Advice for dance parents

5 Ways to Make Your Dancer Smile This Holiday Season!

by
holidays in Cedar Rapids

Who’s ready for a long-awaited break and a cozy close to the year 2020? We sure are! Our Prestige holiday break has officially started and we are wishing our dance families joy this holiday season. The holidays in Cedar Rapids may look different this year, and 2020 has thrown us some challenges, but DANCE has continued to make us smile through it ALL!

As our community dealt with COVID-19 this year, we feel proud to have continued providing dance classes to our students in safety. We’ve been here to give everyone something to smile about in 2020, and we don’t plan on stopping ANY time soon. 

Check out these 5 Ways to Make Your Dancer Smile This Holiday Season! 

1. Have a Virtual Nutcracker Watch Party!

Due to COVID-19, heading to the theater for this classic holiday tradition isn’t an option. But on the bright side, there are TONS of ways to enjoy the show from the comfort and safety of your home this year. 

Ballet companies all over the country are offering streamed versions of their productions! Check out this article for a complete list of shows, with many running through January! You could EVEN get dressed up with your dancer and create your own theater night at home. 

2. Ring in the New Year with a NEW Weekly Dance Class!

What better way to start fresh in 2021 than with a new activity on your child’s schedule?! We head back to the studio in January after our winter break and are accepting enrollment in our 2021 Dance Classes through January 15th! Now is a GREAT time for new dancers to join us or for Prestige students to add a new class to their schedule! 

Dance classes even make a perfect holiday gift too! Contact us HERE and we can register your dancer for a new class! Hurry over, because our enrollment window closes on January 15th!

3. Add some dance ornaments to your tree!

Young dancers LOVE decorating the tree, so why not add some special additions this year?! Purchase some from our local small businesses or make your own at home if you’re feeling crafty. Young dancers love adding this personal touch to their trees year after year. 

4. Watch White Christmas on Netflix!

We recommend this music and dance filled classic to all of our dance families around the holidays! Their dance numbers are simply incredible! It is available on Netflix and is a sure way to amaze your dancers who LOVE the spotlight. 

5. Read a dance book together!

The holidays are the perfect time to get cozy, cuddle up by the fire, and read dazzling dance stories that inspire your kids! Check out this amazing list of picture books for your littlest ballerinas! Complete with Misty Copeland’s newest book, Bunheads and the timeless classic, Dancing in the Wings by dance legend Debbie Allen, the list is sure to bring BIG grins! For your older dancers, we recommend Life in Motion by Misty Copeland! 

It is our holiday wish that our dancers and parents experience TONS of holiday cheer this season. We hope this list gives you something to smile about! After the crazy year we’ve had, it’s time to be merry with your loved ones! 

We can’t wait to see all of our dancers back at the studio in the New Year! We are ready to tackle 2021 and have high hopes for a GREAT year of dance. Happy holidays, from all of us here at Prestige!

Saying “Thank You” To Our Dance Parents

by
parents in Cedar Rapids

November is the month of giving thanks and our gratitude list feels extra important during the hectic and unexpected year we’ve had. This month during our weekly dance classes, we encourage our students to think about what they are thankful for as well!

Of ALL the things that we feel grateful for, our dance parents are certainly at the top of our list! Here at Prestige, we seriously have some of the best and most dedicated parents in Cedar Rapids! We wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for them. 

So this November, we are sending a HUGE shout out to our Prestige Dance Parents. There’s so much to thank you for, but here are just a few highlights!

Prestige Parents, Thank You For…

  • Investing in your child’s well being and providing them with fun opportunities. Not every child gets a chance to dance, and one day, yours will thank you for the gift of a lifetime. 
  • Driving your children to and from dance class each week. We know it’s tedious…THANK YOU! 
  • Making sure your child has EVERYTHING they need. Leotards, tights, and even helping them find their lost dance shoes. 
  • Attending your child’s performances. Your smiling faces and loud applauses do not go unnoticed. 
  • Giving them those pep talks when needed. Kids need a pick-me-up sometimes, so thank you for always being there for them. 
  • Being patient and understanding. Two things that anyone living in 2020 needs a lot of!
  • Raising polite, respectful, and hardworking young kids. It makes our job a WHOLE lot easier. 
  • Supporting your child’s passions. You’re giving them something that lights them up inside, which is priceless. 
  • Your continuous support of Prestige Dance Studio. We are sending our enormous gratitude. 

