Advice for dance parents

Fostering Your Child’s Passion For Dance

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Fostering your child's passion for dance can be tough! This is great advice on HOW to do it when dance may not be your thing!

If your child won’t stop making up dances, performing for friends and family, or is constantly practicing steps in their room, they may have caught the dance “bug.” Don’t panic hehe! Although this may be a little unfamiliar to you, this “bug” can be an AMAZING thing! Finding a passion for dance is exciting and will do great things for them now and in the future. They will learn how to work hard, set and achieve goals, and have an emotional outlet when things get tough. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t! Dance can do all of those things for your child and much much more so it is time to join them in this excitement! You may be wondering how to support your dancer in this new journey and make sure you are truly fostering your child’s passion for dance, and we are here to help!

The first thing to consider is that every child is unique. Not every child is going to want the same type of support. Some will want to share every moment along the way with you and others will want you to wait outside while they rock it out in dance class. Luckily, you know your child better than anyone so try to respect their “style” and give them the space they need to flourish.

The second way you can foster your child’s passion is by finding a program that they can connect with. Really try to identify your child’s goals. Do they want to just have fun with their friends? Do they want to become a professional ballerina? Do they want to master their hip hop skills? How many hours at the studio can they handle? What sort of environment is good for their personality?  Find a program that compliments who they are and one that will help get them where they want to go. At Prestige, we try to identify what ignites each dancer’s passion and tailor our program to match, you can learn more about our program here.

Another great way to support your dancer is to be positive. Be excited when they share a new mastered step with you. Make a big deal when they perform or sign up for a new class. Even if you are not personally into the dance thing, be happy that is THEIR thing. Think about it, isn’t it so much better when you can share your passion with the people you love? Don’t let them figure out that you would rather have them doing what YOU are into. Instead, be happy they are into an amazing activity that will help them grow and prosper.

We may be a little biased but dance is a pretty great thing to get into and we are so happy your little dancer has chosen to share their passion with us! We know that with your support, they will grow into not only talented dancers but well rounded young adults!

Need help finding the perfect class schedule for your dancer?? Let us know! We would love to help get your dancer off on the right foot this Fall!

3 Things to Add to Your Summer Schedule

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Summer Dance Classes at Prestige Dance Studio

We are in the final countdown to our Annual Recital! We are so excited to see our dancers on stage doing what they love. We know that you are focused on finishing the school year strong… but we can’t help but think ahead to all the fun we are going to have at Prestige Dance Studio in our summer dance classes and camps!

Have you had a chance to check out our exciting line-up of summer camps and classes? Spots are going quick! We highly recommend registering quickly to ensure a spot. Summer is a great time to try something new, reach specific dance goals, and have fun without the stress of the school year. Unfortunately, dancing is NOT like riding a bike. You have to continue training in order to continue to improve. We recommend a summer dance class or camp to all of our dancers. Today we are offering a few additional recommendations for your dancer this summer. Make sure these things are on your schedule and help your dancer to be his or her best when our school year classes resume!

  1. Rest. OK we DO want your dancer in class, but we also understand the positive benefits of rest or taking a little time off. For our competitive dancers, this could be a weekend with no dance. Or a week long vacation with family. Or even a morning spent at home. Time without a schedule or places to be can be rejuvenating for both dancers and their families. Make sure you have periods blocked out for unstructured fun! A little time away can make sure they are ready physically and mentally to jump back in.
  2. Stay Active. If your dancer is taking a little lighter load this summer in terms of their dance training, make sure they are staying active! Swimming, running, climbing, playing… all great ways to make sure they are ready for the demands of their dance classes.
  3. Cross Train. Cross-training is a great way to address specific areas of your dancer’s technique. Help your dancer to make improvements outside of the dance studio. Do they need to work on their flexibility? Take a yoga class! Core strength? Pilates! Do they want to leap higher? Safely incorporate some resistance training! Cross training can be a great way to keep things interesting.

 

5 Things To Throw In Your Recital Bag

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What to pack in your recital bag! Love these unique items!

Can you believe it is almost May?! For us here at Prestige that just means we are getting closer and closer to recital and we cannot wait! With dress rehearsal and recital just around the corner, we thought you may be starting to think about what exactly you should pack in your dancer’s recital bag. I’m sure you have already thought of the usual (shoes, tights, hair and makeup supplies, costumes and accessories, undergarments, and snacks just to name a few) but have you thought to bring these next 5 things?!

