How To Choose A San Diego Dance Class
A How To Guide On Choosing A Dance Class For Your Child
You’ve done the legwork and found a studio(s) that offers dance classes at a location that is convenient for you, as well as a schedule that provides variety and growth opportunities for your child. (See here for our discussion on how to choose a studio.) After deciding which San Diego dance studio fits yours and your child’s needs, the next step is choosing what class(es) to enroll your child in. A lot of parents will ask their child’s current teacher, which I believe is a wonderful way to start as they are a vital resource! But if this is your child’s first dance class you may not have that resource to rely on. Many of the questions I’ve often heard parents ask are:
- Should I start solely with ballet classes?
- How will tap dance lessons add to my child’s development?
- Is hip hop appropriate at my child’s age? (see here for our discussion on age appropriate hip hop classes)
- My child is high energy, will ballet suit them? My child is quiet, will hip hop suit them?
All of these are wonderful questions to ask and the answer will depend based upon your
child’s age as well as their individual interests. For tiny tot dance classes (ages 2-5), enrolling them in any dance class will prove to be beneficial for them. It will teach them basic motor skills and instill confidence, as well as help them learn classroom etiquette (listening, waiting their turn, etc.). I always strongly urge parents to start with ballet, as it is a strong basis for all other dance classes, and if possible look into tap dance lessons or a combination class where their child can receive both ballet and tap in one dance class.
Once your child gets a little older and their individual personalities start to shape, they will be able to vocalize where their interests are, and whether they would like to try something new. Trying something new is often a great way to refocus a child that has become bored with one particular style of dance. It also gives them opportunities to explore and develop new strengths!
No matter what dance style your child tries (and remember to try and take more than one!), the important thing is to get them into a class to try it out! Some San Diego dance studios offer free trial classes! If this is an option at your studio I strongly recommend it. Often the best way to figure out what class your child will like is to dive into a class and get firsthand experience! Remember that it will take a couple of classes for your child to get used to the structure of the class, so stay with it and potentially try a different teacher if the first class wasn’t a huge success.
Any form of dance will increase confidence, coordination, balance, and flexibility. So get your child up and ready for a San Diego dance class...no matter the style!