Children of all ages can dance their way to the moon at the recently opened Rising Stars Dance Academy.  Owner Nikki Khuong began dancing at age 3 and for the past 12 years has been teaching dance.   The academy opened last month in Mayberry Square.

With a degree in Education, Khuong said, “I love teaching kids and I love dancing.  So why not teach kids to dance?”  The academy offers everything from pre-dance for 3 and 4 year olds, to ballet (Checchetti style), jazz, hip hop, tap and even an all-boys dance class.  Another unique class she offers is for 1, 2, and 3 year olds and their caregivers called Dance With Me.  “It’s a creative movement class,” said Khuong, explaining that the children get to sing, dance, and enjoy a variety of activities.

According to Khuong, rather unique to her studio,  “We have a large view window so the parents can actually watch the kids.”  With one way glass, parents can watch their child’s progress, without distracting the kids or the instructor. Khuong didn’t forget birthdays.  A switch from clowns and magicians, have a dance birthday party; complete with a dance class, pizza, and more.

For more information or to register for classes, contact Nikki Khuong at 419-508-9358 or visit www.risingstarsdance.com.     

Maintaining a healthy body and mind requires education on proper exercise techniques and the importance of a balanced diet. ProMedica’s new Healthy Kids Conversion Map Program aims to inform kids and parents of the importance of leading a healthy active lifestyle. ProMedica employees will be heading out to numerous area schools and neighborhood centers to share their strategies for staying fit and healthy at home and at school in a 30-minute presentation. Each session is geared towards helping families make better choices in both the grocery store and at home.

The program utilizes a “learning map” —  an interactive game board that brings families on a journey through making the right decisions. Available at each session is also a food diary and worksheets that students can bring home in order to hopefully create a “healthy” dialogue between kids and their parents. “It’s highly interactive,” says Stephanie Cihon, ProMedica’s Community Outreach Coordinator. “It opens an opportunity for parents and kids to talk about what they can do as a family.”

For more information on how to bring this program to your school or organization, visit www.promedica.org or call Stephanie at 419-469-3896.
 

Toledo author, speaker and adult weight loss coach Pat Altvater is helping Moms say “no” to diets for their children with her free Tele-Summit for Moms Concerned with Childhood Obesity. In each of the 6 online sessions, Altvater interviews an expert, teaching moms how to nurture their child’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being to “be” healthy and not “do” diets. Just in time for Halloween, the tele-summit will also feature tips for a healthy Halloween, including ideas for treats and what to do with all that candy in the household.

The tele-summits run from Tuesday, October 6 through Thursday, October 22, and include experts such as Dr. Sylvia Rimm (author of Rescuing the Emotional Lives of Overweight Children), Frances M. Bern (author of Underage and Overweight) and Dr. Christine Wood (author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great & Love It!).

For more information or to register for one or more sessions, visit www.mamasdontletyourchildrengrowuptobedieters.com. 

Warm up your walking shoes, the 2nd Annual Walk 4 Women takes place on Saturday, October 17 from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. The event will features kids activities, a raffle, and a 5K walk at Westfield Franklin Park. All proceeds benefit the women and children of Aurora House, a comprehensive housing and life skills program that empowers homeless women and their children. $20 preregistration/$25 day of event. Pre-walk activities start at 7:30 a.m.

For more information, contact the Aurora Development Office at 419-244-3200.