Jill Bridger School of Dance
Established 1988
Jill Bridger RAD Teach. Dip., AISTD, MNATD
© Jill Bridger © Photos M Ewing Melody Bear ® Melody Movement® Little Bear Feet® Milligan Bear® registered trademarks of J Ewing © Graphics R Beeton
Little Bear Feet™
Toddler Nursery Rhyme dance with Melody Bear
18 to 24 months
Melody Movement®
Dance along with Melody Bear®
Level 1a - ages 2 to 2½
Level 1b -ages 2 ½ to 3
Level 2 - ages 3 to 4
Milligan Bear®
Themes and stories for boys too
Melody Bear’s Combo Class
Introduction to ballet, tap & modern - exercises and creative themes from Melody
Movement and Tip Tap Toe & Groovy Moves
Ages 2 to 4 years
First Ballet with Melody Bear®
First Combo with Melody Bear® (ballet, tap & modern)
Ages 4 to 5 years - Reception age
Foundation Ballet with Melody Bear®
Foundation Combo with Melody Bear® (ballet, tap & modern)
Year 1 - ballet - two term programme - the stepping stone to Junior Ballet and RAD
Primary ballet
Year 1 - Combo - three term programme - the stepping stone to Primary Combo and NATD
tap & modern
The magical world of Melody Bear
Who is Melody Bear?
Melody Bear is the focal point of the Melody Movement Early Learning dance and movement program for children age
18 months upwards years created by Jill Bridger.
Melody Bear’s actions songs, stories and unique picture cards lead girls and boys through a journey of imaginative dance and play. She is full of surprises and her favourite dances include a magical flight on a swan, swirling autumn leaves, birthday ballerinas, apple picking, mermaids, make a shape, the story of Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood to name a few.
Melody Movement not only introduces children to dance using the natural actions of the body such as running, walking and jumping but classes focus on fundamental curriculum learning skills such as counting, colour and shape recognition, vocabulary and language skills. The strength of the system is that learning is achieved through creative movement which is enjoyable and fun, making it the ideal entry into the world of dance and ballet.
Melody movement instils a love of dance making if positive element of children’s early lives which stays with them. They learn from a young age how music, movement, dance and the imagination can be combined to tell a story and convey emotions.
Jill Bridger’s Melody Movement Early Learning pre-school program includes Little Bear Feet with Melody Bear and Melody Movement. First Ballet with Melody Bear and Foundation Ballet are the step-up syllabi. Tip Tap Toe & Groovy Moves with Melody Bear for modern and tap dancing fun for the under 5’s is included in our Combo classes. Children progress to First and Foundation Combo - modern, tap & ballet. And the fun doesn’t just stop with classes. Melody Bear has her own story books and CDs so everyone can dance at home to the memorable Melody Bear songs and tunes!
Dance professionals across the UK and overseas teach Jill’s Melody Movement curriculum and Melody Bear concept. Here in Cambridgeshire ,Jill continues to enjoy teaching classes to young children at her dance school. Click here to see our timetable for class details.