  1. Clear Nail Polish– Of course, we suggest bringing an extra pair of tights for the day of recital but sometimes even that isn’t enough! Clear nail polish is the perfect thing to stop a RUN in your tights dead in its tracks. As soon as you notice a tear, dab the polish on the end.
  2.  Sewing Kit– Like we hinted at before, sometimes the unexpected can happen during the big day. A rip or tear to a costume could be devastating if you cannot repair it quickly. Make sure to throw in a handful of safety pins along with your needle and thread!
  3. Dryer Sheets– For some reason, costumes LOVE static cling on a performance day! Simply rubbing the inside with a dryer sheet can completely eliminate the cling and your dancer’s costume will lay like it should.
  4. First Aid Kit– Throwing in some bandaids, antibacterial ointment, and ibuprofen can save the day in a pinch. Don’t worry though, if you forget- you can always find a PDS staff member during the performance, we will be well stocked!
  5. Tennis Ball– During performances, cramped and tight muscles happen! A tennis ball can bring a world of relief to a sore dancer in between numbers.

So, how did you do? Were these things already on your list to be packed? Do you have any favorite unconventional items that weren’t on our list? Let us know so we can share!

Check here for more information on recital events and schedules. We can’t wait to see you there!

 

Is your Child Ready for a Dance or Tumbling Class?

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Ready for Dance Class

 

Spring is a BUSY time at Prestige Dance Studio. Dancers are in the midst of their competition season, we are prepping for our annual recital, and (believe it or not!) we are already thinking ahead to summer and fall 2017! If you have a little one, you may be thinking about signing them up for their FIRST dance or tumbling class. Which is super exciting!!! We have several options during the school year for our little ones. Below we’ve included our current offerings for students under six and some helpful suggestions for figuring out exactly HOW you know your child is ready for a formal class.

Baby and Me: This parent and tot class is the perfect introduction to dance and tumbling for students 6 months- 36 months. Parents will help their dancer to gain confidence, use their imagination, and gain coordination. A great opportunity to bond with your baby and meet other families!

Is your dancer ready? Do they love music and movement? Do you think they would benefit from being around other children? Would you like to get some fresh ideas for ways you can interact and play with your little one? Then YES!!! This class is a perfect match for students that love to move but aren’t quite ready for an independent class (without a parent).  

Tippy Toes: Tippy Toes 1-4 is our progressive combined ballet and tap technique class for kids ages 2-6. Classes are separated by age and focus on introducing and building coordination, strength and motor skills without the accompaniment of a parent. Students will build a foundation for continued ballet and tap instruction while interacting with other dancers their age in a focused environment.

Teenie Tumble: Introductory tumbling skills are taught in this class to young dancers ages 3-6. This class focuses on the coordination and strength used when tumbling.

Hippity Hop: This 30-minute class is an upbeat introduction to hip hop for our 3-6-year-olds. This high energy class will focus on coordination, strength and learning combinations to current and age-appropriate music. Hippity Hop will encourage students to step outside of the box by bringing their own individual style and personality to the movements.

Is your dancer ready? Our Tippy Toes, Teenie Tumble, and Hippity Hop are all independent classes, which means parents are not in the classroom. Think about how your child does away from you. Can they handle 30-60 minutes away? How quickly do they adjust to new situations? We do NOT expect any two or three-year-old to be perfect:) But, within a few weeks of starting a new class, they should be able to walk into the studio independently without tears. Another thing to consider is your child’s ability to follow simple instructions. We expect our youngest dancers to be able to sit when asked, make a circle with their friends, and generally stay with their classmates. Again, this can be a work in progress- but within a few weeks, they should have a good feel of the expectations.

Your child’s first dance class should be exciting! By doing a quick check-in to make sure they are ready, you are setting them up for an AWESOME experience. We do offer FREE trials at Prestige Dance Studio and would encourage all parents of students ages 1-6 to take advantage. Trials can be a great way to test the waters a bit, let your child SEE and experience the studio, and make sure it is a good match. Keeps things positive, and be patient:) We can’t tell you how many times we have seen a timid, shy child walk in the door and leave after their class with a smile ear to ear. That new found confidence and joy is priceless. We look forward to seeing your child in class!

PS. We also have several exciting summer camps for this age group- be sure to check out our offerings!

 

Best Of The Web PERFORMANCE HACKS

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Best of the web performance

As some of our dancers are busy attending competitions and community performances, others are gearing up for recital. Where ever your dancer is in their performance season, it is never too early to start planning for a smooth, stress-free event. From quick changes to event safety, we have collected the best dance performance hacks from the web so you can breathe easy. At Prestige, our best advice is to plan ahead and go through the big day with your dancer so they know what to expect and you are both on the same page. Who is helping them change? When and where can they eat? When can they relax for a bit? Dancers generally will feel more prepared and less frazzled when there is a plan in place and as a dance parent, you will feel better too!

