OUR SUCCESS STORIES

 

Many studios have lots of shiny trophies on display in their foyers. At Rockit you will see trophies in the classroom, the foyer, the car park and more. Our students are our trophies and we display them with the greatest of pride!

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CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Miss P lives with mutism which prevents her from vocalising and expressing her feelings. Friends often talk on her behalf. Little Miss P has fallen in love with her classes at Rockit and feels so comfortable that she has begun speaking in short sentences to her teacher and friends.

 

Master N lives with autism and was home schooled. He had limited verbal communication and repeated the same phrases as answers to all questions. He had a series of nervous ticks with little understanding of spatial awareness. Over time, his comfort levels and inclusion within class grew as he started to see himself as a valued member of the team. He even had the confidence to go back to mainstream school. The Directors greatest memories of this student are him hugging her and saying thank you, for the first time; now answering questions with full verbal response; nervous ticks have disappeared; memorising all performance routines and performing with the greatest sense of pride; reducing an audience to tears when he won the award for greatest personal growth; being a valued member of the team who is now appreciated by his peers.

 

Miss S came to us with autism and severe sensory disorder. We were unable to look her in the eye, give instructions directly to her, play music without informing her first, unable to make sudden noises or changes without informing her first. She operated independently within the class. With great patience, care and guidance this student now participates fully in class like all other mainstream students. We can now look her in the eye and receive eye contact back, speak directly to her giving instructions that she is able to follow (including single, double and triple task instructions), we are able to turn on music and create loud sounds without having to notify or prepare her first, and she now performs with the greatest of confidence and one of the most infectious smiles you have ever seen.

 

CHILDREN WHO HAVE SIBLINGS WITH DISABILITIES

Miss G has a number of siblings with disabilities. She has been a dancer at Rockit since the very beginning and through her classes has found her own voice, her own identity and a unique ability for expressive dance. Over the years her confidence has soared as she has found her niche in this world. She dances with one of her siblings as it is a moment they share together where both are supported by their peers. Watching them together is heart-warming.

 

Miss T loves to dance and loves to be with her older sister who has Down Syndrome. Rockit has provided a way for both girls to dance together in the same class. Here they share both learning experiences and memories of growing up together. Together they have had the opportunity to learn how to dance whilst also building their sibling bond.

 

CHILDREN DEALING WITH ANXIETY

Besties – These two young girls have more in common than they realise. They both LOVE to dance, and both LOVE to challenge themselves. Sadly, they BOTH are experiencing heartache as their fathers have gone through serious and life threatening medical situations. They deal with their stress and anxiety by emoting their feelings through dance. Dance has become a form of relief as well as security where they balance their emotions and express their feelings without having to use words. These girls are both blossoming in their classes as they have found a way to manage their anxiety through dance.

 

Miss L grew up thinking she wasn’t really that good at anything. She had low self-esteem. She hadn’t won trophies anywhere before and didn’t always feel part of the group. When joining Rockit, staff encouraged her to push herself and try new things. From here, Miss L grew and flourished. She became a mecca for positivity with kids drawn to her gentle nature and kind heart. Soon her technique flourished as well and everyone wanted to dance just like her. She is now one of our leading role models with her own trophy and name on our Rockit Heart Plaque (the greatest honour a student can get). Everyone still wants to dance like her and she has now inspired a whole new generation of kids.

 

Miss K has low self-esteem and battles anxiety and depression. When really upset she can hurt herself. Upon entering the doors at Rockit, she began regular lessons of self-development. During these lessons staff monitored closely how she reacted to challenges. During her hard moments, their words of positivity encouraged her to try again. With great patience, staff managed to get her to continue trying until she was able to see for herself, what she truly was capable of achieving. Today Miss K still has moments of self-doubt, but she is celebrated by her peers and teachers as an outstanding student who is a leader and role model. The younger students idolise her dance ability, and she is slowly learning that she is a remarkable young lady. She no longer hurts herself and is a role model in the studio being a listening ear and kind heart to anyone who needs a little extra support. Her technical skills have tripled in the very short time she has been in the studio.

 

Miss C loves to dance but only to her own groove and pace. She has developed her own unique style of dance that we have integrated into one of our programs so she can express her individuality but still be part of a tribe. She battles anxiety and fear of not fitting in. Through our inclusive teaching techniques, she has found her place in Rockit and understands that she is a valued and appreciated member. Her unique style is celebrated and we encourage her continually to develop it further. We do not want her to dance like ‘the others’. We want her to continue dancing to her own beat. When in the studio, Miss C feels more confident within herself. Her time in the studio is a moment to step away from her anxiety and be the incredible person she truly is. This very talented young lady makes a BIG impression on the local community when she performs.

 

CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOURAL ISSUES

Master L was given the horrific label of ‘schoolyard bully’. Parents called stating they would pull their kids from class if he was to continue. The Director personally worked with this child learning about his personal story and why he reacted in specific ways to conflict. From there she designed a series of challenges to show him how he could make his own achievements and have pride in himself. These achievements continued to grow and his personality started changing. He went from bully to class role model even staying behind after class to ensure the Director safely made it to her car in the dark. At one concert, he received a standing ovation from the crowd as he received the award for most personal growth.

 

Miss E used to get into trouble at school quite a bit. Her mum wasn’t sure how to handle her behaviour. She started classes at Rockit and found a place where she was accepted and welcomed. Her big personality was not a problem for our teachers and she eventually found her groove in the studio. Her behaviour began to settle and got into trouble at school less and less. She is now passionate about dance and uses it as a way to express herself, her feelings and burn off extra energy.

 

PARENTS

Mum N – is grateful that her daughters have the opportunity to integrate with children who have special needs. This integration allows her children to normalise disability and not see it as something different. Sometimes there are children in her class with disabilities, or sometimes there are older children socialising in the studio with disabilities. This mum is appreciative that her daughters have this exposure and are able to develop respect for people of all abilities.

 

Mum S – lost her self-confidence after having children. Dealing with their demanding behaviours took its toll as she felt pressure recognising her child was different. Through encouragement she started adult dance. This was a moment for her to step away from what was happening at home and spend time focusing on herself. Here she was able to rediscover her identity, build her self-confidence and secretly prepare a performance for her family to view on stage. The result of which was heart-warming. This mum now has greater belief in herself, and through physical participation in dance where she is challenged with new concepts, has learnt that it is ok to make mistakes and to just keep going with the performance that life presents.

 

Mum K – gains a great sense of relief watching her daughter blossom at the studio. Her own anxiety watching her daughter struggle to fit on was upsetting. Today she sees her daughter performing confidently onstage tackling many confronting challenges both physically and emotionally. The joy of watching her achieve this is overwhelming.

 

Mum R – watches her daughter who is full of energy and sass simply fly at Rockit. At home she might terrorise the house but at Rockit her manner is perfect. She has learnt correct etiquette in public places and now acts as a role model for younger children. Her passion is fuelled as she is continually challenged in the studio with class curriculum often adapted so she can continue to learn. The flexibility offered to her at Rockit has allowed her to reach tremendous heights both technically and personally.

 

NOTE: These changes happened within these students because their parents and teachers did NOT give up on them. These changes do not happen within a matter of a few weeks, these changes take place over the period of a few months anywhere up to a year. When working with people like this, the repetition of positive engagement in socially interactive exercises help them identify their own progress makes all the difference. If you want to see change, commit to it. Don’t give up.