Youth Talent School blog

Children Classes on the North Shore

2012-01-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for high quality supplementary programs that your child will enjoy, look no further.
Youth Talent School is offering a very large selection of classes, and what is unique about the Youth Talent School is the small class size and individual approach to every child.
Youth Talent School is located in Swampscott and is close to several Swampscott schools and is a short drive away from Marblehead, Lynn and Salem.

Contact Youth Talent School to learn more about the following classes:
Wrestling classes for children
Russian Sambo club Leg Lock
Physical training and physical development
Acrobatics classes
Dance classes - Jazz
Dance classes - Hip Hop
Dance classes - Contemporary
Zumba fitness
Chi-Gong Painting and Ceramics classes
Art immersion program
Expressive Art classes
Fashion Design classes
Portfolio Building
Art and Craft
Sewing with Julia Piano lessons
Sol-fa and music theory
Voice lessons
Fun Music ages 2 - 6 Math SAT preparation
Advanced math classes
Chess classes
Russian language classes

Fun Summer Camp in Swampscott

2012-01-07T21:42:00.000-08:00

Planning child's summer is always a daunting task. The desire of finding a good balance between leisure and activities complicates things even more. The summer camp at the Youth Talent School is designed to combine summer fun with art and sports activities. Youth Talent School summer camp makes the best of its location close to shore to conduct daily field trips to the various Swampscott and Marblehead beaches, as well as lakes, theme parks, museums and other attractions and points of interests around Boston. Every morning, prior to field trips, campers participate in diverse activities, such as art, dance, cooking, and many others depending on the campers' overall preferences. The summer camp begins after the Independence day and runs till the end of August. Youth Talent School will publish the list of summer camp events in late Spring, but it asks parents to register early to help organize the camp schedule the best way possible.
Visit the Youth Talent School Summer Camp page to learn more and to register.

Zumba Fitness in Swampscott

2012-01-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Zumba fitness has become extremely popular and with Zumba seminars being easily accessible they have produced a countless number of Zumba instructors. Zumba's success can be attributed to the fun factor and to the ease of the physical exercises. Zumba instructors come from various dance backgrounds, and each instructor brings his/her unique style to class. Zumba is based primarily on Latin dance moves, that is why it is best when the instructor has prior Latin dance experience. A class with a good Zumba instructor is not only beneficial for staying in shape, but also teaches basic Latin dance moves that will come very useful to anyone planning on taking dance classes or simply dancing in a club or a restaurant. Dance moves from dances such as Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Samba and Hip-Hop are included in a Zumba routine. Zumba is a great way to recharge after a busy day, get an effective and fun workout.
At the Youth Talent School the Zumba instructors bring their Latin dance experience to class making every class an exciting dance workout. Visit the Youth Talent School's Zumba page to learn more and start your Zumba workout now.
Youth Talent School offers Zumba fitness classes in Swampscott.

SAT Preparation in Swampscott

2011-12-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

Whether SAT is a good indicator of student's skills and intelligence is a topic for discourse of its own, but regardless, every high school student going to college needs to score high on the test. Success on the SAT is all about getting used to the various kinds of problems that SAT is made of and therefor the longer a student is studying for the SATs and the more practice tests a student has completed the more likely he/she is to achieve a high score. High school students need to have completed the SAT by the end of the 11th grade to be on the safe side, so it is wise to start preparing for it in the 10th grade, thus taking the pressure and stress out of the equation.
The Youth Talent School offers Math SAT preparatory classes in Swampscott. By keeping the class sizes small the Youth Talent School stays true to its commitment to offer the highest quality education. Register for the SAT program at the Youth Talent School and see how it will help you succeed on the SATs.

Gymnastics for Kids

2011-12-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

Gymnastics is one of the top favorite classes for parents to enroll small children into. This is due to the countless benefits to child's development that gymnastics has to offer. Agility, fitness, motorics, improved health and discipline are among the many positive effects of doing gymnastics.

Gymnastics classes come in two forms, 1) were parents actively participate with their kids, assisting children on every step of each exercise, and 2) classes where these tasks are performed by instructors. Each method has its benefits. When parents assist children they have the chance to learn the routine and practice it with their kids during the week. Also the behavior of one child does not affect that much the performance of the entire group. The second method, when parents are not admitted to the class has the following advantages: children work much better with no parent present, they learn to communicate with peers, every time a child performs an exercise he/she is supervised by an instructor who insures that all moves are performed correctly. Which of the class methodologies to choose depends on the parents requirements and child's maturity.
In the Swampscott / Marblehead area the Youth Talent School offers gymnastics classes for children ages 2 and up. At the Youth Talent School children practice gymnastics in small groups and receive the full attention of the instructor. Parents are not admitted to classes in order to preserve discipline which is essential when working with children of such a young age. Youth Talent School trains gymnastics up to team level IV inclusive.
To learn more and to register for classes visit the Youth Talent School's gymnastics studio website.

