Schools

Karina Gracia offers vibrant and engaging full-day and half-day dance workshops for schools, tailored to suit one-off events or annual sessions. Karina also offers local,weekly, on site after school dance clubs.

Workshops

These workshops are perfect for cultural weeks, enrichment days, or celebrations, bringing the excitement of world dance directly to your school.

Each session is designed to suit your needs. For example, a day could focus entirely on flamenco, incorporating Spanish culture, history, and even some basic Spanish language. Alternatively, the workshops can feature a mix of world dances, with each year group exploring a different tradition. Options include samba, Greek, African, flamenco, Bollywood, Peruvian, Mexican, the Maori haka, and many more. Props, such as flamenco & Bollywood scarves are often used too. At the end of the day, children have the option to showcase their routines in a fun and lively performance, bringing the whole school together to celebrate their achievements

Karina can also perform in the morning assembly to kickstart the day with a flamenco demonstration, inspiring the children and setting the tone for an exciting and memorable experience.

Why Choose Dance in Schools?

Dance workshops are an incredible way to broaden children’s horizons, introducing them to diverse cultures and traditions through movement and music. Learning dances from different parts of the world not only improves coordination, rhythm, and fitness but also fosters respect and appreciation for global cultures. Dance encourages creativity, self-expression, and confidence, helping children develop skills that go beyond the classroom. Karina’s workshops are designed to be inclusive and engaging for all children, regardless of their experience or ability. Teachers have often commented on how children who wouldn’t normally join in with physical activities feel inspired to participate. SEN children, in particular, find these workshops highly enjoyable, with the mix of rhythm, movement, and culture sparking enthusiasm and engagement. Sports funding can often be used for dance workshops in schools for SEN work, also see ‘Community‘

What Sets Karina Apart?

Karina is adept at teaching large groups of children, and ensuring that every session is fun, engaging, and well-structured. Her approach creates an inclusive environment where all children, regardless of sex or ability, feel encouraged to participate. Fully DBS-checked, Safe guarding level 2 trained, and insured, Karina also comes with plenty of references from schools who have praised her ability to captivate and inspire students.

If you’re looking for a memorable and enriching experience for your school, Karina Gracia’s dance workshops offer an unforgettable day of learning, creativity, and cultural exploration

CPD for Teachers: Karina has often worked with teachers to enhance their skills for delivering regular dance sessions in school. For example, Karina will teach a short routine for an upcoming school play, and then a session teaching the regular class leader how to continue the work.

After School Dance Clubs

Karina Gracia’s after-school dance clubs are a vibrant and enriching extracurricular activity offered in primary schools, held for an hour at the end of the school day. These clubs are fully organised and delivered by Karina, making it a hassle-free option for schools. Children are introduced to a variety of world dances, including flamenco, Bollywood, samba, and many others. They also learn age-appropriate routines set to current pop music, ensuring the sessions are both fun and engaging. At the end of each term, children have the opportunity to perform in a short dance assembly, showcasing their skills and creativity to classmates, teachers, and parents. Children are also given opportunities to participate in larger, out of school events for example the annual Exeter Respect Festival.

Benefits to Schools
For schools, these clubs provide a high-quality extracurricular activity that enhances the school’s offerings to parents and students. Dance promotes discipline, focus, and cooperation, which can positively impact children’s behaviour and learning in other areas. The end-of-term assemblies also bring the school community together, celebrating the children’s achievements and enhancing school culture.

With the combination of professional delivery, engaging content, and valuable physical and cultural learning, Karina Gracia’s after-school dance clubs are an excellent addition to any primary school’s extracurricular programme.

Please get in touch to check for availability

Benefits to Children

The dance clubs offer children numerous benefits beyond learning choreography. They develop physical fitness, coordination, and rhythm while improving posture and flexibility. The sessions encourage teamwork, as children work in pairs or small groups to create their own dance motifs and incorporate them into routines. The clubs also foster creativity and confidence, as children are supported to express themselves through movement.

Cultural awareness is an integral part of the programme, as children explore the traditions and history behind dances from around the world. Additionally, all children are welcome, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), ensuring inclusivity and creating a sense of belonging.

Testimonials

"Karina has visited Cradley CE Primary School to run workshops many times over the years. The children always look forward to her visits. She has a great repertoire of dances, she has taught our children dance styles from all across the globe as part of our Multi-cultural week celebrations. She always teaches thechildren in such a professional way, enabling all children, at whatever level, to get involved and be successful. Her skill, knowledge, enthusiasm and love of dance has a lasting impact on all our children"

“Karina has been running dance sessions as part of our after-school enrichment programme and these have been really well received. These sessions are offered to our whole school community (Reception - Y6) and span a wide range of dance and music genres. The dancers enjoy the elements of freestyle and composition which allow the dancers to demonstrate their own creative style as well as learning routines and dances in particular styles. Karina leads a dance assembly/show at the end of each block which are an opportunity for the children to perform to an audience, and also for the rest of the school to join in. In particular, it's been lovely to see some quieter and apprehensive pupils shine, and also those with additional needs, as Karina ensures her sessions are accessible and inclusive for all"

The children of Morchard Bishop have worked with Karina from 2015 to 2022. Initially this was part of a club which quickly grew in popularity in its first year and maintained high numbers ever since. One of the popular elements of the club was the end of term performance which showcased the club’s work to both parents and children alike. The school used PP funding to enable all children to take part in the club as it helped to develop confidence, resilience and teamwork in all the participants. Eventually, Karina supported our PE curriculum by leading dance sessions with each class, these covered many different dance genres including Latin, Bollywood, Pop and Traditional. This meant the children had high quality lessons and staff got excellent CPD by working alongside Karina. It also resulted in a school dance festival which combined performances from the classes and the dance club.

"Karina has delivered dance workshops at Stover School for several years as part of the school's annual festival of creative arts. Children and young people ranging in age from 11 to 16 have enthusiastically embraced her dance classes which have focused on themes of Flamenco and Bollywood. Karina has been an amazing teacher, kind, friendly and approachable. Her classes always exceed expectations and children always ask when they can have another go"

For further details, contact Karina Gracia at:

📞 07813 990937
📧 danceflamenco@live.com
Or send a direct message on Facebook/Instagram.