diddi dance

diddi dance nominated for What On 4 Kids Awards 2019

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diddi dance are excited to say we have been nominated for two What’s On 4 Kids Awards 2019 in the following categories:

Most Loved Music, Dance or Performing Arts Activity – Franchisor or Independent Taught By 30+ Leaders
Most Loved Party Activity – with 40+ Leaders Overall

These awards celebrate the UK’s biggest brands in the world of kids’ activities, the nations most talented teachers and class leaders, the most amazing volunteers and best party people – as nominated and voted for by the experts – parents, carers and parents-to-be.

If you can spare a minute please vote for us then wish us luck for a win!

Closing date for voting is 12 noon on 24th June 2019.

All About diddi dance Reading & Wokingham

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diddi dance Franchisee Andrea who runs diddi dance Reading & Wokingham recently became the 6th diddi dance franchise to be fully accredited by the Children’s Activity Association. To read all about her recent achievement just click here.

Because of this success, we at diddi dance wanted to take the time to tell you all about Andrea and diddi dance Reading & Wokinham here!

How long have you been with diddi dance?

I launched my first class in January 2014 – so I’m now well into my sixth year.

What did you do before joining diddi dance?

After completing a degree in Sports Science, I started out working as a Lifestyle Consultant in a Health Club, where I also taught Exercise to Music classes. I then moved on to Leisure Centre, and finally, Sports Park management where I also completed a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Sports Management) by distance learning. After about a decade I fancied a change from operational work and took on the role of Account Manager at a specialist Sports/Fitness Public Relations agency. My clients here included Life Fitness, Leisure Connection, DC Leisure and Lifetime Training. I continued working at Promote PR until my second child was born in 2010.
Over the years I’ve participated in many different dance disciplines from Ballroom to Belly to Bollywood! My major interest, since the age of three, has been Highland dancing. Following my competitive career, the pinnacle of which was winning the English Championships, I began dancing professionally (on a part-time basis whilst studying). I was lucky enough to perform in cabaret at many top London hotels, with engagements further afield including tours of Japan, Sicily and Spain.

What do you love most about diddi dance and running your own business?

I believe that in order to make any business successful, you need to be passionate about your product or service – and dance is my passion. Quite simply – I love dancing and moving to music! I think dance is one of the best ways to keep fit, healthy and happy. As a child I used to spend hours dancing around my dining room to my dad’s records and I love that I now get to do this as my full-time job! I honestly believe that the role of diddi dance franchisee was made for me – as I get to combine my love of dance with the knowledge and experience of business management I’ve gained over the years. And it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to share my joy and enthusiasm for dancing with hundreds of young children and to help inspire them to get moving!

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of diddi dance?

Whilst it’s been hard work, it’s also been incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally. I think it would be fair to say that diddi dance gave me back a real sense of purpose, self-worth, confidence and control – all things that I feel I lost somewhere along the line between being a full time employee and becoming a ‘stay at home’ mum.
It’s always amazing, and humbling, to witness how much of an impact you’ve had on your little students’ lives. I love seeing children blossom in class from shy little toddlers, clinging to mum; to confident young children – happy to show off their funky moves at the front of the class! And it’s always really special to hear parents telling you that their child has named their favourite cuddly toy after you; or doesn’t stop talking about diddi dance all week; or gallops their way down the aisle in Sainsbury’s; or pretends to be you – calling the register for their dolls; or makes their vegetables at tea time do the ‘Circle Dance’ around their plate! All these things are simply priceless.

What has been a highlight for you since taking on your diddi dance?

I think attending the launch event for the Reading Children’s Festival again last year and having so many previous and current diddi dancers and parents seek me out and tell me how much they love diddi dance, or how much their little one gets/got from the classes, or how great they think one of my teachers is – has to be a real highlight. Not least because it represents the huge journey I’ve taken… From the first time I attended the event (five years ago) – when I could barely get anyone to even take a flyer from me! But perseverance pays and year by year, as the company has grown, I’ve gone from being largely ignored that first year, to feeling like a bit of a minor celebrity five years down the line!

What is something you are looking forward to as you continue with your diddi dance franchise?

I really enjoy all aspects of running the business. I get a real buzz from the practical teaching side, but I also love the marketing, financial management, business planning, HR management, accounting and even the administration! I’ve got a very clear plan of what I want to achieve this year and what direction I want the business to go in, so I’m looking forward to working towards my goals and objectives and continuing to grow.