Your unwavering and selfless support is something that makes us appreciative year after year! We really do have the best parents in Cedar Rapids right here at the studio.

This year has been rough on everyone, so more than ever we are wishing our Prestige Parents a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with your family, whether it be for a virtual meal or an in-person one. Thank you for ALL you do!

P.S. As we head into the Winter Months, be sure to follow us on facebook to stay in the know about holiday deals and special events! 

Becoming a Prestige Parent: As Easy as 1, 2, 3!

by
kids activities in Cedar Rapids

There are very few things we love more than our Prestige dance parents! They are the people who make it ALL possible here at the studio. From driving your dancers to the studio each week, cheering them on at competitions, and investing year after year in your child’s passions, NONE of it goes unnoticed. 

When it comes to signing your child up for an extracurricular activity, we know it can be a hassle. That’s why WE make becoming a Prestige parent a walk in the park! Our quick registration process and easy-to-navigate website are only SOME of the reasons why we are one of the best kids activities in Cedar Rapids!

Becoming a Prestige Parent is as Easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Browse our Current Class Schedule to Find the Perfect Class

Have a specific day that works best for you? Multiple kids with different ages? We’ve got you covered. We categorize our class schedule both by day AND by age, making it easy to find whatever you need most!

We are currently accepting enrollment in our 2020/2021 Dance Season! To view the schedule by day, click here. To view the schedule by age, click here. Visit our class descriptions page or contact us to learn more about our dance styles!

2. Visit our Parent Portal to Select Your Class! 

Take care of your enrollment all virtually with our online portal! If you’re enrolling more than one child, the “add another student” button comes in handy, so you won’t have to repeat the process.

If you’re new to the Prestige family, you’ll be asked to make an account by filling out a quick form. It will just take a few minutes!

3. Smile! It’s time to experience excellence! 

Easy as that, you’re ready for class! We are certain that our amazing classes will bring smiles to your whole family. Our team can’t wait to meet your dancer!

We are proud to offer one of the best kids activities in Cedar Rapids year after year. Convenience for parents plus fun for your child means pure joy! That joy will continue, because becoming a Prestige Parent will be a decision you cherish for years to come.

We greatly value our dance parents and what they do for their children. Our studio thrives because of the unwavering support we receive from our families. Today we’re sending a GIANT thank you to ALL of our Prestige Dance Parents! 

4 Signs that Your Child Will LOVE Dance Classes at Prestige

by
dance classes for kids

Hey parents, how many of you remember the moment when you found your “thing?” In other words, the one activity you LOVED that stuck with you for the majority of your childhood (or maybe even the rest of your life if you’re like us!) More importantly, how many of you want your child to one day find THEIR “thing?”

Well here at Prestige Dance Studio, we love watching kids fall in love with dance. For many of our older students, dance is their activity of choice. It’s what motivates them, what they look forward to after school, and for some, it’s what they continue to pursue even in their adult years.

At Prestige Dance Studio, we welcome any child and help each of our students thrive in our dance classes for kids. But like any activity, dance may not be for everyone. So today on the blog, we’re giving you some clues on how to tell if dance is right for YOUR child. 

4 Signs That Your Child Will LOVE Dance Classes at Prestige:

1. They Can’t Listen to Music Without Moving

This is the first telltale sign that you’ve got a future dancer in the making! Those little baby bops come much more naturally for some kids than others, but they are the CUTEST thing. If your child bounces their knees, shakes their hips, and claps their hands whenever you play music, they are a NATURAL! We will help them turn those little grooves into big strides in dance class.

2. They Love Being Active

Is your child an explorer at home? Is it impossible to get them to stop climbing on your furniture, jumping on the bed, and leaping through the air? Send them our way! We highly recommend any of our infant and toddler classes, especially our Baby & Me, Teenie Tumble, and Hippity Hop classes! 

Your child will jump, leap, twirl, and climb their way through our fun-filled movement activities, getting all their energy out. And hopefully, when we send them back to you, they will be too pooped to cause any raucous at home!

3. They Like to Be Creative

Does your little one love crafts? Do they enjoy finding new, fun ways to do things? Chances are, you’ve got a creative mind on your hands and they will thrive in a dance class!

