CLASSES
Don't just dream it, achieve it
None of the classes at the MDK Academy are compulsory and there is no expectation for every student to do every class. What makes the MDK Academy so unique is our students can pick as many or as few classes as they want, as our programme is tailored to everyone individually and we pride ourselves on being able to train our students into what ever type of performer they desire to be.
BALLET
Ballet is the foundation of all dances and it is essential for dancers to be trained in Ballet for the best chance of a guaranteed career in the dance and performing arts industry. At the MDK Academy we offer Ballet classes from Pre- Primary (Broadway Babies) to Advanced 1. We offer students the opportunity to participate in ISTD Grades, at an additional cost. For our Broadway Babies we explore Ballet in a fun way that allows our Pre Primary students to use their imagination to see how dance can be fun; but we also use our Advance 1 Ballet classes to prepare our students for vocational college and for their career.
TAP
This dance is a favourite among our students. Our tap classes start at Pre Primary and end at Advanced 1. Tap teaches students discipline and gives our students a stronger foundation of technique. This style is helpful for a career in Musical Theatre with tap being at the heart of many musicals such as 'Newsies', '42nd Street', 'Singing in the Rain', 'Anything Goes' and 'Shrek the Musical'. We give our studnets to take ISTD exams in this genre.
MODERN
Another style we offer ISTD exams in and classes from Pre Primary to Advanced 1 is 'Modern dance'. 'Modern', as a style, combines Ballet and Jazz with other styles such as Contemporary and Lyrical. This style helps our students become more versatile and diverse, in a fun and educational environment.
JAZZ
Basic Jazz technique and knowledge is essentail for a career in Musical Theatre and dance. We offer Junior and Senior classes in Jazz for when students are more experienced. This style is assessed in every vocational college audition, so we highly recommend this style if you or your child is egar for a career in the performing arts industry.
CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Contemporary dance uses Jazz and Ballet technique to focus on telling a story through the medium of dance, in an abstract way. We offer both Junior and Senior Contemporary classes. This dance class is essential for students to improve general technique, but this also highlights a potential career path for our students.
LYRICAL DANCE
Are you interested in telling a story through dance, where the story is prioritized over technique? Then this style is for you. We offer Junior and Senior lyrical classes, which help our students improve their story telling and choreography skills.
COMMERCIAL
Combining Jazz technique, with Modern and Hip Hop, Commercial Dance explores the self expression and performance side of the dance world. This genre of dance is seen in many modern musical theatre shows such as 'Six' and '&Juliet' as well as being seen in many other dance performance mediums and music videos. We offer senior and junior commercial classes, as this class is vital to enhance our students' dance abilities and also allows them to explore as a potential career path.
HIP HOP
Hip Hop dance uses free style movements to create a cultural dance of expressionism. The demand for this style has increased dramatically over the recent years with musicals like 'Hamilton' becoming increasingly more popular. We offer a Junior and Senior as well as 'Boyz Only' Hip Hop classes, where we allow our students to improve their choreography, freestyling and 'tricks' skills.
CONDITIONING
As Musical Theatre performers, it is essential our students are as fit and healthy as possible. In order to improve stamina and endurance, that will help dance performance, we offer conditioning classes for both our Junior and Senior students. These classes involve HIIT and Body Conditioning exercises. We recommend these classes to all our students as the healthier and fitter our students are, the better they perform onstage.
STRETCH CLASS
In order to make sure our students are some of the strongest and well rounded students in the country, we hold intense Junior and Senior stretch classes. These classes help maintain and develop our students flexibility, which will make them stronger and more appealing dancers, as vocational colleges will expect a certain level of ability and flexilbilty of its students and this class makes sure our students meet those requirements.
ACRO AND TUMBLING
As Musical Theatre performers, a way to stand out to an audition panel is the ability to tumble and do 'tricks'. We offer both Junior and Senior classes where we work in a workshop environment to develop and teach our students acro and tumbling skills. With musicals like 'Newsies' becoming increasingly popular, being able to tumble will set our students aside from the competition. Students in these classes learn tricks like Cartwheels, Ariels, Back Flips and Walk Overs. All of these lessons are conducted in a safe environment with trained professionals present at all times, supervising students.
MUSICAL THEATRE
In our Musical Theatre classes, students study and work on scenes, songs and dances from a certain musical for a three week period. These classes help our students become well accquainted with different styles and periods of Musical Theatre as well as strengthening their abilites to Act, Sing and Dance at the same time. Musicals our students have studied include 'Wicked', '42nd Street', 'Come From Away', 'Six' and 'Singing in the Rain'.
1 TO 1 SINGING
At the MDK Academy our students have the opportunity to work 1 to 1 with industry professionals to develop their singing abilities. These classes are tailored to each student individually and are available from any ages, with the opportunity to take exams with London College of Music, should they choose to. The MDK Academy are proud of their singing faculty and it is evident in our Alumnus that our performers leave the MDK Academy with impressive vocal abilities.
ACTING THROUGH SONG
Run as a group class, we offer Junior and Senior acting through song classes, where we work with our students to improve their story telling and stage presence skills. Anyone can sing, but only the strongest performers can tell a story through song. This lessons allows students to build there music repertoire whilst improving their acting abilities.
GROUP ACTING CLASSES
Our Acting classes help create our students into strong triple threat performers, In our Junior acting classes we focus on confidence building as well as enhancing our students' imaginations and creative skills through devising and improvisation. In our senior classes we study different types of theatre and dramatic work, introducing our students to different practioneers and dramatic styles. We offer our students the ability to take LAMDA qualifications in acting.
INDUSTRY CLASSES
Offered to our students who demonstrate a desire and potential to succeed and lead a career in the performing arts we hold industry classes. These classes involve workshops with industry professionals, as well as lessons on theatre ettiquette, nutrition classes and swing studies. This class is what makes our students so unique and what will set them apart from their competition, as this class will instil them the a strong knowledge and understanding of the performing arts indsutry as a whole.