What do you enjoy most about your diddi dance?

It’s very hard to beat the magical feeling you get when you have a class full of toddlers all giggling at your silly antics and you know you’ve got them completely engaged and absorbed in the activity!

What do you enjoy most about being your own Boss?

I’m quite self-motivated and hard working so I really like the fact that “you get out what you put in” when you’re running your own business. I’ve been able to achieve a (fairly) healthy work/life balance and can work my hours around what’s best for my family. Having ultimate control over the growth of the business has been great and I love that I’ve had the opportunity to scale it up as my children have become a little more independent and my available work hours have increased.

What does the CAA accreditation mean to you?

I always set myself and my team the highest of standards, as I truly believe that “if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well!” I pride myself on the quality of service I provide my customers and, wherever possible, I try to exceed their expectations, so it means a lot to be awarded Gold accreditation from the CAA. With so many toddler classes around today, I believe it’s really important for parents to have the peace of mind that the activity they’ve chosen is setting the benchmark for quality control in all aspects of the business.

And finally, what is your favourite diddi dance theme and why?

For me, variety is the spice of life, so each time a new theme begins, it feels like my new favourite! (Having 16 different dance styles to work through is one of the things I love best about diddi dance.) But if I really have to choose one, I would go for the Jive – I love the full on energy and commitment required and the sheer joy that you can’t help feeling when you’re kicking and flicking! And the ‘Dinnertime’ track used for the Jive is toe-tappingly brilliant!

 

diddi dance Reading & Wokingham currently has multiple classes running across their exclusive area. They are as follows:

Mondays

  • 9.30am at Caversham Heights Methodist Church, 74 Highmoor Road, RG4 7BG
  • 10am at Emmanuel Church Centre, Southlake Crescent, Woodley, RG5 3QW

Tuesdays

  • 10am at Lord Harris Court, Mole Road, Sindlesham, RG41 5EA (inter-generational class)
  • 10am at St Luke’s Parish Hall, Erleigh Road, Reading, RG1 5QY
  • 1.45pm at Tilehurst Methodist Church, 26 School Road, RG31 5AN

Wednesdays

  • 10am at St Barnabas Church Hall, Elm Road, Earley, RG6 5TS
  • 1.45pm at Wokingham Community Centre, 35 Reading Road, RG41 1EG

Thursdays

  • 10am at Wokingham Community Centre, 35 Reading Road, RG41 1EG

Fridays

  • 10am at Reading YMCA, (Sports Hall), 34 Parkside Road, RG30 2DD
  • 1.45pm at Shinfield Parish Hall, School Green, RG2 9EH

Saturdays

  • 9am & 10am at Radstock Community Centre, Radstock Lane, Lower Earley, RG6 5UZ
  • 9am & 10am at Coronation Hall, Headley Road, Woodley, RG5 4JB

#dressupanddiddidance for Macmillan Cancer Support

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diddi dancers across the UK to Dress Up and Dance to battle Cancer

We want all our diddi dancers to put on their dancing shoes next week as our classes have partner up with Macmillan Cancer Support to get little ones moving and grooving in aid of the charity’s Dress Up And Dance campaign.1962786_10153271829130795_2192111685474646222_n

The national campaign is a perfect fit for us and we hope it will see parents & children don colourful, creative and whacky fancy dress to attend our classes all next week. To celebrate this year’s theme of ‘heroes’, there will be specially themed classes across the UK for the whole family to enjoy including… So toddlers joining in can seek costume inspiration from anywhere such as sport to music to politics, so feel free to let their imagination run wild.

Macmillan Cancer Support is a fantastic charity that provides all kinds of support to children and families affected by cancer. They help with financial worries, medical information, emotional support and much, much more. They’re also constantly campaigning for better cancer care for all because no one should face cancer alone.

Founder of diddi dance, Anne-Marie Martin commented:

We are so proud and excited to be involved in Macmillan’s fantastic Dress Up And Dance campaign again this year, it is a natural fit with our weekly dance classes and dressing up is something that we know all our little ones and families will thoroughly enjoy. I hope we raise a fantastic amount this year!

Macmillan is a charity that is especially close to our hearts and resonates with the whole diddi dance team as we have all been affected in one way or another by this disease. The work of the charity to support everyone affected by cancer is truly remarkable and we hope that the money we raise helps Macmillan to continue their worthwhile and essential work to support those affected by cancer.”

