Choosing a dance class

My little girl is always singing, dancing and what seems like performing all around the house, the town, wherever I take her (when she's not having a major tantrum that is). She is a born performer. She turned 3 at the end of July and due to the generous relatives she has, she has a bit of birthday money that I'm wanting to put towards dancing lessons for her.
However when it comes to choosing the right dance class I'm lost! As in our current situation money is very tight I'm needing a class in walking distance really - for me anyway as for a while she can still go in the pushchair. However due to a free bus service through the town center classes in that area are still an option too. This could really limit me as it seems a lot of great or perhaps diverse looking classes are based a bit out of my reach if I don't use public transport. A lot seem in the Cheadle area.

Also what kind of class? I have seen a great looking class (Unique) that seems to involve dancing, acting and singing and they learn dance routines but this is in Cheadle (distance) and price wise is more than others I am looking at. It's £6 a session. It's an hours walk but there is a chance I could get help with transport. It sound great though so I have signed Grace up for a trial lesson this coming Sunday afternoon.
My little girl has already met the teacher but in Queen Elsa form at a Summer event.

Most seem to center around ballet or modern. Is this where all dancers start off? My little girl seems to dance in a contemporary style (if you can catagorise a 3 year old's dancing! ) but she loves watching dance troupes at local events who do fun little dance routines to pop songs. Are dance troupes something separate to sign up for or do they evolve from dance classes? At the moment I am so confused.

Other classes I am looking at are a newly formed street dance tots class with the well established RJL Dance based in Bramhall and Hazel Grove. £5.50 a session I think. That class in particular is a 54 minute walk for me if we weren't get the bus. A trek for me and a long time for G to be stuck in a buggy. I have signed her up for a trial session this Friday afternoon so I will see how it goes - journey wise and how G enjoys it.

I am also looking at Debut Academy in central Stockport. £5 a class. This would be easier to get to and I could bob to Asda and get some very quick shopping done whilst Grace was there. They have a great reputation too. I'm sure all of them do, but I have seen as I have taken Grace to the play center held in the same building.

Also in town is Miss Muldoons school of dancing. I was slightly put off at first by not being able to find any details online. I heard of it through recommendation from a friend who's children go there and she has told me class times and that it would be best to start Grace in November after a show the class are currently practicing for was out of the way. I would feel more confident if I could talk to the owners in person but on searching for info online I have seen several professionals mention they were trained by her which can only be a good thing. Also it is only £3 a session so is much more affordable for me. It also would mean if I have a day where I am particularly unwell I don't have to worry so much about the cost of jumping on the bus to take her and I can also pay for that weekly. If financially things aren't too bad over the next couple of months I could pay for that normally and save her birthday money for one of the other (different style e.g  Unique or RJL) classes up to November ish (paid termly).

Despite the worry of choosing the right one I am mostly excited for her :) I was never able to go to dance or any other kind of class (except normal school!) and I am so happy she will get too. It seems to come from her soul, her spirit if that makes sense. When she is happy that is mostly what she is doing. I am nervous for the trials with it being her first time in a structured class but I'm sure she will love it.

The dance troupes who do funky dance moves (like G herself also loves when she's not prancing around like a ballerina) to pop music I am still clueless about. Any insight would be great if anyone can help please comment :)

Stockport & Surrounding Summer Days Out

When I started writing this post the summer holidays were in full swing. Now the end of them and Autumn it seems are rapidly approaching!

During the holidays I find days in are fine spread out. There is plenty to do but for my sanity I often find it better to go out and do something. Also at home, at the moment, it is just me and my daughter (and the cat - the child fearing cat) so it's good to go out and do something social and days out are better at burning the abundance of energy so many 3 year old's have.
We are lucky in that we live by a few different play parks ...but as a mum there are only so many times in a week/month you can go to the same old playgrounds!

Finding days out/outdoor events to keep my 3 year old active and entertained that are 1. financially viable for us and 2. are within reaching distance (with me not being a driver), could have been a bit of a challenge, but luckily living in Stockport it has been fairly straight forward the past two years.

Last year Stockport (and surrounding areas) had a lot on and I took my then just turned 2 year old to every local free/low budget event that was going. I felt like we'd had a really good run for the holidays but I ended up admitted to hospital by the end of it.
This time this year I am coping better, but also not made it to quite as many events. We have missed a couple either due to the crazy mood swings of the UK's weather stopping play, limited funds or me not pushing myself as much. Also not all events were annual.

This summer we have made it to a few that are annual including National Play Day and Handforth Paddock Fair. Luckily both were free entry and rain free.
Dig in the City was on again this year and I was hoping to make the final day but the stormy weather once again returned.

Some of the other local low budget possibilities this summer are/were:

•  the open to all holiday sessions held at Jumpspace, 
• special offer £1 sessions at the Playhouse - a small local indoor play center we hadn't yet tried. The £1 offer continues this week. Lovely and clean but best for small children with being a small play area.
• Some free weekly local craft sessions which started last Wednesday at the Stopford open learning center
• A day trip to Llandudno Friday just gone organised by St.Matthews Church - I will be doing a seperate blog post on this.
•  Spinningfields Free Family Film Club on Saturdays - free outdoors cinema screen showing Disney films, deckchairs to sit on and free face painting & balloon sculptures. 
• A few fun days at local pubs with bouncy castles, face painting, Peppa Pig, Queen Elsa etc
• The Here's one we made earlier exhibition at the Lowry in Salford ...90 years of childrens TV, it's free, looks fun and is great for anymore rainy days.
• An upcoming funfair at Woodbank Park
• Stockport Summer Festival 29th to 31st August. The 31st being the best day for children.

Some useful online places for getting ideas for days out include new page Happy Days Out which I'm part of on Facebook. Family Link who have a very useful Summer activities booklet which can be accessed online and FamiliesOnline.co.uk's What's On section. Many events I have found out about by just being part of local mum's pages on facebook and your local councils events page can be helpful too.
Next year I'm thinking of publishing my own list of things to do at the start of the summer if I am up and running by then! I also will be doing a post of general days out rather than one off events, these generally are further to travel to, so look out for that.