Children and dance – the benefits!

Whether it’s ballet, jazz or tap, children love to dance. It’s a fun, creative outlet and a great form of exercise.

By dancing with other students in a weekly class, and preparing and rehearsing group dances for concerts and performances, children gain many benefits. Here are just a few:

Develop social skills including teamwork, communication, trust and cooperation

The graceful ballerina princess leaps through the air into the arms of her waiting prince, he is always ready to catch her. The multitude of romantic white swans are in complete unison as they bourree across the stage. The troops of high energy jazz or tap dancers perform mind blowing and complex combinations of steps. Dance can only happen like that with teamwork, communication and trust; these skills start to be developed in the dance studio from those very first years.

Gain the physical benefits of dance such as coordination, balance, strength, flexibility and good posture

Whether you child attends a dance class for just a year or two, into their late teens, or for a lifetime, the physical benefits cannot be underestimated. Dance uses your whole body and your mind. Children who learn to dance are not only learning skills for the dance studio, but skills that also assist their abilities in the play ground, at school sports and amongst their peers.

Develop an understanding of music and rhythm

“I got rhythm, I got music … who could ask for anything more” Have you always wanted to know how to dance, or play a musical instrument, or just have some basic music knowledge? Give your children that opportunity in a fun and creative art form as they dance to polka’s, waltz around the room, spin across the room in counts of eight, and tap to the beat. They won’t even know they are learning about music.

Learn to follow instructions, stay focused and pay attention

You sit in the darkened audience excitedly waiting for your son or daughter at their first dance concert. Then it is time, they run on and perform a routine, that in your eyes, is perfect. All those weeks of rehearsing, following instructions from the teacher, paying attention during the class, and then staying focused for the actual performance come to this moment. A performance doesn’t just happen, it takes lots of work, but throughout the process many life skills are learnt.

Gain confidence and self esteem, through achievement and accomplishment

The grin from ear to ear as your proud little dancer meets you at the stage door after a performance, or as they twirl and bounce out of the dance studio each week. That’s what dance for children is all about!

So, why not come ‘n’ try – give dance a chance!