My Child Wants To Dance, But What Style is Best Suited for Them?

Dance is such a wonderful and expressive art that can parlay into something magical. If your child has expressed interest in dance, whether they do so by galavanting around the house or have verbally done so, immersing them in the world of dance can truly ignite and further their passion. The world of dance is limitless and the styles come in many, ergo, understanding the best style of dance for your childs wants and needs is imperative. Our childrens dance studio based in Markham has a wide array of dance styles your child can choose from. The question being, how do I know what style of dance is best suited for my child?

 

There are many ways to help your child figure out what dance style best suits their needs. At TDI, we offer a wide array of dance disciplines;

 

• Classical ballet
• Jazz
• Tap
• Hip-hop
• Lyrical
• Acro
• Modern
• Contemporary

 

Your child has expressed interest in dance and the next step is helping them decide what dance is best for them. When doing so, here are some key factors to consider:

 

Analyzing their interests

 

If your child wants to start dancing but isn’t too sure where to start, there are many ways you can analyze where their best interest may reside. Ask your child the following;

 

• Do they want to compete or just dance for fun?
• Do they want to learn on their own or with a group?
• Do they want to learn stunts/tricks?
• Do they want to perform?

 

These are just a few questions you can ask your child to further dive into what they are looking for in regards to dance. Of course, younger children may not have the answers to these questions, in which case, you can give them a glimpse into various styles of dance. Show your child videos of different dance styles and see which one they flock to. If they are more engaged with hip-hop as opposed to ballet, for example, that may be a good indication that that is where they will find the best experience. It’s imperative to truly get in tune with your child’s interests to ensure they are happy in whatever realm of dance they choose.

 

Be in tune with their abilities

 

Dance requires a lot of discipline and training, ergo, it’s important to make note of this when aiding your child in their dance style decision. Acro, for example, contains a component of gymnastics; involving copious amounts of movements requiring vast strength and flexibility. Tap dancing, on the other hand, heavily relies on coordination; the ability to harmoniously synchronize one’s movement to sound. For dances that require excessive training, such as acro, ballet, or contemporary, the younger the child starts, the better. This is because the body is significantly more malleable at a younger age, making flexible movements easier. For styles that rely more on rhythm and coordination, have more wiggle room when it comes to how early/late in life they can be started. Age, coordination, and focus are all components to analyze and take note of when helping your child pick their style of dance.

 

Consider the Costs

 

Before enrolling your child into a selected dance, it’s important to understand the accompanying costs. Whilst lessons will cost money, regardless, there are still other cost factors to consider, including;

 

• Attire: some dance disciplines require certain attire (i.e., leotards, pointe shoes, tap shoes, etc)
• Competition/performance attire: this is a sub-category of attire, but slightly. If your child is looking to compete or perform in the long-run, it’s important to factor in the costs of performance and competition attire.
• Frequency: the cost of your child attending dance will differ depending on how often they attend. The cost of 5 classes per week will be significantly higher than the cost of 2 classes per week.
• Private lessons: Does your child want to participate in a group or learn 1-on-1? The difference in cost varies depending on this factor

 

Analyze the cost of various dance styles and what they embody prior to making a selection to ensure they are feasible within your budget.

 

What is Your Child’s Goal?

 

Goals are something we should all strive to achieve, young or old. Children, just like adults, have goals and although they may not be as detailed, they should still be listened to. Does your child want to become a dancer in the future? Does your child want to learn how to do cool tricks to show off to their peers? Does your child want to perform? Whatever your child’s goal may be, listen to it and build off of it. The more intuned they are with their goal, the more inclined they are to truly dedicate themselves to dance.

 

All in all, there are various styles of dance that your child can become involved in and truly immerse themselves in. It all comes down to what they are looking to get out of it and how you can accommodate their wants and needs.

 

Is your child ready to enter the wonderful world of dance? Contact us today and start them on the journey that is dance!