At dance, we teach our students to express themselves using their bodies. For the little ones, this often involves going crazy and letting their sillies out. But personal expression becomes incredibly important during the pre-teen and teen years. When a child has dance in their life from a young age, they grow up knowing that they have a safe space to let it ALL out. 

4. They Have a HUGE Imagination

Is your child all ears anytime they hear of something magical or whimsical? Do they like to play pretend and dress up in the most sparkly outfits? We can assure you, Prestige Dance Studio will become their new favorite place! 

Our infant and toddler classes use TONS of imaginative play to help children learn to dance. We don’t just gallop, we fly like unicorns! We don’t just tiptoe, we walk like royalty and curtsy to the other princes and princesses. Most importantly, our recital costumes will make your little dancer feel like a REAL superstar! 

If your child checks off most of the things on this list, it’s time to head to our website and view our 2020/2021 Dance Classes for Kids! We are now accepting enrollment for our Fall Classes and can’t wait to meet your little dancer in the making! Class sizes are limited this year due to health and safety guidelines, so register today before classes fill! 

3 Reasons Your Child Will Need Dance More than Ever This Fall

by
dance classes in Cedar Rapids

Fall is upon us and we know that back to school season is JUST around the corner! For the past month at Prestige, we’ve been busy getting our Fall Dance Schedule ready to go. As we look ahead to our next season of dance classes in Cedar Rapids, we couldn’t help but take a moment to reevaluate our programs after the unprecedented year we’ve had. 

Teaching dance classes during a pandemic reminds us of how valuable our programs are for young dancers. Our kids have gone through a lot of changes, confusion, and uncertainty lately. We know our students will be EXTRA thrilled to be at dance, and the feeling is mutual for our teachers and staff. 

Check out these 3 Reasons Why Your Child Will Need Dance MORE Than Ever This Fall:

1. Physical Activity

We all know quarantine had most of us glued to our couches more than normal. But even since our community has slowly opened back up, it’s been difficult to get back into a groove of being active. With pools closed and outdoor recreational activities limited, summer has been much less active for most kids. 

This makes it ALL the more important to ensure that your child is enrolled in something active this school year. We are confident that our socially distant classes will provide a boost of endorphins and keep your kids healthy this year!

2. Stress Relief

No matter what learning option your family is choosing for this upcoming school year, it will look different than normal for your child. It is difficult for students to learn virtually. But going back to school while wearing masks and staying socially distant poses a new set of challenges as well. 

Even though a child may not show stress in the same way adults do, changes to their routine take a toll on their emotions and behavior. Dance is an excellent way to forget about those stressors and let it ALL out. We are ready to incorporate tons of fun into our classes this year and remind our students that dance is their safe space to express themselves. 

3. Community Building & Personal Connection 

It’s no surprise that our kids may have been getting less attention and social engagement lately. This dance season, we are committing to offering support and personal attention more than ever because we know your kids deserve it. The Prestige family is built upon a love for dance, and we know that any child enrolled in our classes feels like they are a part of a welcoming community. Let’s stick together during this difficult time!

As much as this list was centered around the kids, we can’t deny that our teachers and staff are in need of some extra love as well! We think it’s safe to say that EVERYONE is eager for happy times ahead. Seeing our students’ smiling faces this year will be SO much sweeter than normal. 

Be sure to check out our Fall line-up of dance classes in Cedar Rapids. Click here to view the schedule listed by age, and here to view the schedule listed by day. Online registration is NOW OPEN, so don’t forget to save your spot today! 

Dancing on the Bright Side

by
online dance classes

As we head into month number two of this challenging and unprecedented time, it’s easy to focus on the scary thoughts. It’s easy to get bogged down by the many things that aren’t happening. It’s easy to wish this all away, and trust us, we’ve been there!

However, our Prestige team takes great pride in being a positive force for our dance families and our community. Even in the most difficult of times, we always find a way to look on the bright side. Or shall we say, DANCE on the bright side? 😉

Between live virtual classes, digital storytime, and recorded videos, we’ve been busy over here making sure our dancers keep at it! As we put together these online dance classes, we couldn’t help but notice the incredible positives of our new learning structure. It’s been shocking to see how such great things can come out of a seemingly awful situation!