On Art Education in Artist's Development

2011-12-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

Human artistic evolution can now be observed in a child's artistic development from the first steps to adulthood. Just like cave-man drew stick figures on walls, so will a child, using any available utensil draw bizarre shapes on your freshly-painted walls. And as humans evolved achieving higher levels of artistic skill, so will a child, only thousands of times faster, skipping millenia every year of his/her development as an artist. It appears that the desire to create is embedded in every human and it starts manifesting itself from before the first steps, and accelerates greatly when the child leaves the comfort of being breast-fed. The creative energy is unstoppable and will manifest itself in many different forms.

Recent progress in media and entertainment industries have been shifting creativity from being creative into participatory. Children now either observe the content flashing before their eyes or participate in it, as in computer games. While these forms of entertainment make parent's lives much easier, it is important not to get carried away and overlook the significance of applied art, art made in real life (not in virtual space), by artist's own hands. Using, and properly holding a pencil at an early age, under 5, has a very important, but not apparent effect on development. It promotes the motor skills and coordination of fingers and that stimulates greatly the brain development. A well organized art program for young children teaches many important skills, such as: shapes, colors, even numbers, coordination, motor skills, composition and mismatching object to create new forms. Art develops imagination and stimulates creativity and innovation. Guidance is important when learning art. A good art teacher motivates and inspires students, teaches skills and develops the sense of style and artistic taste.
At the Youth Talent School the art programs are targeted for different age groups. From introductory art and craft for the youngest, to fashion design and portfolio building for teens, the art classes at the Youth Talent School engage the student and promote the uniqueness of self-expression while teaching the theory and skill of the subject.
The Youth Talent School offers art classes for children in subjects such as: painting, drawing, clay, sewing and fashion design. To learn more and to register visit the Youth Talent School web site.

Art classes for children in Swampscott / Marblehead area.

From Sol-Fa to Absolute Pitch

2011-12-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

An evening of Karaoke can be both a fun and a torcherous experience. It all goes well while performers have at least some singing ability, but more often then not, the person at the mic just can't hit the tone. And it is not that the person can not sing, but rather, can not hear what he/she is singing. That is due to the untrained ability of the ear to recognize sound and can be easily corrected with proper training. Once the ear is tuned, the voice will follow, but not without practice, of course.

There are various methods of achieving proper pitch, but I will talk about the more recognized in the musical community technique of Sol-Fa. Sol-Fa, also known as solfeggio, is quite an old pedagogical technique of teaching sight-singing that became very popular in Europe in the 20th century. It teaches students to interpret musical notation while singing the notes. The benefits of this training are obvious. Simultaneously, the student learns reading the music notation, rhythm, tunes the ear and learns singing. The class of Sol-Fa is (and has been for a long time) required by all professional music schools. But the skills developed in a class of Sol-Fa are not only needed by professional musicians. Every aspiring musician and even every child learning a musical instrument or voice can benefit greatly from a class of Sol-Fa. And while sight-singing is important for sight-reading music, it is essential for improvisation.
Without large musical schools that teach the full-array of necessary subjects, here in the US the young musicians only focus on their instrument of choice and have no option, but to neglect properly developing the other musical skills, such as perfect pitch, theory of music, sight reading, etc. On the Boston North Shore, the Youth Talent School is trying to fill this gap by offering classes of Sol-Fa and music theory. So, in conclusion, if you are just learning a musical instrument for fun or you are an aspiring musician, or just want to develop an absolute pitch and good singing skills, check out the Sol-Fa classes at the Youth Talent School.

Youth Talent School is offering classes of Sol-Fa in the Swampscott/Marblehead area.

YTS Dance Studio - fun, but serious about dancing

2011-12-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

The Youth Talent School's dance studio has changed several names over the past ten years to match its stylistic trends, and since the 2009 it is known as the YTS Dance Studio. The Youth Talent School takes its roots in a dance / drama studio, that opened its doors on weekends in Swampscott. Ever since its inception, dance was an essential component of the Youth Talent School, and over the years its dance students have won many dance trophies and awards. In 2011 the dance studio has expanded its teaching staff and the stylistic direction shifted towards contemporary and ballroom dance styles. While contemporary dance gives a greater freedom of movement and expression to the dancer, the ballroom dance classes teach classical forms, proper posture and knowledge of dance steps.

