When you observe young children at play, there's one thing you notice right away: their carefree love of dancing to any piece of music that they hear, mimicking people they see or animals they come across, making up their own steps while giggling in delight at their own accomplishment.
While very young, children are not inhibited by self-consciousness or concern over how other people will judge their actions. They simply move their bodies as naturally as they can and find joy in their imaginative play.
This is one reason why it's a great idea to enrol children in dance classes at a young age. It would be an opportunity to encourage that inner freedom and the sense of being comfortable with their bodies, helping them maintain those behaviours as they grow up. As a result, the children observe good posture, they are confident in their movements and their presence, and they are able to socialise and interact well with their peers.
If you're considering signing your son or daughter up for a dance class, here are key points you need to keep in mind when choosing a dancing school:
Inspect the dancing school's facilities. Make sure to pay a visit to each school you've noted on your shortlist so you can see firsthand what their facilities are like. A regular or concrete floor in the room where the classes are held is a bad sign; this would simply not be able to support children's joints and spines as they move across the room to dance, and any slips and falls may result in serious wounds or injuries. It's best to choose a school with a floor that can absorb the footfalls and landings, as well as a spacious and well-lit room for students to effectively move around in.
Enquire after the instructor's qualifications and background. Your child's instructor will serve as a mentor and authority figure, so you need to choose one with care. Pick a school with teachers who are fully trained in dance, and are qualified to work and able to relate well with children. And they should also be trained to act in emergency situations wherein the health and safety of the students are at risk.
Check out how the students are grouped for classes. It may be a fun idea to put children of different ages together in a group so they can learn to interact, but for the purpose of proper instruction, it's best to go with a school that puts children of the same age and skill level together so that learning can take place at the right pace.
Look for variety. You may initially want your child to learn only a single type of dance, but it's also worth considering a school that provides classes which combine various dance genres. This can help your child learn even more skills and exercises, as well as have more fun if there are certain types of dances that he or she likes more than others.
Lastly, take a look at the school's older or former students. See for yourself how well they perform and if dancing has helped their personal, social and intellectual development as well. Find parents of other students and talk to them about their children's experience with the school, and their overall satisfaction with the instruction provided.