Hello, I am Miss Maleeka (Mal) and I am so excited to be back for my second season with the Dance Elements family. Dance has been my greatest love ever since I can remember and it brings me all the joy in the world to share my passion through teaching. I enjoy working with young people because first of all, I consider myself to be a bit of a kid at heart but also I find their inhibitionless attitude towards life so inspiring. I believe there is so much to learn from kids. I believe that while dance is something that takes great discipline and hard work, it is also about the love. I think joy and passion are equally as important as technique and ability, especially in young children. I value having a constructive approach to my classes and building strong, trusting relationships with my students. I am a huge advocate for mental health amongst young people and I believe a positive and constructive teaching style can make the world of difference.
My favourite dance styles growing up were Lyrical and Ballet. While these will always hold a special place in my heart, I have discovered a brand new love and appreciation for hip hop dance. I have learnt so much about myself through this style and I am truly in love. This is why it is particularly exciting to be the head hip Hop teacher at DE.
In my free time, I am usually training with my own dance teams! I can be shy and quiet but I love letting loose in dance class, especially when I hit the stage, performing is my favourite part of dance and I am always trying to foster that same love and creative freedom within my own students.
I absolutely cannot wait for this year has to bring and I am so excited to be continuing on my teaching journey with Dance Elements!