Dance classes are a common first activity for young children. Some dance parents often register their children for dance class as a way to give them a fun physical activity to participate in. Others choose dance as an activity that will help their children learn social skills and independence.
Yes, dance is a great physical activity, that teaches balance, coordination, and flexibility, for both boys and girls. And yes, dance teaches team work, independence, time management, and social skills. But what is it about dance class that keeps kids coming back year after year and creates a life-long love for dance?
Life-long Friendships
We have a large group of dancers who started dancing with us when they were 5-years-old. They’re now 12. For the most part, they've been in the same dance classes since they were five. Recently, one of them posted a photo on Instagram with the caption that said “Friends that dance together, stay together”. That couldn’t be more true!
Many dancers start their first class together, and if they stick with dance, they dance together for their whole dance-lives. These dancers are true friends who encourage and support each other.
While they have a healthy competition among themselves, they also celebrate each other’s wins, and are always there with a hug when someone is having a bad day. The friendships that dancers make with each other are like no other and truly do last a lifetime.
Dance Class Instills a Sense of Pride
Dancers of all levels take pride in their performances. It’s the pride in their hard work that drives them to continue to learn more and perform better each year. A dance mom told us a story once. Her 4-year-old was watching her previous year’s recital DVD. The young dancer looked at her mom and exclaimed “Oh Mommy, I dance way better now!”. The little girl could see how much she’d improved from age three to age four, and was so excited about her improvements that she couldn’t contain her pride.
Encouragement and Motivation to Excel
Dance teachers encourage and motivate dancers to accomplish their goals. They teach their students to set bigger and better goals each year, and help their dancers find the drive within themselves to succeed. Motivated dance teachers share their excitement with their students in class and at performances. This same excitement and motivation helps dancers focus and excel, and builds a level of confidence that lasts a lifetime.
Feelings of Accomplishment
Success. Everyone loves the feeling of success. Succeeding at something you’ve worked hard on builds confidence and teaches the lesson that hard work pays off. For a dancer, sometimes a little win, like improved flexibility, is all it takes to make them feel accomplished.
Sometimes, it’s a big win, like performing on stage at a dance competition for the first time. Big or small, the feelings of accomplishment a dancer experiences is one of the most valuable things a dancer can experience! These are just a handful of the benefits dance offers. When you combine the physical benefits with the emotional benefits, and the skills dance teachers, it creates the perfect recipe for dancers to become strong, dedicated, responsible, confident, and happy people.