Has your child ever come to you and said they want to quit something?  Maybe it was a board game or a homework assignment, or a project they started and weren’t motivated to finish.  Maybe it was an activity you signed them up for after school; maybe it was dance.

Although it tugs at our hearts when a student says they want to quit dancing, we know there are bound to be moments in any educational environment when a child feels frustrated or wants to stop.  In dance, they might feel like they’re not catching on to the steps quickly enough, or they think they’re behind because their attendance has been erratic. Maybe they express boredom or say they’re “too tired.”  Occasionally they may develop anxiety about something very specific, like the way their shoes fit or how they feel shy around their classmates.

(Quick disclaimer: Before we give you our advice, it’s important to note that sometimes the feelings your child expresses about quitting are indeed a symptom of something deeper.  Because you know your child best, take stock of whether those feelings might require a check-in with your pediatrician.)

Now when it comes to our experience as educators, we’ve seen that quitting isn’t usually the answer.  At SDC, when we encounter students who express a desire to quit, it is often because they are feeling challenged in a new and unfamiliar way.  Your child may need extra support from us and from you in order to figure out how to move past the discomfort and persevere.  An extra dose of optimism, too, can reassure your dancer that they are capable of overcoming whatever speed bumps get in their way.

With dance, quitting rarely solves the challenge.  A child who feels behind in class or wants to improve a skill can often make improvements by expressing their feelings with the teacher, getting advice for practicing at home, or even scheduling a few private lessons.  Just being heard can be a catalyst to change!  A child who expresses boredom may be better-suited for a different class or different dance style, or the boredom can sometimes signal an unwillingness to work hard—a challenge that must be answered with effort.  And a child who says they are feeling anxious should have the opportunity to work through that rough patch with a combination of tactics and steady support.  

When you think about the challenges your child will encounter as they grow up, you want them to have the stick-to-itiveness required to succeed at anything they desire, whether it’s dance or anything else.  At SDC, we’ve seen countless students over the years gain more skill, more maturity, more self-respect, and more joy after facing an obstacle and choosing to overcome it.

We want you to know that our doors are always open to you and your child so we can problem-solve together.  Quitting may not be the answer, but asking for help is always welcome.  We’re here to make sure your child’s journey in dance sets them up for success in all aspects of life!

– Ms. Julie

Etiquette for our little dancers is a bit different than for those with more experience!  Younger children are just beginning to understand how to control their bodies and emotions, and dance class may be one of their first experiences in a classroom.  With this in mind, we teach age-appropriate “dance manners” in these classes to begin building a foundation of self-respect and respect for others.

At SDC, we know how important it is for parents to understand what we introduce in the dance classroom and why.  When it comes to our young students’ dance manners, here is some insight into those expectations:

Listening for instructions from the teacher
In many of our beginning and intermediate level classes it can be hard for our students to contain their excitement (and their voices) because they just love dancing so much!  We teach them to recognize their “listening ears” so they can understand whose turn it is to talk: sometimes it’s the teacher’s turn, sometimes it’s their turn, and sometimes it’s their friend’s turn.

Saving questions for a certain time
Our teachers love the curiosity behind dance class questions!  But there are some times during class that are better for questions than others, so the teacher may redirect questions or ask that they be saved for a specific point in class.  This helps keep the class flowing and limits interruptions to the lesson plan while still creating opportunities for discussion.

Learning how to dance as a team
Dancing in a group can be a big challenge for little bodies, but we strive to make it fun by creating short phrases of steps called combinations that allow our students to practice together in unison.  This emphasizes each class as a team, where everyone works together for a common result and cheers each other on along the way. It also encourages musicality as the dancers learn to count the music together, say the steps out loud, or practice listening for musical cues.

Understanding how to take turns
There are many times in dance class when students may take turns, including when they practice a step or phrase one at a time or in small groups.  This is a new concept for our youngest dancers, who may not have ever encountered the expectation to wait their turn. This building-block of education helps our students develop self-control and patience, and proves useful in and out of the dance classroom!