Check out these 4 Benefits of Online Dance Classes:

1. Discipline

Ask any dancer and they will tell you that us teachers are not always big on words. At the studio, we are constantly offering hands-on corrections to show a dancers’ bodies how to execute skills. On Zoom, it’s a bit of a different story!

Our teachers are still seeing their dancers and offering up verbal corrections, but we can’t do it FOR them anymore. It’s up to the dancers to take our feedback and make it happen for themselves. Challenging? Yes. Something that EVERY dancer must learn how to do? ABSOLUTELY! 

We are thankful that this challenging time has forced us to focus on teaching our dancers how to be disciplined and make progress happen on their own. 

2. Spatial Awareness

When you dance in the same place each week, it’s no surprise that you get used to it. Your brain starts to memorize landmarks in the room to help you remember your dance. 

For example, a student might know that they start their routine by the blue wall. But do they know that the blue wall is stage right? Do they know how to take that SAME spacing and orient themselves in ANY other dancing space? Like….a huge recital stage? As you can see, being able to orient yourself in different places is an essential skill for dancers!

It’s a skill that doesn’t come easy for young ones, which is why we always have dress rehearsal. We are considering these zoom classes as rehearsals FOR our dress rehearsal! It may be a little early, but our students are learning how to orient themselves and take their routines into a brand new place! 

3. Self-Reliance

Even though we preach all year long that our dancers should practice at home and not rely on other students to know their dance, we know that doesn’t always happen! In a studio with 10 other kids and a giant mirror in front of you, it can sometimes be easy to slide by without memorizing the dance until the last month before recital. During online dance classes … think again! YOU have to REALLY know that dance! 

4. Adaptability

We saved this for last because it’s definitely our favorite. The popular saying, “the show must go on” is ringing true now more than ever. And in the dance world, every young dancer has to be ready for ANYTHING! 

A hair-piece falls off on stage, you forget your routine in front of a huge crowd, or the music stops in the middle of the dance? You KEEP DANCING! A pandemic hits the entire world and stops us from coming to class? You KEEP DANCING! 

If you love to dance, nothing will stop you. And we absolutely LOVE that our students are learning this important lesson during this difficult time. 

Amazing right? Once we took a second to think about all this, we knew we had to share with our dance families. A shift in perspective can make such a difference, especially right now when the bad news seems to keep on coming!

Are you a current Prestige family? Be sure to check out our Virtual Class Schedule to find your Zoom Link! 

We know one thing for sure, no matter how long this lasts, we will continue to stay positive. More importantly, we will continue to DANCE on the bright side with you all.

 

Splish Splash into Summer Dance

by
summer dance camps

Hey everyone, things are CRAZY right now! Between virtual dance classes, children home from school, and businesses closed, we know one thing for certain. We can’t WAIT until this is all behind us. We are looking forward to brighter days, when the sun is shining, our dancers are back at the studio with us, and the world has returned to normal.

Now, we must confess. Returning to the studio is not the ONLY thing we are looking forward to. We are also getting pretty psyched for Summer Dance! We have put together an AMAZING line-up of summer dance camps and classes that we can’t wait to get rolling. 

Is your child looking to make a BIG splash this summer by taking their dance skills to the next level? Are YOU looking for a place to send your kids this summer that will entertain them while keeping them moving? It’s time to check out these amazing options that will create a summer full of fun AND set them up for success in the Fall. 

Dive into Dance:

Summer dance classes designed for students of all levels looking to explore new dance styles and further their technique. 

1. Summer Class Session (June 15th-July 23rd)

This summer, we are offering a 6-week class session packed with various dance styles and levels. For dancers as young as 1 year old, these evening classes will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from June 15th-July 23rd. The classes operate on a punch card system, specifically designed for students wanting to explore our many different classes before committing to a year-long class.

Ready for the best part? Our flexible pricing options are tailored to your busy family. One punch is good for any one class. Punch card options include 6 classes for $59, 12 classes for $112, 18 classes for $162, and Unlimited for $210. Contact the studio to get registered today! 

2. The Intensive (August 8th & 9th)

The Intensive is back by popular demand! Each August, guest choreographers from all over the U.S. are flown in for a weekend full of quality technical training at Prestige. These packed 2 days will challenge your dancer to go beyond what they think they are capable of. Time slots and pricing varies by age, so be sure to head to our website to get all the deets!

Splash into Skills:

Dance camps for eager and focused dancers who want to take their skills to the next level.

