3 Ways to Help Your Child Have a Successful Season of Dance

Happy New (Dance) Year! As we move into a new season, there are a few things you can do as a parent to help support your child and ensure they have a successful year. Here are a few tips on making this dance season a positive one for your child.

1. Ensure Your Child Has All Dress Code Items

Just like kids need the proper school supplies before starting school, your child will need the appropriate dance supplies for a great dance season. This means ensuring that they have all the necessary items for their specific class in regard to dress code. This is a very simple thing that will set them up for success.

2. Communicate with Your Child & Your Studio’s Director/ Staff

A new year means your child may have a new teacher, be trying a new genre or be placed in a new level. These types of changes mean that they will likely experience a period of transition. Being aware of this will allow you to be more supportive of your child and assist them as they become acclimated to their new class, teacher, etc. Here are some common concerns that a child may have when starting a new year and some tips on how to respond in a supportive way…

“I miss my teacher from last year.”

• Remind your child that although you know that they love and miss their previous teacher, they may also really enjoy their new instructor once they get to know him/ her, so they should give them a chance. Remind your child that not every teacher runs their class the same way, and that’s o.k. A new teacher means they have the opportunity to learn something new like a specific skill or a different way of moving that they wouldn’t learn otherwise.

“ My class is too easy/ hard.”

• Remind your child that the during the first couple of weeks of the session, teachers are assessing the skills of each student, and ensuring that students are placed in the appropriate level. If your child is not placed correctly, the director or teacher will notify you promptly and recommend a class that is a better fit. If the faculty feels your child is placed correctly and is not ready to move to another level, they can always provide you with more insight about this, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them.

“I want to change classes... I’m not good at ___ (jazz, tap, etc).”

• Remind them of another instance when they started a new class at school or extra-curricular activity that they had never done before. Of course, they didn’t know everything when they first started. Students are in class to LEARN and aren’t expected to have everything perfect. As long as they are giving their best effort and having fun, that’s all that matters.

“I don’t want to take ballet… it’s boring.”
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• At our studio, specifically, when a student reaches a certain age and level, they are required to take at least 2 ballet classes a week. This is because our mission is to provide our students with QUALITY dance training as well as other life skills that will serve them in the future. Something that can be helpful in this situation, when a child feeling disinterested about ballet specifically, is explaining that ballet is like eating your vegetables. We have to eat our peas and carrots to keep our bodies healthy and strong. Ballet is like peas and carrots! It gives students a strong foundation of dance, which will help them thrive in all genres including jazz, tap and even hip hop.

3. Ensure Your Child is in Class Consistently

This is, by far, the biggest way to support your child and ensure that they have the most successful year possible. Consistent class attendance is key. If a child is constantly missing class, then they will miss out on learning important skills. This quickly leads to the student feeling discouraged and self-conscious, which most often ends with the child feeling unaccomplished at the end of the year. On the other hand, when a student attends class consistently, they THRIVE. They get the most out of each class and they progress more quickly. So, make consistent attendance a priority for your child and if they do have to miss a week, be sure to take advantage of any make up class opportunities. 

I hope you’ve found the above strategies helpful and hope you will implement these to ensure your child has a beautiful, successful year. Happy Dancing!