29/09/2026
We are not jigsaw pieces 🧩
En Pointe Theatre Arts Owner and Founder, Miss Danielle, has recently reflected on ways we can strengthen and grow our dance community. As we grow and evolve, we are likely to outgrow previous versions of ourselves, and we no longer fit into a space like a jigsaw piece, which was created to make a picture.
Instead, as we grow and evolve, as is a part of human nature, we are likely to find that the spaces which we fit before are no longer serving our aspirations and goals. Or as we meet one goal, then we may set another more ambitious goal which needs a different environment, or people around us to help us achieve the new goal. And this goes without saying: while a jigsaw piece can remain the same shape and size and fit seamlessly into the same picture, we do not have to. Instead, we have the opportunity to grow, explore and try new things. We can challenge ourselves further.
This raises the question: how does this relate to dance training? 🩰
As dancers develop technical precision and artistic performance, progression requires new and unfamiliar challenges, whether it's learning more complex movements such as pirouettes, fouettes, or batterie; progressing onto pointe in ballet; or learning pullbacks and shimshams in tap. It is a natural response to feel nervous about progressing to the next stage of your training; however, it can also be fun and exciting.
Before progressing to the next level in a dancer's training, it is important to fully master a movement's foundations and apply every piece of feedback so the dancer can continue to progress and evolve. Dancers also need to be open to the discomfort which comes with learning new complex steps which is exactly why we believe in challenging our dancers everystep of their journey and encouraging them to become independent learners whether it be through peer tasks, independent tasks or practicing their syllabus work at home (believe us when we say we can see who practices outside of class) we also like to challenge our dancers with higher level movements when we choreograph for our show productions this keeps the excitement of learning choreography alive and encourages our dancers to face challenges head on in a supportive positiive enviroment whilst having fun with their peers.
Whilst many dancers start their dance journey in large classes of 26 students to determine whether they enjoy the art form, to truly achieve excellence in technique and performance, they need a class environment designed for growth.
At En Pointe Theatre Arts, classes are capped at 12 dancers per class, and this is a non-negotiable for us. This ensures we can provide every dancer with an environment where they are seen, heard, and given meticulous feedback, which is required for a dancer to grow, learn, and evolve. Our Royal Academy of Dance and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing examination results speak for themselves on this one, with the vast majority of students achieving high merits and distinction grades across a wide variety of genres.
Whether your dancer is already a part of our dance community and wishing to experience a new genre, or your dancer is completely new to dance, we are here to support them every step of the way. We place dancers in classes based on their age, stage of development, and previous experience. Each dancer starts on a journey unique to their needs and aspirations, which is why we offer a variety of divisions within our school to meet all dancers' requirements from day 1 of their training. We provide the best opportunity for dancers to step away from being a jigsaw piece and remain open to new challenges, experiences, and opportunities, which in turn leads them to fulfil their goals and aspirations.
Ready to experience our dance training? Click the link in the comments to explore our programs and divisions ✨
💜🩷🩵 Royal Academy of Dance Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Pontprennau Primary School