1. The Intensive (August 8th & 9th)

The Intensive is back by popular demand! Each August, guest choreographers from all over the United States are flown in for a weekend full of quality technical training at Prestige. These packed 2 days will challenge your dancer to go beyond what they think they are capable of. Time slots and pricing varies by age, so be sure to head to our website to get all the deets!

2. Turn Camp (June 8th-June 11th)

Our heads were spinning (literally and figuratively) when we planned this amazing camp! This Summer Turning Camp will emphasize technique, flexibility, and coordination while introducing students to more advanced turning skills. We will go well beyond pirouettes in this jam-packed camp! Time slots and pricing varies by age, so be sure to head to our website to get all the deets!

3. Tumble Camp (June 8th-June 11th)

Don’t let summer break turn your flip into a flop! Our Summer Tumbling Camp will emphasize flexibility and technique. Athletes will rotate through a series of challenging drills and high intensity tumbling circuits. We emphasize safety as all tumblers are assisted by experienced spotters while learning advanced skills. Time slots and pricing varies by level, so be sure to head to our website to get all the deets!

Belly-Flop into Fun:

Summer dance camps in Cedar Rapids for young dancers who are ready for the most fun-filled summer EVER!

1. Frozen 2 (July 13th-16th, 9am-12pm)

Is your little dancer OBSESSED with Elsa and Anna?! This half-day camp will take them on a movie-inspired adventure, moving through obstacles and dance routines that help free the Northuldrans from the Enchanted Forest. Activities include arts and crafts, stretching, snacks, and best of all DANCING! 

Divided up by age, the four-day quest for $127 will leave your 3-9-year-olds totally frozen with joy! Contact the studio to get registered today!

2. Trolls World Tour Camp (June 29-July 2nd, 9am-12pm)

Join us for music and friendship with our Troll Buddies. 3-9-year-old campers will use their dance skills and imagination to help Poppy and Branch save music from the evil Rockers! We will listen to different kinds of music and explore many different dance styles. Activities include arts and crafts, stretching, snacks, and best of all DANCING! 

Contact the studio to get registered today for this 4-day rockin’ adventure priced at $127!

3. Too Pooped to Pop Camp (June 12th & July 24th)

We designed these action-packed one-day camps to leave your little one TOTALLY pooped! From 8:30am-4:30pm, we will cover 8 whole hours of summer fun! Activities include obstacle courses, musical games, dance exploration, and team-building games! 

If your 4-10 has some extra energy they’d like to work off, send them our way for $59 per day. Contact the studio to get registered!

As you can see, we’ve got A LOT going on this summer. We are especially excited because we are offering something for EVERYONE. We can’t wait to see ALL of our Prestige families during the summer months, whether it be for dance classes or fun camps!

For now, we hope all of our families stay safe, healthy, and happy as we dance virtually together. We can’t wait to see our dancers on the other side, eager to move and READY for the summer months ahead!

COVID-19 Resources for Dance Families

by
resources for dancers

Oof! Whatever you are stressed about right now…. just know, you are NOT alone. Between finances, health, and childcare, it’s just a lot. These are REAL issues, REAL concerns, and we are with you. We want to help. From our stuck-at-home family to yours, we are here to offer some positivity during this trying time. 

Want to know three things that make us smile over here at Prestige Dance Studio? Our smiley students, our supportive parents, and… yep, you guessed it… DANCE! Dancing releases endorphins. So even though it may seem harder than ever before, now is the MOST important time to make sure our students KEEP dancing. 

The dance community is a special one. We have been totally thrilled by the number of professional dance companies, studios, and individual dancers who have banded together to create virtual resources for fellow dancers. 

Are you a current Prestige Dancer? Be sure to check out our Virtual Classroom! On top of OUR classes, we’ve compiled a list of amazing resources for your dancers! We also threw in some general resources for our parents who are suddenly expected to be teachers AND parents! We’ve got you.

