slippers. Hair is being swept up into ballet buns and small feet pushed into tights, while mums, grannies and Time Out journalists stand cooing over how cute they all look.
This is just a trial class, hosted by the brand new academy, sponsored by Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon Al Nahyan. Her daughter, Her Highness, Princess Maitha, is here today; almost three years old and looking every inch the ballerina in a pastel pink tutu. She’s twirling around in excitement with Hana Tanaka, two, and Mira Abu Daqa, who is only one.
The three diminutive dancers sit on the floor with the Academy’s head of ballet, Jesse Harron. Mira has been checking out the mini trampoline in the corner of the room since she arrived. ‘I want to jump,’ she finally says, thoughtfully, and then suddenly makes a break for it, bouncing up and down wildly before being persuaded to join the circle again. Luckily, Jesse is an experienced ballet teacher, used to working with very young children, and in no time has their undivided attention as they follow her around in a circle, happily waving their arms in the air.
Jesse teaches a Royal Academy of Dance program, which she explains is a great way to teach children a whole range of new skills. ‘This isn’t about just setting out exercises,’ she says. ‘There’s a huge creative element to the classes. If I just told them to follow me in a circle, they would lose interest, but if I say “Follow me, we’re going to the castle,” it catches their imagination and they get really focused on what they’re doing. So I always have a theme – maybe it’s an adventure on a beach or in a jungle. They always love the Magic Kingdom theme, so I usually save that for the end of term. The little girls get to pretend to be princesses and the boys pretend to be princes. They all love it!’
The class aims not just to improve the kids’ motor skills, but also their sensitivity to music. ‘We try to get a reaction from them, maybe a facial expression that suits the music or a particular movement,’ says Jesse. ‘The class is also really good for their socialisation, because they meet a group of children outside school, and we hope they’ll foster long-lasting friendships with each other. There’s lots of teamwork involved.’
For Sumarra Abu Samra, the academy director, it’s all about creating a studio that has a kid-friendly environment. ‘We’ll have the children’s art on the walls, and a homely atmosphere. We want them to feel like it’s their space, a home from home. The only other place for them to go is the mall, which is not the ideal atmosphere.’
The girls relax pretty quickly, especially when some of the mums join in, and are over the moon when the props come out. Jesse says these are always a big part of the class – ribbons, scarves, shakers and instruments will all feature during the term. Today they’re using bracelets with long, flowing, coloured ribbons, which Hana in particular seems pleased as punch about, grinning with glee and whirling them about. After 30 minutes of spinning and tottering, the girls are all danced out and run back to their mums for praise and juice. They’ve certainly earned it.
Want to get involved?
Classes will start formally on September 18 in the Arabesque Ballet Centre’s new studio in the Nahyan Camp area, where a range of classes will be taught, including hip hop, jazz and ballet for all ages – not just the little ones. Imported dance uniforms and shoes will be available to buy from the academy, as they can be difficult to get hold of here in the capital. For more information about prices and schedules, call Director Samarra Abu Samra on 050 845 2314.
