Tiny Tots / Dance with Me
Play-based first steps into dance, with you right beside them
Our Tiny Tots and Dance with Me classes introduce 2–4 year olds to the joy of dance at Townsville's longest-running school. A parent or carer participates with the littlest dancers, and as children grow they gain independence in a nurturing, small-group class led by experienced early-years teachers.
A gentle, structured introduction to dance
Tiny Tots isn't a free-for-all — it's a carefully designed early-years dance program. Through songs, games and simple movement patterns, children develop listening skills, coordination, musicality and a love of dance that carries them into our formal syllabus classes. Many of our senior performers began right here, in tutus and sneakers, at two years old.
Parents and carers stay close in Dance with Me classes, while Tiny Tots dancers build confidence and independence with their teacher and classmates.
What little ones learn in Tiny Tots
Classes are short, playful and built for young attention spans:
- Dance with Me (age 2, with a parent or carer) — gentle music-and-movement play, first ballet positions and confidence in the studio.
- Tiny Tots (ages 3–4) — independent small-group ballet and movement classes with early-years teachers.
- Rhythm and musicality — clapping, counting, moving to the beat and recognising musical patterns.
- Coordination and control — balance, gentle stretching, walking patterns and first pliés and relevés.
- Social skills — following instructions, taking turns and moving safely with other children.
Where Tiny Tots leads
Tiny Tots is the first step on a real dance pathway. From here, children move into RAD Pre-Primary and Primary ballet, or the Rhythm & Dance jazz/tap combo for 4–6 year olds, already comfortable in a studio and listening to a teacher. See the kids dance page for what comes next.
When and where do Tiny Tots classes run?
Tiny Tots and Dance with Me classes run on weekday and Saturday mornings at our Pimlico studios, 36 French St, with short session lengths to suit little attention spans. See the full timetable and fees page for details.
Frequently asked questions about Tiny Tots
Does my toddler need a uniform?
No. For Tiny Tots and Dance with Me, comfortable clothes they can move in are perfect — plus bare feet or soft ballet shoes. Uniforms begin once children move into the formal Pre-Primary ballet program. If you'd like dance shoes, our on-site Townsville Dancewear Centre can fit little feet.
Can I watch — or join — the class?
Yes. Dance with Me classes are parent-participation, so a grown-up joins in. For Tiny Tots sessions, parents can watch from the studio door, and every class is small and welcoming.
Is Tiny Tots real dance or just play?
Both. Play is the delivery method, but the content is real early ballet and movement training — first positions, rhythm work, coordination and musicality — taught by qualified early-years dance teachers.
What happens when my child turns 4 or 5?
They graduate naturally into RAD Pre-Primary and Primary ballet, or the Rhythm & Dance jazz/tap combo, joining the structured syllabus program. By then they'll already feel completely at home in the studio.
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Looking for a different style? See every class we teach at Croft Gilchrist.
