Stage Door Academy of Dance (also known as SDA) – Our latest neighbourhood dance studio might be your child’s new favourite weekend activity. The beautiful and bright, mirrorless studio spreads the positive vibes and also aligns you with your body. You feel the music, you feel your balance, and you feel the engagement between your body parts.

Dance is considered a form of self-expression, physical release, and most importantly, it is fun. However, something that needs to be pointed out is the fact that dance is believed to help develop motor skills, coordination and discipline. Erica Binder, the artistic director and owner of SDA – shares these beliefs of the philosophy of dance.

She believes that SDA will be a less of a competitive environment. “I want to teach passion for dance over being perfect,” Binder says. Since she has first-hand knowledge on what it feels like to be in positive and negative atmospheres, she would rather teach the excitement and passion over competition. SDA’s goal is to eventually grow into a studio that offers competitive dance.

Binder truly has an incredible and extensive resume. She’s been dancing for over 20 years (and teaching over 12 years), specializing in musical theatre, ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, aerialist and Brazilian dance. Binder has even performed 15 months abroad as an Aerialist performer at Tokyo Disneysea in Japan before returning home and opening up SDA. I know your kid will bond with Binder over Disney’s characters!

You’ll also notice that the studio doesn’t have mirrors. This is definitely with intention as Binder thinks that mirrors can be a distraction for the children. They can be obsessed with the reflection and they may not listen to the teacher.

“I find that it makes you so critical because as dancers we have proprioception,” Binder says.

Proprioception is defined as the self-movement and body position. For example, you feel how your body positions itself while performing a pirouette.

“Being in front of a mirror takes away from that feeling and you become more visual on how you think something is supposed to look.” When you’re performing in front of an audience you won’t have that mirror. Binder thinks the mirrorless concept is best for learning, attentiveness, picking up choreography, and not being self-critical.

SDA offers Saturday classes such as:

Tiny feet - a creative movement class involving dance basics mixed with ballet and jazz for ages 5-7
Acro and technique for ages seven and up
Jazz and ballet for ages 8-10
Routine clean
Private and semi-private classes.

Stage Door Academy is a great way for kids to have fun, learning the dance basics and building discipline.

The studio is located at the Toronto Yoga Co studio
1768 Danforth Ave, Toronto (Coxwell & Danforth)

Visit the studio’s website to see its latest welcome offers.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

Binder takes the prevention of COVID-19 very seriously. Social distancing measures are in place, floors and equipment (if used) are cleaned and sanitized after every class, and masks will be worn. Of course, your child’s temperature will be taken upon entry of class and/or if there are any symptoms, your child will have to skip the class.

Instead of holding hands, the children will be holding hula hoops. Those hoops will also be used on the floor. This way they can be moved around, however, the kids will have to stay inside these hoops while they’re learning on the spot.

Meet Riverdale’s newest dance studio: where passion is their top priority

COVID-19 Safety Measures

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