When we talk about raising healthy dancers at SDC, we don’t just mean physically healthy; we mean mentally healthy too!  It’s important to us that our students have the opportunity to grow their social and emotional health as well as their technique and skills.

For us, being mentally healthy in dance starts with teaching our dancers that it’s OK to have an array of emotions, and that dance is a wonderful way to express those feelings.  Positive body talk is another necessity, as our students learn at an early age to appreciate what their bodies are capable of. And another tool we introduce? Teamwork! Working together with their classmates shows our dancers the value in building relationships with others, including how to communicate effectively.

One of our goals at SDC,  is to make mental health in dance part of our normal conversations; we want our dance families to know that we care about developing the whole child, inside and out.  Dance has the power to positively influence our students in many ways and to help them become stronger, more confident young adults in the future!

– Ms. Julie

Progress in dance can sometimes look a lot like it does in school: Students learn new concepts and techniques, and they build on that knowledge over time.  There are milestones to reach along the way to bigger goals, paving a path to success through hard work and perseverance. Just like school, dance brings both challenges and triumphs for each individual student.

Where progress differs is in the structure of the programming.  For example, at SDC, our class levels are typically designed for about two years of participation before a student is promoted, whereas at school students move to the next grade each year.  This is because many dance schools like ours adopt an educational philosophy of “growth” years (when a student moves up a level) and “grind” years (when a student remains in the same level).  The “growth and grind” of dance allows our students to both develop their skills and truly master them before advancing to a new level.

With safety standards as a top priority, it’s true that progress in dance can sometimes feel slow … and especially in today’s fast-paced, instantaneous world.  But rest assured, progress is happening all the time! Through the compound effect of small improvements, our students are moving forward to become their most successful selves.

– Ms. Julie

We love it when our students say they want to practice at home! Sometimes they’ll tell us how they like to create their own dances; other times they want to practice what they’ve learned in the classroom. As a parent, you might be wondering how to foster this enthusiasm in your child. We get it: You want to encourage their excitement without thinking you need to get into a dance class yourself! With that in mind, we’ve got five basic tips to guide you.

• Ensure there is a safe space for your child to dance, where there is plenty of room to groove.
• Use caution with tap shoes; they can scuff some floors.
• Resist the urge to teach. Allow home practice to be a place for your child to take the lead!  
• Keep your expectations in check. Your little one may not remember every step every time, but they are still developing their retention skills.
• Make sure your child is having fun!  Practicing at home is only as good as your child’s motivation to do so.

There’s one last tip we like to offer, just in case you need it: If your dancer asks you to join in, say YES! Jump in with both feet and free dance to your heart’s delight. They’ll love it!

– Ms. Julie

At SDC, we believe in the amazing benefits dance has to offer kids of all ages. But during the tween and teen years, we’ve noticed some particular advantages that are helping our students become the best version of themselves.

Dance takes hard work; there’s no way around it. And we’ve seen this work ethic spill over into our students’ academic lives as well. Having someone else hold you to a high standard is one thing, but learning how to hold yourself to a higher standard is another. We’re pretty proud of the way our dancers are learning this!

We can also see that becoming a hard worker directly influences our students’ confidence levels. And at this crucial time during adolescence, there’s perhaps no better endorsement than feeling empowered, for yourself and others!  Because when it comes to navigating friendships and communications in life, confidence is a major player in making good decisions.

Our tweens and teens are refining their technique and dance skills, and we love that about them. But the core of what they’re learning as human beings is what matters most—and it makes them even stronger artists!

– Ms. Julie

For our littlest dancers at SDC, dance is about much more than learning how to move to music! While the steps are important, of course, what’s even more special are the life skills that are introduced in our younger classes.  

Learning how to be a good friend is one of those skills—it’s the character quality of kindness that surfaces in dance class as our students understand how to interact with their peers. Because their minds are exceptionally neuroplastic and adaptable, our students’ early friendship skills give them the chance to develop valuable communication tools at a young age.

Children are also developing their self-control in dance class, learning how to express their imaginations and emotions while participating in a group activity.  In class, our students are learning how to take turns and how to listen to the teacher (and each other), which helps them learn patience and poise.

Through dance, even our youngest students are living out our mission to develop more than just technical skills. They are learning how to become kind, confident, and disciplined people in the world; the kind of people whose influence will make a difference!

– Ms. Julie