In our experience at SDC, the etiquette our young students learn sets them up for success all year long!  Dance class is full of fun and joyful moments, and it’s all possible because of the dance manners our students are developing along the way.

– Ms. Julie

At SDC, we love seeing how excited our students are to practice in class.  Their motivation fuels their progress, and as they gain more experience in dance, they have the potential to advance even more quickly!  But this path to progress also requires developing self-control, confidence, and discipline. Through basic class etiquette, our students are growing these skills and understanding how to use them in all aspects of their lives.  

In this blog post, we wanted to share some of the age-appropriate etiquette expectations we have for our intermediate and advanced students.  These expectations include:

Abiding by the dress code. Our dress code is intended to make the dance classroom a comfortable and safe learning space, so it’s essential for our students to understand its importance!  The dress code reduces distractions and levels the learning playing field.

Asking for permission if they’re joining class late. For the experienced dancer, starting class late can be unsafe, depending on how much time is missed and how long the warm-up is.  It’s polite for a student to ask the teacher before jumping into class after it has started.

Being prepared when taking turns. Some dance class exercises are performed in groups or one-by-one.  It’s considered a sign of respect for a student to be ready to dance with their group or when it’s their turn, so the teacher doesn’t have to give reminders.

Raising their hand to ask a question. SDC teachers love it when their students have questions!  But they love it even more when students ask those questions at the appropriate times and with a raised hand, instead of interrupting the class.

Remembering corrections. “Corrections” are the feedback students receive from teachers about what to improve.  Retaining corrections from class-to-class shows the teacher that a student is engaged and wants to do better.  Writing corrections down in a notebook after class is one way dancers can remember their corrections (we recommend tracking compliments too!).

There’s one last piece of class etiquette we want all of our students to learn and practice—and that is to say thank you.  Whether it’s after asking a question, receiving a correction, or at the completion of class, we always encourage saying thank you to your teacher.

The benefits of these class etiquette expectations extend well beyond dance.  We’re proud that our students are using these skills to become more responsible and respectful human beings!

– Ms. Julie

You’ve heard us talking about it.  You’ve seen it mentioned on our website and in our emails.  You know there’s a lot of excitement around it … but what exactly IS the recital?

Just as soccer players have tournaments, football players have games, and gymnasts have meets, dancers have performances!  More than a year’s worth of planning goes into our annual Spring Concert at SDC—better known to most people as “the recital.”

The recital is a memorable opportunity for our students to showcase their talents onstage.  From learning the first eight-count of choreography in class to the final bow onstage, the recital is definitely one of the highlights of a dancer’s year!

Consider this post your “recital primer,” where we break down a few key elements of what to expect these next few months and why it’s all so important.

Choreography
Each class learns a particular routine to perform at the recital.  The choreography is the series of steps, patterns, and formations the teacher creates for each unique routine.  Your dancer will be learning and practicing this choreography during class time leading up to the recital.  This repetition allows our students to grow their confidence as well as their skills.

Costumes, Hair, and Makeup
Because dance is a performing art, this is where the “performance” aspect truly comes together.  As you’ve seen, each class will have a costume to wear onstage for their routine. We will also be communicating specific instructions regarding their hairstyle and stage makeup.  These three things are the finishing touches that complete a performer’s look!

Dress Rehearsal
Prior to the recital, each class will have the chance to participate in our dress rehearsal.  The dress rehearsal is almost like the recital itself, except it’s just for practice. It allows us the chance to rehearse our sound and lighting cues from backstage and helps us make sure the dancers are familiar with their new surroundings.

Performance
This is it!  After all the preparation and practice, this is each dancer’s moment in the spotlight in front of their family and friends.  The buildup of excitement is always huge. It’s like when an athlete arrives at the the Olympics … our students have arrived at the recital!

We understand that the thought of choreography, costumes, rehearsals, and being onstage in can be intimidating at first, so we’re here to show you what an awesome experience this journey can be!

– Ms. Julie