Check out these awesome resources for dancers and parents during COVID-19:

Virtual Training Resources for Dancers:

    • Ballet Class with Elite Classical Coaching – Be sure to follow Elite Classical Coaching on Facebook as they live stream daily ballet class!
    • Ballet Class with the Pros – A list of professional Ballet dancers that are offering virtual classes via Instagram/Facebook Live.
    • CLI Studios – The industries leading online class outlet is offering FREE classes during this time with your favorite choreographers. Visit the website for a complete schedule and get moving!
    • DANCIO – Take class with the stars of dance from the comfort of your own home. They are offering a free 2-week trial!
    • Dancing Alone Together – A day-by-day guide to all the live classes happening around the world! You will also find creative prompts and videos.
    • @FreeDanceTraining – Instagram account of free dance classes organized by @DoctorsForDancers
    • Flexibility and Stability Classes – Follow Acrobatic Arts on Instagram to take advantage of their live classes.
    • GAGA classes – Donation based Gaga classes through Zoom multiple times a day!
    • STEEZY – Explore different urban dance styles like house, breaking, and popping. Free 7-day trial!
    • Sugarfoot Therapy – Injury prevention workouts for dancers designed by a physical therapist.

Staying Active:

    • BOKS – Free online fitness program for kids.
    • CorePower Yoga On Demand – Parents this is for you! CorePower has released their online classes for free.
    • Cosmic Kids Yoga – Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+
    • GoNoodle – Keep your tiny dancer moving with these fun, free dance videos for the whole family!
    • LES MILLS On Demand – Another great resource for parents to experience over 800+ workouts from home. They’re offering free trials!

Exploring Art:

    • BroadwayHD – You can experience the magic of Broadway from home! They offer a 7-day free trial!
    • Google Arts & Culture – Google has partnered with over 500 museums and galleries around the world!
    • Met Opera – Every evening enjoy a FREE night at the opera from your couch! 

Virtual Learning:

Stay informed:

Whether you’re homeschooling kids, trying to work from home, or doing your best to keep your dancer active, we hope that you find these links helpful! 

From all of us here at Prestige Dance Studio, we are sending you warm and healthy thoughts. Together we will make it through this time, and we can’t wait to see you all back at the studio. Happy living room dancing to all of our students! 

Compete with Prestige: A Day in the Life

by
competition dance team

Picture this: a hundred sparkly costumes, a giant lit-up stage, and a set of judges watching your every move. Kind of a big deal, right? That’s what competition day looks like for our 45 competition dancers at Prestige. We know that if you aren’t there yourself, it may be a little difficult to understand what all the hype is about. So today on the blog, we are giving you an inside look at our competition dance team in Cedar Rapids. 

At Prestige Dance Studio, on top of our weekly recreational classes, we offer multiple performance team programs. P.Com is Prestige Dance Studio’s community expo team. Dancers perform four to six times per year throughout the community with both jazz and hip hop routines. P.Co is Prestige Dance Studio’s all-genre competition team. These dancers attend dance conventions, four regional competitions, and a national dance competition.

Today we are shining the spotlight on our P.Co teams, not only because our competition season is in full swing, but also because we are so proud of their accomplishments so far! So what exactly happens at a dance competition? It’s not exactly your typical sporting event. 

1. A Dedicated Rehearsal Schedule

In addition to weekly technique classes where they practice their dance skills, our competitive dancers attend weekly rehearsals. Learning cutting edge new choreography, these teams are committed to making their routines look clean, impressive, and perfectly in sync. They are responsible for remembering their multiple routines for different dance styles, making detailed changes to their movement, and cooperating with their teammates. 

2. Glitz and Glam!

A dance competition is basically a SEA of sparkles, and it’s not JUST because we love to shine! When dancing under the big stage lights, moving rhinestones create a pretty magical effect. Thick stage makeup is needed so that the dancers’ facial expressions can be seen under the lights as well. 

Hair, make-up, and our beautiful rhinestoned costumes must all be completed with precision, as each dancer must look exactly the same. This uniformity reduces distractions and point deductions. We love watching as our students learn responsibility at competitions. If a dancer forgets a costume accessory or their hair falls out on stage, it reminds them ALL to triple check before stepping on stage. 

3. Taking the Stage

After hair, make-up, and costumes are set, our dancers head to the warm-up zone. We require our teams to stretch and do a brief run-through of their dance before heading backstage. This reduces injuries and mind-blanks on stage!

Once the music starts, it is 2.5 minutes of amazing! Watching our dancers hit their routines while judges are scoring their every move is incredible! A spark usually lights up inside of them. They are taught to dance BIG and BOLD, which is almost impossible NOT to do when your dances are well prepared and you look like a rockstar!