Learning to dance has many positive effects on child development. Inspite of all the grace and beauty that ballroom dancing has to offer, children, especially teens, often feel ashamed of dancing with a partner. It is not uncommon for young adults who shied away from dancing as teenagers to start learning ballroom dancing in college. But the best dancers, in most cases, have started learning dancing at a young age. Small children, under the age of 8 don't usually have the prejudices or face peer pressure that can become an obstacle for learning dancing. That is why it is best to start teaching children dancing at an early age. The earlier they start, the better dancing skills they are more likely to develop. And even if the student takes a break during the teenage years, their level of skill when they decide to pick up later, will be unmatched to those who are just starting to learn.
Dancing improves fitness, health, posture, agility. It builds self confidence, provides an outlet for expression and creativity. When kids grow up, dancing skills can play an important part in their social and personal life. Just one or two hours of dancing per week will make your child happier and healthier.
Youth Talent School offers the perfect environment for learning dancing: small groups, talented and energetic instructors, fun and friendly ambiance. With its convenient location in Swampscott, Youth Talent School is just minutes away from Marblehead, Salem and Lynn. Don't postpone it any longer and come to the YTS Dance Studio for your free introductory lessons!

Zumba Latin Dance Fitness at Youth Talent School

2011-12-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

Evenings on the Boston North Shore are now more vibrant with the sounds of Latin music streaming from the dance studio at the Youth Talent School. A passer by can ask her self, is this a Latin dance class, a workout or just people having fun dancing? The answer is: all of the above. Fun is the essential component of a successful workout and Zumba has struck gold with its unique approach to exercise. Zumba is a workout that you actually look forward to with excitement. It teaches Latin dance moves and shapes your body the best way possible, all while having a blast dancing to your favorite tunes. Zumba energizes your spirit and charges you with positive emotions. And when you are happy all your life events start flowing in the direction of happiness and positivity. If you are in the Swampscott neighborhood, stop by the Zumba class at the Youth Talent School. In its convenient location on route 1A you will find friendly environment, small group sizes and tons of good mood.

For more information and to reserve your spot please visit the Youth Talent School's website at http://www.youthtalentschool.org/Studios/Zumba.aspx

Youth Talent School Wrestling Program

2011-12-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

This fall Youth Talent School has started a new wrestling program for all kids grades K - 8. Powered by the enthusiasm of the lead coach Alex Motorny and other wrestling instructors, the wrestling program builds character, self confidence, sportsmanship, team spirit, mental and physical strength, and other qualities essential to young athletes.

Alex Motorny started learning freestyle wrestling at the age of 6 at the Club Lokomotiv in Kiev, Ukraine. He was twice the champion of Kiev in freestyle wrestling at the ages of 13 and 14. At the age of 13 Alex became the third place champion in the all Ukrainian nationals. Thereafter Alex attended the wrestling program at the Keene high school, in Keen, NH. As a member of the Keene high school team he became the New Hampshire wrestling state champion in 1993 & 1994, a third place champion at the New England wrestling tournament in 1994 and the second place champion at the New England free style open tournament in 1994. Same year Alex was awarded the New Hampshire Outstanding Wrestler award.

At the Youth Talent School, Alex and his assistants present the fundamentals of wrestling in a fun and friendly setting. The program teaches basic and advanced techniques of folkstyle wrestling, such as: top and bottom positions, take downs and moves from each position.

To learn more about the program please visit the Youth Talent School wrestling program online.

Club Leg Lock on Grapplers Quest Boston 2010

2010-09-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

Grapplers Quest, a grappling championship that attracts hundreds of competitors of all ages, came to Boston for the first time in August. Co-located with the UFC Fan Expo Boston in the John B. Hynes Convention Center, the grappling event was attended by thousands of spectators.

The Swampscott based club Leg Lock was represented by two grapplers, both students of Ruslan Pavlov, competing in the mixed style of Russian Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:
Brett Mullen competing in the heavy weight beginner division took home a gold medal, and Roman Ganchin, competing in the 13-15 years old advanced division won the bronze.

This is an exceptionally good result for the club, given that both competitors have been training for slightly more than a year.
When asked to comment on this success, Ruslan Pavlov said: “Grappling is an exciting and smart sport. But like in any sport it takes dedication and discipline to succeed. The advantage that our students have is the small class size, which lets me pay individual attention to each student and make sure that no technique is left unexplained. That and our shared enthusiasm for the art of Russian Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the key to our student’s success on grappling tournaments.”

