By Jamie Salter
It’s time to warm up those jazz hands now that Cranbourne’s Reflections Academy of Dance is back open after months of lockdown.
The academy is more than just a dance school to its students – it builds confidence, strength and long-lasting friendships.
Classes include ballet, jazz, tap, adult bar, contemporary and lyrical.
The family business opened about eight years ago with 70 students, and has now grown to about 650 students.
Artistic director Kiandra Harman said although the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the school, they were ready to bounce back.
“Pre-Covid-19, we had just under 500 students and we closed in 2020 with just 60 students left,” Ms Harman said.
“We have seven weeks of this year left and we want as many kids to come back as possible.”
Many of the students have felt anxious about getting back into the swing of things, but Ms Harman said staff members were there to help.
“The kids have been resilient and tried really hard to get back to dancing but Grade 6 to Year 8 have had a hard time getting out of the car from social anxiety following lockdowns.”
An end of year concert is usually held at Bunjil Place but students have been busy preparing for a smaller scale concert at Casey Grammar School this year.
Ms Harman said the students were thrilled to return to class and see their friends once again.
“The kids were skipping through the hallway and cheering, the older girls were crying,” she said.
“Dance friends are different to school friends, there’s a lot less judgement because they wear the same thing and they’re interested in the same thing, so I find this outlet for them is so special.
“My dance friends were in my wedding and they work here as well.”
Instead of attending competitive and divisive dance competitions, the school takes its students on a trip to Disney World in the United States.
“We had 100 people go in July 2019 and they go on a big tour, perform and do workshops with the cast of Disney World,” Ms Harman said.
“It’s crazy six months later we were shut down but we’re planning to go next Christmas.”
Students have the option to move through the school right up to VCE dance and then undertake a teaching qualification.
Reflections Academy of Dance is open six days a week and located at Unit 2/200 Sladen St, Cranbourne.