From Saturday 11 to Friday 17 June, diddi dance classes across the UK will be taking part in Macmillan Cancer Support’s Dress Up and Dance campaign. All we ask in return is a small donation of £2 for this wonderful charity. To find your local diddi dance class just click here.

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To see more of the dress up fun our diddis had taking part last year just click here. To join in the fun on social media simply look out for & use the hashtag #dressupanddiddidance

diddi dance Partners with Macmillan Cancer Support

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diddi dancers across the UK Dress Up and Dance to battle Cancer

We want all our diddi dancers to put on their dancing shoes this June as our classes have partner up with Macmillan Cancer Support to get little ones moving and grooving in aid of the charity’s Dress Up And Dance campaign.

didi dance - dress up 6

The national campaign is a perfect fit for us and we hope it will see parents & children don colourful, creative and whacky fancy dress to attend our classes all next week. To celebrate this year’s theme of ‘legends’, we will continue with our specially themed rock and roll classes encouraging families across the UK to show their best dance moves and rock out in their favourite costumes.

Founder of diddi dance, Anne-Marie Martin commented:

We are so proud and excited to be involved in Macmillan’s fantastic Dress Up And Dance campaign, it is a natural fit with our weekly dance classes and dressing up is something that we know all our little ones and families will thoroughly enjoy.

Macmillan is a charity that is especially close to our hearts and resonates with the whole diddi dance team as one of our very close colleagues was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. The work of the charity to support everyone affected by cancer is truly remarkable and we hope that the money we raise next week helps Macmillan to continue their worthwhile and essential work to support those affected by cancer.

From Saturday 13 to Friday 19 June, diddi dance classes across the UK will be taking part in Macmillan Cancer Support’s Dress Up and Dance campaign. All we ask in return is a small donation for this wonderful charity. To find your local diddi dance class just click here.

diddi dance dress up 3

To join in the fun on social media simply look out for & use the hashtag #dressupanddiddidance

diddi dance and the importance of socialisation in children

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A new report reveals that 72% of parents are unaware that confidence development begins before the age of 5, Anne-Marie Martin, Founder of diddi dance, is urging parents to take action and help develop their child’s confidence from a young age.

The figures out today show that parents are confused about the age at which their children should begin building up their confidence through socialisation. The Government’s standards set for the early year’s foundation stage state that from birth to the age of 5, a child’s development through socialisation is vital for them to fulfil their potential in later life.

This comes as a new study of 2,000 UK parents, commissioned this month by diddi dance has clarified who parents believe has the responsibility of ensuring their children socialise enough. Worryingly 4 in 10 parents (38%) do not feel it is their responsibility to ensure their child is socialising the appropriate amount, with a third feeling it is down to nurseries, and a quarter believing that pre-school programmes should hold the responsibility.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that 4 in 10 parents still underestimate the positive impact that comes from the company of other young children for those under 5.

The importance of children socialising amongst adults seems to have been misjudged, as well, as 65% do not feel that this time spent with adults is as important as the amount of time their child socialises with other children, despite 43% acknowledging that children socialising with adults is important to their mental development. Fathers in particular are less aware of the positive impact that children socialising with adults can have with only 28% of fathers believed this to be the case, compared to 43% of mothers.

Anne-Marie Martin, is urging parents to take action against this misconception and encourage socialisation of children much earlier. Commenting on the findings Anne-Marie said “One of the key points of Ofsted’s readiness for schools provision for the under 5s is socialisation. It is key to gaining an understanding of key concepts such as personal space, sharing and empathising with others which will help make starting school a smoother transition.

She continued “Finding an interactive session which socialises children with other children is extremely important and if they really enjoy the session, they will immediately feel comfortable and warm to the environment a lot quicker. diddi dance combines lots of fun with physical activity and is a great way for little ones to interact with other children, boosting their confidence and preparing them for school where they will be faced with an unfamiliar environment away from their parents.”

diddi dance classes can be enjoyed by both boys and girls from the age of 18 months to 5 across the UK. With a new dance style every half term from ballroom to hip-hop through to jive and Bollywood every child’s taste is catered for and with fun props to use too children leave the 45 minute classes full of energy and excited for the next week. Designed to keep children active, increase their confidence and enhance their co-ordination and rhythm diddi dance is fast becoming a household name.

 

To book a FREE trial today contact your local diddi dance or to sign up to a class visit our booking page.

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diddi dance Aberdeenshire gets some great press coverage!

