Baby Dance
Our Baby Dance Sessions
Reconnect with your body, dance to great music with other new parents, and move with your baby in a fun and supportive class designed to awaken creativity.
Our Baby Dance sessions are for parents and their young babies, aged 2-12 months. (For older children, see Toddler Dance). These classes incorporate playful interactions with your baby, allowing you to tune into your body, explore different dance styles, and discover new ways of moving together. The aim is to spark creativity and joy for you, providing more energy and responsiveness to your child’s needs.
In our sessions, we explore developmental movement stages as your baby learns to roll, sit, and crawl. We dance both with and without carrying the baby, adapting the movements to suit you. The atmosphere is relaxed and social, making it a perfect environment for both you and your baby to thrive.
Benefits of Baby Dance
- For Parents: Provides a creative outlet, supports bonding through attunement and playfulness, and helps alleviate feelings of isolation and loss of self
- For Babies: Offers a sensory-rich experience, enhancing their development through music and movement
- For Both: Encourages mutual engagement and understanding, fostering a deeper connection
Baby Dance Curriculum
Each week, we focus on one of the six patterns of total body connectivity:
- Breath: Connecting breath with movement to enhance relaxation and awareness
- Core-Distal: Exploring movements that extend from the core to the extremities
- Head-Tail: Encouraging fluidity and coordination along the spine
- Upper-Lower: Balancing movements between the upper and lower body
- Body Halves: Coordinating movements that involve the left and right sides of the body
- Cross-Lateral: Integrating movements that cross the midline of the body, promoting brain development and coordination
Each session incorporates a variety of music and dance styles, encouraging reflections on preferences and experiences.
What to Expect in a Session
- Check-In: Begin with a group check-in
- Warm-Up: A gentle warm-up around the baby
- Parent and Child Dance: Engage in activities like peekaboo, mirroring, and dancing with the baby in arms
- Group Dance: Participate in themed group dances and fun dance games
- Cuddle Dance: Conclude with a duet between parent and baby, followed by relaxation
- Check-Out: Reflect on the session and share experiences
See FAQs below for more info.
Where and When
Book the term for a discounted price, or buy flexible drop-in sessions that can be used at any time. Read when and where below.
Whittington Park Community Centre
Yerbury Rd, Archway, London N19 4RS
Current Term: 9th Sep – 16th Dec
Tuesdays 11:00-11:45
Cherry Tree Therapy Centre
2, Station Parade, Buckhurst Hill IG9 6EU
Current Term: 9th Sep – 16th Dec
Tuesdays 11:00-11:45
Moon Women’s Health
63 Chetwynd Rd, London NW5 1BX
Current Term: 9th Sep – 16th Dec
Tuesdays 12:30-13:15 Babies: 2-10 months 13:30-14:15 Little Movers: 10-18 months for wigglers, crawlers, bumshufflers and unsteady toddlers
Fitness Hub East London
771-773 High Rd Leytonstone, Bushwood, London E11 4QS
Current Term: 4th Sep – 18th Dec
Thursdays 11:00-11:45
The Green Nunhead Community Centre
5 Nunhead Green, Nunhead, SE15 3QQ
Current Term: 11th Sep – 18th Dec
Thursdays 11:00-11:45
Read more: Baby Dance at The Green
The Bridge – Women’s Health and Wellbeing
73 – 81 Southwark Bridge Road, SE1 0NQ
Current Term: 12th Sep – 19th Dec
Fridays 11:00-11:45
Read more: Baby Dance at The Bridge
Note: This session is run in partnership with The Bridge and there are a number of ‘pay-what-you-can’ tickets available for each session. All bookings for this session are made via eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mebaby-dance-tickets-1330307087309?aff=erellivmlt
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join if I’m not a dancer?
Yes! The class is open for all levels. This is for you to move as you want.
Can I join if I’m injured or disabled?
Yes, this class is inclusive and open, and accommodating for those working through post-natal recovery. The class is for you to enjoy and move as you feel comfortable, and all movements can be adapted to suit. As a guide, we usually sit on the floor to be close to baby, and then dance with and without carrying baby. Please contact me if you have any concerns and we can adjust the format to work for you.
What type of dance is it?
We try different dance styles with the goal to be inspired to move in different ways. We also work on body awareness and some good old ‘living room dancing’ – move as you want!
What if my baby cries during class?
This is a friendly and welcoming group. Please feel free to feed, change and soothe your baby. This is for you to enjoy together, so there is no right or wrong. The babies tend to find the movement very stimulating and enjoy watching you.
What else we offer:
Toddler Dance
