Creative Movers Preschool

Creative Movers Preschool is a Childcare program in Charleston, SC, operated by the Dance Conservatory of Charleston. It serves children ages 3 to 4 through an arts-integrated academic curriculum designed to strengthen pre-reading and math skills, build confidence in independent and cooperative activities, and refine fine and gross motor skills. The program meets three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for three-hour sessions. Each day balances structured academic instruction with creative expression, play, and gross motor activities such as music and movement, ballet, or tap. Beginner level instruction in ballet and tap is included, and enrolled students are eligible to participate in the conservatory's performances of The Nutcracker and the Dance In Bloom Spring Showcase. The curriculum aims to prepare each student for a successful transition to Kindergarten, with specific goals in language, math, self-care, emotional regulation, and social skills.

The program is led by Susan Cram-Smith, a member of the Dance Conservatory of Charleston faculty. She brings over 20 years of experience in dance education and previously served for 15 years as the Fine Arts Director at a local private school, where she taught children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Before that role, she worked as an early childhood interventionist, providing one-on-one support for preschool-aged children with developmental delays in motor skills and language. Cram-Smith developed the Creative Movers curriculum based on her experience and in collaboration with other early childhood educators. She holds a BA from Carson Newman University. All teachers in the program are trained in First Aid and CPR, as well as in the Darkness to Light "Stewards of Children" program. Safety protocols include frequent sanitization of surfaces and materials, hand washing routines, and strict exclusion policies for students showing signs of communicable illness.

The location sits on Ashley Hall Rd, about a quarter of a mile from Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and roughly three-tenths of a mile from the Saint Andrews Regional Library. Lenevar Park is located about four-tenths of a mile away, and the West Ashley neighborhood is about six-tenths of a mile from the site.

Creative Movers Preschool combines dance education with early childhood academic development, offering a specialized approach to kindergarten readiness in Charleston.