Excerpts from Leg Lock’s appearance on the Grapplers Quest are at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSWT4O9ScKk

Dance Ovations 2010

2010-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Ari Shteynberg and students of the dance and aerobics class represented Youth Talent School this year on the Dance Ovations competition. Ari has debuted with a hip-hop dance choreographed by Raul Arauz and was awarded a High Gold and a special recognition award. You may watch his performance on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ5KuPRPOLc

The aerobics and dance team competed with the Mambo #5 dance choreographed by Alexandra Mishenina. They were awarded a Gold prize. A recording of this dance from the Spring Fantasy show is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HivY8khjA1Q

Team Leg Lock returns from the USA Open Sambo championship

2010-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

On May 2nd the team Leg Lock has competed in the XVII USA Open Sambo Championship in Rahway NJ. Every year this tournament attracts grapplers from around the world. This time teams from seven countries attended. Some of the best Sambo fighters from USA, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Kazakhstan represented their countries in this international event. It was Leg Lock’s first appearance on this championship and the club was represented by 5 fighters: Nicholas Sirota, Roman Ganchin, Ari Shteynberg, Brett Mullen and Ruslan Pavlov, ages 6 - 33. The results were extraordinary. Our boys, having trained in submission grappling between only 5 months and a year have demonstrated exceptional skill. The team brought back two silver and one bronze medal, and two fifth-place finishes. This success is attributed to the brilliant instruction by Ruslan Pavlov and dedication, skills and fighting spirit of the boys. Attending championships like this one provides priceless experience for boys in building strong character, team spirit, confidence and respect for all other martial arts practitioners.

Not everyone on this hemisphere knows about Russian Sambo. Some confuse it with the Brazilian dance, the Samba, but the two have nothing in common. Sambo is an acronym that in Russian stands for Self Defense Without a Weapon. This form of martial art was developed in the first half of the 20th century, primarily by Ojepkov, who was the first ever European to receive a black belt from the Kodokan Judo school in Japan. The other major contributor to this sport was Spiridonov, and his form of Sambo was primarily used by special forces and is known as the Combat Sambo. Russian Sambo today comprises techniques found in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, as well as in various martial arts of the vast former Soviet territories. With USSR being behind the iron curtains for so long, Sambo had a late start in developing worldwide recognition. But in recent years the awareness of this sport has been growing around the world primarily due to MMA fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko. Russian Sambo is a very versatile martial art that requires lots of skill and intelligence. It develops agility, coordination, concentration, fast thinking, confidence and strong spirit. It helps boys grow up into confident and strong men, and adults learning the grappling skills that they always wanted, and consequently become stronger, better physically fit and confident.

The club Leg Lock welcomes all boys and men to experience and learn the wonderful martial art of Russian Sambo.

The excerpts from the championship can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omZZfEogRlU

In the local news: The Swampscott Reporter 5/13/2010

YTS dancers win the High Gold Champions in Rhode Island

2010-05-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Gina Asipenko, Lora Sapozhnikova and Becky Shteynberg on winning the High Gold Champions award in the International Dance Challenge competition in Rhode Island. Girls performed the "Indian Flower" dance choreographed by Alexandra Mishenina. Over 250 performers from all over New England competed in this event.

See their award-winning performance at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCWslwJAAtg.

See the article in the Swampscott Reporter

Benefits of yogurts

2010-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

According to research published by University of Montreal (2010, April 14) there is a correlation between the level of cleanness of the living conditions and the incidence of allergies and autoimmune diseases. Over the past decade the number of cases of allergies and autoimmune diseases has gone up in places with improving sanitary conditions, but remained constant in locations where sanitary conditions have not changed.
Dr. Delespesse indicates that the bacteria in our digestive system plays a big role in educating the immune system. For that reason Dr. Delespesse recommends probiotics such as yogurts to enrych our intestinal flora, which in turn should benefit our immune system.

Read the complete research summary in ScienseDaily: Is cleanliness to blame for increasing allergies?

Bottle-fed babies absorb the most bisphenol A

2010-04-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a primary element of polycarbonate synthetic materials that are used to manufacture plastic items for everyday use, such as reusable water bottles, food containers, baby bottles and food packaging. Plastics made with BPA usually have the number 7 on the bottom. Such containers tend to release BPA into the food or fluids within at a small rate. BPA is a hormonally active substance that acts like the natural hormone estrogen and as an anti-androgen (inhibits the biological effects of male sex hormones). Small quantities of BPA can have an affect on sexual development, especially of fetuses and babies. In the recent years there have been several studies looking at health risks associated with BPA. Although no direct evidence of harm to humans yet exists, the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) has indicated some concern about the potential negative health effects of BPA on infants and children. ( Chemical In Plastic Bottles Raises Some Concern )
A new report by ETH Zurich (2010, April 6) summarized in Science Daily indicates that babies fed using PC bottles are the most affected by the exposure to BPA - Endocrine disruptors: Babies absorb the most bisphenol A
With this in mind it can be considered a safe practice to give preference, when possible, to glass, porcelane and stainless steel food and liquids containers, and BPA-free baby bottles.

Baby's weight depends on mother's weight

2010-04-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

An article published in the ScienceDaily (2010-04-05) describes an ongoing study suggesting that mother's weight during pregnancy and the first months after giving birth has an effect on child's ability to regulate own weight. The study proposes that signals sent by the mother to the child during those months can increase the risk of child becoming an overweight adult. Read the full summary in Sciense Daily