Kids Adaptive Dance Program

Come Dance with Us!

The NBS Kids – Adaptive Dance Program offers adapted creative movement classes for children ages 3+ with diverse cognitive, physical and developmental needs.

The NBS Kids – Adaptive Dance Program offers adapted creative movement classes for children ages 3+ with diverse cognitive, physical and developmental needs.

Created by Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), in consultation with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, these 45-minute sensory-friendly dance classes provide opportunities for children to explore creativity and expression through the use of movement and music.

This program runs on Sundays at Canada's National Ballet School campus downtown Toronto.

Registration will open for NEW participants early in July. Please fill in an intake form here.

Fall programming is set to begin September 15, 2024, and runs until June 15th with 3 term breaks for students to transition in and out of the program. Click here to view the fall schedule and click here to view the Student Term Dates.

Please email adaptivedance@nbs-enb.ca to be added to our Fall registration send outs.

Each class is led by an NBS Community Dance Educator and Music Therapist and supported by a live accompanist. Our program is centered around celebrating the joy of dance, and our dancers are welcome to engage in the class in a way that feels right to them. This class is for dancers ages 3-5 and their grown-up.

This program stream is a chance for the dancers and their grown-ups to participate in dance class together. This stream provides opportunities for children to explore creative expression through movement, song, and tactical props, such as drums, scarves and rhythm sticks. The goal of this class is to provide an opportunity for self-exploration and for the dancers to participate in a way that works best for them that day. Within the class, the dancer's grown-up is their designated one-to-one support.

*Please note that the designated parent/guardian must watch a short 10 minute orientation video ahead of their first class.

Class	Age Range	Schedule
Family Creative Movement and Music Class	Ages 3-5	Sundays 9:45 - 10:30 AM

This stream provides 1:1 support throughout the duration of class and moves at a slower pace with the aid of a visual schedule. These 45-minute sensory-friendly dance classes provide opportunities for children to explore creative expression through the use of movement, song, and tactical props, such as drums, scarves and rhythm sticks. The goal of this class is to provide opportunity for self-exploration and for the dancers to participate in a way that works best for them that day.

This stream provides one to one support throughout the duration of class and moves at a slower pace with the aid of a visual schedule. This stream provides opportunities for children to explore creative expression through movement, music, and tactical props, such as drums, scarves and rhythm sticks. The goal of this class is to provide a space that allows for learning to follow a class structure with the support of a visual schedule: providing opportunities for interaction and opportunity to engage with peers and using imagery and dance to support the development of large and fine motor skills and developing a love of movement and music.

Class	Age Range	Schedule
Pre-Primary	5-7	Sundays 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
Primary	7-9	Sundays 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Pre-Primary	5-7	Sundays 12:15 AM - 1:30 PM
Junior/Teen	10+	Sundays 1:30 - 2:15 PM

Term fee is $120, with the option for all participants to apply for a partial or full subsidy.

Each class is led by an NBS Community Dance Educator and supported by a live accompanist, and a team of volunteers. Our program is centered around celebrating the joy of dance, and our dancers are welcomed to engage in the class in a way that feels right to them. This stream hosts two end of term presentations a year, one at the end of term 1 in December and one at the end of term 2 in June.

This stream is a moderate-paced class and a good fit for children who are both ready and working towards two-step instructions and participating independently in programming with the aid of social stories and visual schedules. This stream hosts an end-of-year presentation that takes place here onsite in our Theatre. The goal of this class is to provide opportunities for socialization with peers and learning to work with other dancers, for example, taking turns and following along with the class activity. This class focuses on creative expression, imaginative storytelling through dance, and tactical props like drums, scarves and rhythm sticks. In this class, dancers can collaborate and create with their peers with the support of our educators and volunteers. We build opportunities for the dancers to take the lead and share their creative ideas.

Class	Age Range	Schedule
Pre-Primary	Ages 5-7	Sundays 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Primary	Ages 7-9	Sundays 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Junior/Teen	Ages 10+	Sundays 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Junior/Teen	Ages 10+	Tuesdays 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Term fee is $120, with the option for all participants to apply for a partial or full subsidy.

Dancers participate in NBS’ Adaptive Dance Program

Intake Form

We are excited you are interested in our Adaptive Dance Programming! Please note that all new participants must complete the intake form before receiving their class registration link and we encourage you to read through our program streams and class times found on our website ahead of completing the Intake Form. The intake form allows our resource team to ensure your dancer is placed in a class where they have the needed support in place. A gentle reminder that classes fill up quickly and filling out the intake form does not guarantee a spot in the program. If the class is full, you will automatically be added to the waitlist and placed in the class if spots become available.

Family Intake Form

Financial Support

At NBS, we believe that dance education should be accessible to all members of our community, and work to remove barriers that may deter potential students from participating in our programming. The Adaptive Dance financial assistance program covers all program fees for the duration of the term. Please note that funding for each child will be re-evaluated term by term, with the intention to continue to support each dancer throughout their time at NBS as needed.

Apply now

Volunteer with us

We are seeking professionals and students with a mix of skill sets such as; Special Education, Dance Education, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.

Learn More

NBS Virtual Social Story

Join Nancy as she shows you what to expect in our ADP classes, how to find the studios, and more!

Review the social story in PDF form here

Meet the Adaptive Dance Resource Team!

Each Adaptive Dance Program class is led by an NBS Community Dance Educator and supported by a live accompanist, an Occupational Therapist and a team of volunteers.

Nancy Lehan

Program Manager, Lead Dance Educator

Rashan Edwards

Lead Occupational Therapist

Alannah Grech

Occupational Therapist

Emma Faith Burke-Kleinman, MTA, MT-BC, NMT

Neurologic Music Therapist

Kennedy Dale-Johnson

Dance Educator

Kevin Tam

Class Accompanist

Mary Crawford

Class Accompanist

Zachary Cardwell

Dance Educator

Thank you to the generosity of our partners for supporting this program

Thank you to our Generous Supporters of Adaptive Dance:

Government Supporters:

Program Developed In Consultation with:

Let's get
In Touch

For more information about the application process, to request assistance on registration, or to learn more about NBS’ Adaptive Dance Program, please contact the NBS Community Dance Department by phone or email.

416-964-3780

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Adaptive Dance Program