People who dance love it! Regardless of the style of dance, you and your child will develop skills for social interaction, spatial awareness, coordination, problem solving, concrete & abstract learning, development of gross & fine motor skills, music and rhythm and master so many life skills, which they can leverage throughout their lives.
Not all children go on to a career in dance, but you can often pick the ones who have spent time at a dance studio as they are well-rounded and thoughtful thanks to years of discipline and focus.
The following are some of the other life skills learned from dance:
Good posture
Knowing how to stand up straight is a skill for life and a straight spine makes you appear confident and can prevent the risk of back problems.
Dancers also get to know the names of their muscles and bones from an early age, something most children don’t start learning until they are in late primary or early high school.
Introduction to French
Allégro, Arabesque, Jeté and Plié are just a few of the French ballet terms that students will come to understand as they practice. Understanding French terminology can help when learning other languages or even studying English in detail.
Introduction to Music
Dance and music go hand in hand, so a student who wants to play an instrument will have an understanding of musical timing if they have experienced dance. Similarly, a student who learns music will have an advantage if they want to take up dance lessons.
Persistence
If at first you don’t succeed…
Dance is a lesson in patience as you do not go from your first class to Prima Ballerina status. Going over the same exercises can sometimes feel tedious, but dance classes teach that hard work, patience and persistence pays off, with the thrill of improving or mastering a new movement or by dancing an excellent performance.
Resilience
Sometimes to get the best from a dancer, the teacher may push them out of their comfort zone . This usually with gentle persuasion and encouragement, which helps build resilience.
Cultural awareness
Taking up dance opens the door to a whole world of cultural experiences. Young dancers are encouraged to learn different styles, and appreciate the artistry of each one.
As well as being closely tied to music, dance is connected to the visual arts. Photographers and painters all love to capture the movement of a dancer and your child is likely to be surrounded by beautiful images at their studio.
Good nutrition
A good dance school will encourage students to understand which foods are important for them, to help fuel the body and give it the energy it requires to dance well, as well as teach them how nutrition and hydration can aid recovery.
