Why Choose Triple Threat?

These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience learning an instrument. These are practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching and our experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.

1. How young is too young – starting at the right age
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing an adult is to commit to practicing. We teach many beginner students in their 60’s and 70’s.

For children, starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you “the sooner the better” but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child against music just because they had one unpleasant experience which could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons their progress can be much faster. Children who are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do very well. The following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons.

Piano / Keyboard
At our school 5 years old is the youngest age that we start children in private piano lessons. At this age they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease.

Guitar – Acoustic, Electric and Bass
Between 6-8 years old is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons (depending on the child). Guitar playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing on the strings. Children below this age generally have small hands and may find playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 10 years old and older.

Voice Lessons
10 years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger than 10, we recommend a musical theater class where they can learn how to use their voices properly, in a fun environment.

Drums
The average age of our youngest drum student is 8. This varies greatly depending on the size of the child as they need to be able to reach both the pedals and the cymbals.

Flute and Clarinet
Due to lung capacity, we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.

Violin
We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start children as young as 3, but experience has shown us the most productive learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older.

2. Choose a school which offers a choice of group or individual lessons for beginners
Different students require different teaching approaches. Some students progress best with the peer interaction and class motivation of a group session. Other students prefer the focused concentration of an individual one on one lesson. Once a student is more advanced it will be necessary to take private lessons to master the advanced techniques of an instrument or voice with individual attention. Make sure that your student has the option to select the learning style that is best suited for them.

3. Take lessons in a professional teaching environment
Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher, but also having an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional school environment a student cannot be distracted by t.v., pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only 1/2 to one hour of lesson time per week, a professional school environment can produce better results since the only focus at that time is learning music. Students in a school environment are also motivated by hearing peers who are at different levels and by being exposed to a variety of musical instruments. In a music school, the lessons are not just a hobby or sideline for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.

4. Make practicing easier
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:

Time
Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.

Repetition
We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners. For a young child 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day. The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but knows if they are on repetition number 3 they are almost finished.

Rewards
This works very well for both children and adult students. Some adults reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. In our school we reward young children for a successful week of practicing with stars and stickers on their work. Praise tends to be the most coveted award – there just is no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week with little practicing, in that case there is always next week.

5. Use recognized teaching materials
There are some excellent materials developed by professional music educators that are made for students in a variety of situations. For example in piano, there are books for very young beginners, and books for adult students that have never played before. There are books that can start you at a level you are comfortable with. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that no important part of learning the instrument can inadvertently be left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country, qualified teachers and institutions will recognize the materials and be able to smoothly continue from where the previous teacher left off.

6. Most Importantly… HAVE FUN!
Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So, try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to be able to enjoy the journey.

If most dance studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience teaching children, and a big show at the end of the year, aren’t they pretty much the same? Does it really matter which place you decide to enroll? Yes, there are six main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives, the amount of extra work and hassles the parents must deal with and the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a dance program. Here are six things that every parent should consider before deciding on a dance studio for their child.

Floor/Mirrors/Studio Space
Dance is a very physical activity that can put stress on the bones and joints. It is important to choose a studio that has appropriate flooring to take care of a dancer’s body. Having wood floors that can absorb the shock on the body is the best way to prevent injury. At our studio, we offer raised wood flooring with a marley covering. The wood absorbs the shock and the marley covering is accepted worldwide for recreational and professional dance use. The professional flooring provides dancers with a degree of “controlled slip,” so there is less risk of slips and falls. Each room also contains full length mirrors, running the length of the room, allowing students to correct their technique and performance. These mirrors have safety features to prevent shattering if cracked. Our large studios also give dancers the space to extend their bodies and leap higher with no constraints.

Quality of Teachers & Class Size
Triple Threat requires teachers to be certified and university trained or to have professional performance experience. In some studios unprofessional and inexperienced teachers are allowed to teach class. When this happens, your child is not receiving the best instruction available. Class sizes are important as well. Some studios allow such large classes that your child cannot get the attention they need and deserve. With our limited class sizes, our professional staff can give more personalized attention.

All Ages & All Levels
At out studio we are able to place your child in a class with students their age and ability, from the beginning through advanced student, ages 2 – adult. Many studios offer classes for all ages, but unable to offer classes for students of all ages and levels.

Customer Service
When teachers and owners try to teach and do the administrative work as well, the classes, students and parents suffer. The focus is not always in the classroom. For you and your child to have a good experience, it is important to choose a studio that offers you assistance in any further details like costumes and schedules. Our studio has office staff on hand to help you with your immediate needs.

Performance Opportunities
Most studios have only the year end performance or give students other performance opportunities with competition teams. Students who love to dance, sing, act, or play an instrument may feel left out and ignored when competitive teams are the only performance outlet. Our studio offers a “Benefit Performance” along with other performance opportunities.

End of Year Performance (Recital)
Instead of only offering one End of The Year Performance for each student, like most studios, Triple Threat School of Dance, Music, and Acting allows the more advanced student to perform more than once. This helps build performance ability and confidence.  Each student receives four free tickets for the End of The Year Performance. Also, it will be clear when your child performs, what they have to learn and improve on. We have a lot of backstage help to give parents the opportunity to sit back and enjoy their children on stage.

We offer both private and group lessons and have regular low pressure recitals that students can perform in if they wish. Our teachers all have University degrees and a performance experience.  Our teachers are very experienced in catering to the needs of new students. We have exciting and entertaining performances in our Annual Recital. By dividing our year end performance into multiple time arrangements, we are able to make the shows a comfortable length for parents, grandparents, and young children.

What You Can Expect From An Acting Class

Drama I (ages 6-10):
Role-playing for social awareness
Exposure to award-winning children’s literature
Enhancement of the use of one’s imagination, “let’s pretend”
Self-confidence in small group situations
Development of leadership skills
Development of conversation skills
Reinforcement of oral reading skills and reading comprehension
Exposure to play format…which is tested on the EOG’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Enhancement of memorization skills
Exposure to different acting techniques
Development of voice as an acting tool
Group cooperation
IT’S GREAT FUN!!!

Drama II (Middle/High School)
All of the above +
Students will work outside of the class on scenes and monologues
Will develop individual and ensemble acting skills
Students will learn stage direction and experience the opportunity to direct other students in class scenes

What You Can Expect From A Tumble Class

Pre-School Tumble (3 & 4 year olds)
Flexibility & Core Strengthening
Upper body strengthening
Coordination skills
Forward & backyard rolls/running rolls
Bridges
Horse kicks
Cartwheels

Tumble (5-9 year olds)
Flexibility & Core Strengthening
Upper body strengthening
Cartwheels
Round offs
Standing back bends
Hand stand to forward roll

Intermediate Tumble Skills (7 and up)
Perfecting skills
Beginner: basic cartwheels, handstands & develop core strength
Intermediate: Front & back walkovers, back handsprings & core

Advanced Tumble (Teacher Discretion)
Perfecting skills
Back tucks
Aerials
Conditioning