Maybe your child has expressed interest in dance class or they are always dancing around the house, but you’re not sure if they will be good at it or coordinated enough. When is the right time to get them started?
At 3 years old, the only thing that matters is that they want to give it a try. At that age they are still developing their coordination, gross motor skills, listening and social skills. This is what dance class is all about. The goal of a first dance class is to instill self-confidence, learn the basics of classroom behavior and manners, which includes learning how to take turns, following another dancer or leading the way, waiting patiently, working together with others and having a positive attitude.
But what if your child is older – say 10 or 11? Is that too old to start dance classes? In my opinion, it’s never too late. When starting at a later age, it’s important to match the student with other students the same age. And more than one class per week can increase the rate of improvement by leaps and bounds. Soccer practice is rarely only one day a week because frequency of training speeds up learning and the same applies to dance skills.
There is a lot of evidence that participating in arts programs, even if they don’t pursue the arts as a career, has tons of benefits.
Children who participate in the arts find benefits such as:
- Sharpens critical thinking and creative skills
- Better performance on standardized tests
- Self-directed learning
- Higher Math and Verbal SAT Scores
- Improved school attendance
- Watch fewer hours of TV
So, if you are still not sure if you should enroll your child in a dance class…come try a class on us! A dance class might not only enrich your child’s life, it just might enrich yours too.
Check out our class options here to find the right one for your child.
