Parents are getting their children involved with activities at a younger and younger age. The desire to be competitive (someday) and getting and keeping your children physically active drives parents to sports and indoor physical activities. Plenty of research indicates that children who live a sedentary life (i.e., activities primarily tied to the TV and computer) are more prone to obesity, Type II diabetes, and the other social and psychological disadvantages that go along with it. If you have a desire to have your daughter take a dance class. There are 4 Ways to get your child to dance class that we recommend.
Finding the right physical activity for your child to participate in is like dating. You try people on to see how they fit! A dance class, be it ballet, jazz, hip hop, or tap, is much like that. But how do you get your little one interested in dance?
Look at pictures of dancers
Kids like to dress up. From age 2-10, they like to wear fun and sometimes frilly dresses, costumes, and skirts and play pretend. Show your daughter what a dancer looks like. The pretty outfits, the cute shoes, the tights. Get her excited about putting the ‘costumes’ on.
Observe a local class
Take your child to see a class in action. Let them see what the other kids do during their class. Encourage your child by saying, “I bet you’d be good at that! That looks like so much fun! Do you think you would
like that?” Children want some control over their lives (picking out their own clothes, not wanting to wear a jacket when mom wants them to). Being a part of the decision to dance will go a long way toward their positive participation. Forcing a child to dance when they have no interest will not work out well for their future interest in dance classes or the other children in the class.
Take them to a ballet
Many younger children may not be able to sit through a long ballet at a Performing Arts Venue, but they may be able to sit through a local performance! Many local, smaller ballet schools put on performances, especially during the holidays. Choose a ballet where there are lots of dancers on stage as opposed to one or two. Most younger children feel more comfortable dancing in a group. Seeing one or two dancers on stage may intimidate a younger dancer. Remember, the goal is to try and ‘see’ themselves on stage dancing.
Try different classes
There are many types of dance classes for kids. If the gracefulness and tulle of a ballet class do not appeal to your little one, try a jazz or hip hop class. Many dance studios offer a variety of dance forms for their students. It is not uncommon for an older child to take 1, 2, or 3 dance classes simultaneously. Each dance class focuses on different aspects of dance and skills. High school dance line participants usually make their teams due to their vast skills and abilities in various dance classes. Did you know college scholarships are available for dance? I know she’s only 5, but college will be here before you know it!
Catherine’s Dance Studio, in downtown Parkville, offers a week of dance classes for free, so your aspiring (or possibly slightly interested) son or daughter can try all the dance classes to see which type they like. Catherine’s Dance Studio offers smaller class sizes so your child will get the encouraging, individual attention they need to develop their skills and love to dance!
This article was originally published in October 2013 and has been recently updated.