A syllabus for our youngest movers

In 2023, Rambert Grades introduce a new syllabus offering for ages 3 and over with three new grades:

1. Creative Movers

2. Pre-Primary

3. Primary

Celebrating movement at the earliest stage

Each class takes children on an imaginary journey with endless themes. An energetic warm up is followed by physical skills development, as children learn structured movement material. Creative intuition is encouraged with a closing creative exploration to dive deep into their imagination. Swimming with whales, flying rockets to the moon or adventuring through the desert- every class is different.

Each session will explore movement in a new way and help to develop physical skills, harness musicality and empower confidence in young children.

Who can train?

This material has been designed to be suitable in dance classes and in the early years settings, such as playgroups, nurseries and primary/elementary schools.

Some practitioners who train with us are dance teachers looking to offer creative dance to their youngest students for the first time, or whilst others join us to validate their current practice with accredited qualifications.

We also regularly welcome early years practitioners with little to no experience of creative dance who are preparing to implement the material in their playgroup, nurseries, pre-school and primary school settings.

Tools for teachers:
About the content

This syllabus provides the teacher or leader with a structured framework without the repetition of exercises each week.

All training participants are provided with a series of prompt cards which act as structuring and lesson plan tools. The prompt cards allow teachers to take their groups upon a new journey every week, delivering each class in numerous different ways.

The bespoke format may be tailored to suit your students interests or other curricular subjects whilst ensuring they are covering the basics of safe practice, learning relevant dance skills and most importantly exercising their own imaginations. 

An inclusive offering

This syllabus offers the teacher a fully accessible creative framework that helps to facilitate the growth and development of children through dance.

Inclusivity and accessibility expert Caroline Bowditch was central in the priority of developing a syllabus which is accessible for all children in all bodies. Caroline said,

“The imagination and creativity of the young people is at the centre of this new Creative Dance for Early Years syllabus. It is an exciting departure from the ‘baby ballet’ world, with no uniform and no set material, and much more welcoming and accessible. I’m thrilled that Rambert Grades is providing this alternative option, allowing endless possibilities and options for the teachers and children taking part. I feel strongly that this syllabus creates new opportunities and fills a gap in provision for young people who want to learn technique as well as creativity. They can explore skills and movement intention in a way that works for all bodies and their experience isn’t diminished.”

Created by experts

In line with the current Rambert Grades syllabus (grades 1-8), this syllabus was developed by some of the most relevant and exciting voices in contemporary dance in the UK. The Creative team consists of dance artists and dance educators Natalie Dodd, Hannah Kidd and Ihsaan de Banya, with contributions from Caroline Bowditch and Maiya Leeke.