East Bay Dance Center (EBDC) in Oakland, California, creates more confident kids through dance. East Bay encourages their students to cross train in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, African Dance and tumbling. They emphasize individual accomplishment, team work and a non-competitive supportive atmosphere.
In the opinion of Bonnie S
ita, Executive Director, their dance studio stands out among other dance studios because they believe in teaching the “whole child” and enhancing confidence and life skills through dance. They do this by recognizing that every child is uniquely talented and feel it is their honor to support them in taking this talent to its ultimate expression. Everyone is a star in their studio! They also partner with the parents to provide what they really want and need – a supportive, safe and fun activity for their child that is making them stronger, smarter and more confident. In 2003, East Bay was named “Best Dance Studio in East Bay” by Oakland Tribune and in 2014, Parents’ Press named them “Best of the East Bay.”
Bonnie’s proudest moments coaching is\ when she watches the kids that she taught grow up in the studio and then come back and work for her during the summer as teenagers and young adults and seeing how the skills they learned in the studio are helping them in their life. Seeing them succeed in college and beyond that in the job world lets her know she has succeeded. The confidence and skills they got in the dance studio are putting them way ahead in life.
The biggest mistakes, in Bonnie’s judgment, that dancers make is allowing themselves to become bored or discouraged because they are “better” or “worse” than others. They can fix this by focusing on their passion and desire for dance and not comparing themselves with others. Finding their unique talent and “secret sauce” whether it’s that they are physically flexible, a great team player, good at memorizing choreography, unusually motivated, or whatever it is. Everyone has it, and if you want it, you should never give up.
Bonnie has create
d a program to inspire and support other dance studio owners called Rockstar Confident Kids Dance Academy. It is her goal to create an awesome community of studio owners who believe in the ability of dance to transform kids’ lives and to support them in doing this.
Because Bonnie has danced her whole life and also has a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, she can really see that dance helps develop so many important skills. Additionally, Bonnie is passionate about making dance available to all kids. And it’s so much fun! As a result of all this, she started East Bay Dance Center.
She invites other studio owners to contact her so they can partner in this unique journey of bringing dance to kids and creating more confident kids through dance. She would love to chat with you and share some great ideas for even greater success.
Their preschool dance classes include Ballet, Creative Movement, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Tumbling, Acrobatics and Afro-Haitian. For children, pre-teen, teen, and adults, East Bay offers lessons in Jazz, Ballet, African-Haitian Dance, Hip Hop, Tap, Tumbling, Acrobatics and Afro-Haitian.
In addition to those regular dance classes named above, East Ba
y offers other programs such as their Angelina Ballerina. On five consecutive Saturdays, East Bay uses Angelina Ballerina, the character and stories, to teach dance.
EBD also offers an After School Program (ASP) for students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. They provide transportation from the child’s school to East Bay, a healthy snack upon arrival. They have a community campfire where Miss Bonnie incorporates her inspirational and empowering messages for young people while they discuss their school day. The after school program provides learning activities, free play, activity time. Learning Activities, free play, activity time and dance classes. The dance classes include Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern/Contemporary, Tumbling, and African Dance – one or two dance classes per day at no additional cost! The students also have the opportunity to participate in the Winter Showcase and End of Year Recital. As a bonus, Parents can have a night out with free child care and special activities one night a month at no extra cost.
Each year EBDC students participate in their Winter Showcase in December and their Student Recital in May. Participation is optional but highly encouraged. It is a wonderful opportunity for their students to experience performing in a professional theater (Valley Center for Performing Arts at Holy Names University), and to share what they have learned with friends
and family.
In addition to the Winter Showcase and the Student Recital, East Bay is the home of three performing groups. Admission into these performing groups is by audition.
The first performing group is Move Dance Theatre (MDT) which was established in 1984 by Bonnie Sita and the late Toney Pennewell. Move Dance Theatre has performed throughout the Bay Area and has been funded by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Oakland, as well as receiving a Mayoral Proclamation. Currently under the direction of its founding director, Move Dance Theatre is open to adults and teens aged 16- up. MDT performs in various venues and projects.
The next performing group is MDT II. MDT II is a pre-professional group for dancers aged 12-up who have a minimum of 3 years of experience. MDT II auditions for dancers, male and female, each September and January. Members of MDT II perform in showcases and community events, as well as attending several competitions each year.
The third group is MDT III. MDT III is a pre-professional group for dancers aged 10 to teen with a minimum of two years of experience. MDT III auditions for dancers each September and January. Members of MDT III perform in showcases and community events, and attend several competitions each year.
If you would like more information about East Bay Dance Center, visit their website at f eastbaydancecenter.org, call them at (510) 336-3262 or email them at info.eastbaydancecenter@gmail.com. You can also “Like” them on Facebook and watch them on YouTube.
Anyone who has danced at East Bay Dance Center, with Bonnie Sita or with any of the other instructors at East Bay, is invited to comment on their blog.
. . . biggest mistakes . . . dancers make is allowing themselves to become bored or discouraged because they are ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than others.
