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OUR STORY

Dance etc in Balcatta is the home of STARZ Dance & was first inspired by a sibling of a Dance etc. student in 2013. This bright and enthusiastic young boy's desire to dance on the stage just like his sister was one that could not be ignored! We knew from then a STAR was born!

 

STARZ Dance WA is a registered not for profit with full Deductible Gift receipt status (ACNC & ATO). We are grateful to our sponsors who support our program and allow us to continue to provide this service free of charge to our members. In 2015 we secured a community grant from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (see our story on the 'media' page on our website). Since this time we have also had support and funding through The Stephens Family Foundation & ongoing support from The Buchan family and Dance etc pty ltd which we are so incredibly grateful for! For those who wish to make a tax deductible donation to STARZ you can do so by contacting us directly. Any support, both great and small, is much appreciated and helps to keep our inclusive program running!

OUR OBJECTIVES

Social

  • (e.g. skills required for participation in school-friendships and school curriculum.)

  • Communication- Verbal and non-verbal expression.

  • Turn taking.

  • Sharing

  • Cooperating

  • Concentration

  • Attention

  • Socialisation

 

Emotional

  • Confidence

  • Independence

  • Self-efficacy

  • Self-esteem

  • Self-Regulation

 

Visual-spatial

  • Increased awareness of body in space- (e.g. for navigating around the house- not bumping into things.)

  • Awareness of parts of their own bodies- (e.g. needed for drawing a person.)

  • Motor accuracy- (e.g. if reaching for a water bottle, being able to accurately pick it up first attempt, opposed to reaching to the side of the bottle and moving the arm across.)

 

Sensory

  • Regulation- (e.g. children who are quite ‘flat’ and disengaged can come in and hear the music and get moving which elevates their affect thus increasing their attention and engagement. On the other hand, children who are wriggly worms can come into the studio and shake all their sillies out, and be calmer at home.)

  • Desensitisation- (e.g. being exposed to the visual(mirrors and movement), auditory (music), tactile (climbing equipment) in the studio, students become more able to cope with ‘busy’ sensory environments in the everyday such as shopping centres, which results in decreased sensory related ‘meltdowns’.)

 

Gross Motor

  • Balance- (e.g. required for walking down/up stairs.)

  • Coordination- bilateral and unilateral (e.g. required for buttoning shirt.)

  • Crossing the midline- (e.g. required for developing writing skills- left to right pattern.)

  • Strength- Lower body, core, upper limb (e.g. playing on the playground.)

  • Posture- (e.g. sitting at desk at school.)

  • Range of motion/ Flexibility

  • Agility- (e.g. decrease fatigue/ increase endurance- be able to remain engaged for increased time at school.)

 

Cognition

  • Memory- (e.g. remembering content learnt at school.)

  • Sequencing- (e.g. for tying shoelaces.)

  • Imagination- (e.g. pretend play with friends.)

  • Attention to detail

  • Planning

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OUR GOALS

"INCLUSIVE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE"

Our goal is to provide an inclusive program where children and young people with a range of intellectual and physical challenges feel INCLUDED and SAFE to express their creativity and individuality through music and dance. We aim to have our inclusive program allow inspirational youth an opportunity to volunteer their time to the class to be a PEER and FRIEND to those in the class. These kind hearted PEERS offer social support and friendship to our STARZ Dancers, while helping their FRIENDS in their class.

 

"DANCE IS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR SOUL"

When people dance, they are able to lose themselves in the movement, lose themself in the music and give in to a deeper emotion. No matter what language you speak (or for those who are completely non-verbal), the emotion and feeling in the music can allow you to explore self expression. This joy, this freedom, should be made available for all and it is our goal to allow people with special needs this opportunity that may never been possible.

 

"TO BE INDEPENDANT IS A JOY"

STARZ Dance is an opportunity for both students & parents/carers to be independent from each other for the duration of the class. Our teachers, Occupational Therapists and PEERS are encouraging STARZ to be on their own and dance each class as if it is one big show! It also allows parents and carers some respite time. They feel safe to leave their child with their teachers while they run errands, make a phone call or just grab a coffee! It is our goal to provide an environment where children and parents/carers feel safe to dance and move independently and without stereotypical restrictions.

 

"GET UP AND GET ACTIVE"

It is our goal to provide a program where STARZ students are moving their bodies and staying active through dance and movement. STARZ incorporates cardio, stretching and toning movements which helps to keep STARZ students fit and active all the while still having fun!

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