4. Trophy Time

After teams from all over the region compete, everyone gathers on stage to hear the results. Each dance receives an award (silver, gold, platinum) and then the dances are ranked by overall score. 

We teach our P.Co dancers to practice good sportsmanship, win OR lose. We celebrate our victories AND clap for other teams when they win big. Awards teach our dancers how to strive for excellence. Hard work pays off.

Our 2020 Competition Season is already in full swing! A month ago we debuted our competition routines at Showbiz National Talent Competition in Davenport, Iowa! We recently headed to St. Charles, Missouri for our second competition. 

We are SO proud of our dancers’ performance at both events and we are hungry for more stage time in the coming months! Check out some of our amazing results from Showbiz! 

competition dance team

competition dance team

Be sure to follow along on our studio Facebook page to stay up to date on competition results from the rest of our season! Good luck to all of our P.Co dancers. We can’t wait to watch you shine!

Start 2020 Off Right: 5 Tips for Supporting Your Dancer

by
dance parents

Happy New Year Prestige dance parents! What is your dancer looking to accomplish this year? Are they hoping to move up a level in their technique classes? Do they want to audition for our competition team this year? Do they have big dreams of dancing professionally one day? However lofty their goals are, we are here to support them!

As dance parents, we KNOW that you see your child’s potential and want them to accomplish great things. The truth is, us dance teachers see their potential too, but sometimes kids need just a little extra push. Together, we want to make 2020 the biggest year of growth for our young dancers. 

This month’s blog post is all about helping your dancer establish good habits that set themselves up for success. Follow these tips, and your dancers will feel more supported than ever while working towards their dance goals!

1. Mark Your Calendars

First and foremost, we encourage all of our dance families to stay on top of this year’s important dates. The busy, end of the year rush is approaching quickly so it’s important to get these events on your radar now!

When dress rehearsal or recital sneak up on you, it will probably show in your dancer’s performance. We never want our hard-working students to feel flustered and stressed on the big day. Being well-prepared in the coming months will make all the difference! View our full school year calendar on our website. 

 

2. Make 2020 the Year of Arriving to Class Early and Ready To Go! 

We tell our dancers to do this ALL the time! At the beginning of the year, everyone is usually on time and ready to go RIGHT when class starts! But as the year progresses, we tend to see promptness, dress code, and other studio policies fall to the wayside. 

We can’t stress it enough: stretching before class is crucial for injury prevention and success in the studio. Especially during the cold months, jumping right into class without any time to warm up your body is bad for your muscles. Getting to the studio early will help your child enter class with a warm body and focused mind! 

3. Encourage Your Dancer to Set Goals and Stay Accountable 

Coming to class each week with a specific goal in mind really helps kids advance their skills. Sitting down with your child at home and creating a list of realistic dance goals is a GREAT way to establish focus in 2020. If dance is a foreign language for you ;), ask your child’s instructor for some feedback on what they should work on. We are always happy to help!

After these goals are set, the car ride to and from class each week is a great time to check-in. “What are you going to work on today in class?” and “How did your pirouettes go today?” are easy questions to ask! Offering encouragement on good days AND bad days will make them feel supported always. 

4. Attend Parent Observation Week

Ask any dance teacher, and we will ALL tell you that kids dance bigger and better when there is an audience in the room. During Parent Observation Week, a spark usually lights up because our students are proud of all they have learned. Being there shows them that you are invested in their growth!

Additionally, Parent Observation Week is a great way to touch base with your child’s teachers and observe your child’s progress. Staying involved will make 2020 their best year yet! Learn more about this special week on our Facebook event! 

5. Encouraging Your Child to Stretch and Practice At Home

Flexibility and remembering recital dances are things that come naturally to some, but not to most. If the only time that your child stretches or runs through their dances is class time, they will likely not be able to make significant strides. 

Being an audience at home for a mock performance can really help your dancer ROCK their recital in 2020. In addition, encouraging your child to stretch each night after dinner while winding down with television will make their flexibility soar this year. 

Hopefully this list sets ALL of our dance families up for an amazing year of dance in 2020! We tell our students to do these things throughout the year, but hearing it from you can really make a difference. 

More importantly, you know your child best, so you know how to best get through to them. Between your support at home, and our support in class, we really believe that these kids can accomplish great things. Watch them shine in 2020 with us! It’s going to be a great year!