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diddi dance Aberdeenshire recently launched new classes at The Den & The Glen and got not one but 2 great articles from it!

diddi aberdeenshireAfter a great photo shoot with LMJPhotography, with those photos featured in the articles, we couldn’t be happier for Katy Jones, franchisee for diddi dance Aberdeenshire and this recent exposure.

To read all about the classes happening at The Den & The Glen and more about diddi dance Aberdeenshire click on the links below!

The Press and Journal

Donside Piper

To try one of these or many other classes why not visit our contacts page to request your FREE trial today!

diddi dance Wolverhampton & South Staffordshire get some great coverage!

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diddi dance Wolverhampton & South Staffordshire has only just opened this past September but already it and the franchisee Svenja have been getting some great press coverage.

In the past few weeks Svenja and her diddi dance has been featured in both the Express & Star Staffordshire and the Chronicle for Staffordshire & the West Midlands.

To read what these newspapers had to say about diddi dance and her see the articles below…

Express & Star storyChronicle story

 

For more information on the classes Svenja is running in her area or to book your FREE trial today visit our Contact page.

diddi dance wants to help keep your little one active!

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At diddi dance we realise your little one might never want the dance party to end! With each class their enthusiasm for dance grows and we want to help encourage that growth both in and out of our classes.

With our continued pursuit to “get children moving” and reduce obesity rates in under 5s, we want to help keep your child active while at home. You may wonder what you can do to not only keep them active but to also continue the work we are trying to encourage in class – coordination, partnering, creativity, etc. We, therefore, have put together a leaflet for you to download and use with helpful advice on:

  • developing key motor skills
  • building confidence
  • encouraging creativity
  • improving rhythm

…and much more! Feel free to download your copy now by clicking on this link – diddi dance – children’s dance activities

 

logo home of with stampsAlso, our friends at Fundamentally Children have put together a “Play Diet” to help your little one go from sitting to doing! Their advice, which comes from Dr. Amanda Gummer, can be summarised best with:

There is a lot of pressure on parents regarding the amount of screen time children are allowed. It is important that there is a balance between screen time and active, social play, so if children watch half an hour of tv or play on the computer, try and ensure they go and play in the garden for half an hour, or go to the park.

To get more information on creating a great Play Diet for your child download Fundamentally Children’s free advice here – Fundamentally Children’s Play Diet. For more information about Fundamentally Children visit their website today: www.fundamentallychildren.com

diddi dance South Manchester does Dress Up & Dance!

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Manchester diddi dancers get moving and grooving to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

In June dance fever will hit as children and adults across the country put on their dancing shoes to raise money for Macmillan.

This special event is called Dress Up and Dance, and it involves local children moving and grooving for charity in their favourite dance outfits. They can twirl in a tutu, hip-hop in a hoodie or jazz it up in jeans. This toe-tapping, costume-wearing celebration is being organised as part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s new Dress up and Dance fundraising campaign, which asks pupils to come into school wearing their favourite dance outfits in return for a donation to the charity.

Lisa Lawson, owner of diddi dance South Manchester, has said about the campaign:

I absolutely love the idea and although the day is targeted at primary and secondary school pupils, it’s a perfect fit for our diddi dancers and their parents who attend our classes too. Our funky pre-school dance classes are for 2-4 year old boys and girls and cover 14 different dance styles from hip hop to Bollywood, country to flamenco and many more in between, all set to pop songs written just for us. Our little ones love to get dressed up, so it will give them a chance to show off their dance moves while choosing a costume that reflects their favourite dance style and all for a great cause.”

diddi dance South Manchester are running a Dress Up and Dance week from Monday the 16th of June to Saturday the 21st June 2014 in their Gatley, Heaton Moor, Cheadle, Poynton, Bramhall, Burnage and East Didsbury classes that operate from Monday to Saturday mornings.

Come and join us! We are opening up the classes that week to anyone who would like to have a boogie and help us raise funds for Macmillan, for a minimum £2 donation. So whether you are a former diddi dancer or if you have never been and you &  your toddler would like to come and join in the Dress Up and Dance fun and help us raise funds for Macmillan, we would love to have a dance with you.”

All the money raised goes towards Macmillan’s vital work, providing medical, financial, practical and emotional support to the two million people currently living with cancer in the UK, and their families.

 

For more information on Dress up and Dance click here.

 

To book to attend one of diddi dance South Manchester’s classes during Dress Up and Dance week or any other time of the year contact Lisa via our Contact page.

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