  • Labeling Garment Bags For Dance Competitions and Recitals – This article tells you exactly how to label and organize your costumes. Quick changes will be a breeze and lost costumes will be a thing of the past if you follow this method.

  • Dance Bag Organization – We think using a reusable wine/beverage bag from a grocery store does an AMAZING job at creating little compartments within your dance bag. The dancer in the article uses the bag alone but it would fit inside of your normal bag too. You could even use more than one! It would make finding shoes and accessories SO much easier!

  • How to Clean Practically Anything Dance Related – Dirty shoes, dancewear, or costumes, this article has got you covered!

  • A Snack Plan– This is an easy idea to keep all your dancer’s snacks organized. We all know it takes a lot of fuel perform at your best so make sure your dancer is well stocked with healthy options!

  • Event Safety – We love this article and video on how to keep your dancers safe during performances. Although we do our best to make sure every event runs as smoothly and safely as possible, sometimes things happen. Having a first aid kit on hand as a simple way to ease your mind during a very busy day.

We love seeing our Prestige dancers perform on stage! With these simple hacks, you will be able to relax and enjoy the show!

Stay Healthy & Injury Free This Year!

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Healthy and Injury Free

We are well into our performance season here at Prestige. Between competitions, community performances, and recital, our dancers are dancing more than ever! Staying healthy and injury free during this time of the year is not only important but also harder than the first half of the year. We thought it would be a great time to go over some helpful tips and give you a few useful articles so you can give your dancer a leg up in this department!

  1. Stay hydrated- The number one thing in every dancer’s bag should be their water bottle! Get a sturdy reusable one that they can fill up over and over. Make sure to talk to your dancer about actually using it too! At performances, things get crazy so it can be really easy to forget. Help them out and have an extra ready for them every time you touch base. They will be happy to see it after dancing full out on stage!
  2. Eat mindfully- What we put into our bodies has a HUGE impact on how we feel. Eating foods high in nutrients will reduce our chances of getting sick. They also give us the energy we need to pull off really busy weekends and AMAZING performances. Check here for ideas on what to eat during those long performance days!
  3. Know when to rest- One of the most important parts of staying injury free is knowing the difference between sore muscles and PAIN. It is really tough for dancers to figure out the difference. We love this article explaining it all. For many dancers, resting is NOT something they want to do. They think if they just push through, the pain will go away. However, if they ignore the pain and forego rest, it can turn into a much bigger problem, requiring even MORE time off.
  4. Stretch and Strengthen- Take the time to warm up before running on stage. Try doing jumping jacks or planks backstage while waiting. Dancing full out on cold muscles can lead to injuries. Also, stretching and rolling out after a long day of dance can have a huge impact on reducing soreness. During off weeks keep up with strengthening exercises like these.

We know that with these 4 tips, you are setting your dancer up for success through the busiest time of the year! We can’t wait to see the amazing results!

Why We LOVE Dance Competitions

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Dance Competitions

Here at Prestige Dance Studio, we have just started our competition season and we couldn’t be having more fun! Although we love to bring home ribbons, medals, and sometimes even titles, that is NOT why we do competitions. Dancers gain so much from putting themselves out there and challenging themselves competition after competition. We have found that this practice gives our dancers boosted self- confidence, helps them roll with the punches, allows them to deal with disappointment, and to top it all off, teaches them to become more open-minded.

For each competition, our dancers challenge each other to improve. We set specific goals and work hard to accomplish them. Each time we do, it teaches us that we CAN do what we set our minds to. It also takes guts to get out there and perform for an audience full of other dancers. Not to mention in front of a panel of judges (like we mean FEET away) who will examine our technique and performance abilities right in front of our eyes! Every time a dancer goes on stage, their confidence will get a good healthy boost, we love that!

If you have ever attended a competition you know that they can be unpredictable. They may run early, late, skip around, you just never know until you are there. Of course, this is NOT our favorite thing about competitions. It does, however, teach our dancers a valuable lesson: being flexible (with their MINDS) and being able to roll with the punches is a good thing. Getting flustered will do nothing but ruin the experience and jeopardize the performance. Like any skill, practice makes perfect and lucky for us we get lots of practice at this skill! hehe.

At some competitions, we get special awards, titles,  and 1st place trophies. At others, we just do OK with no special recognition. That can be tough to swallow, even for me! But knowing how to win and lose gracefully takes practice. I am so happy that our dancers at Prestige know (or are at least learning) how to not let disappointment crush their hopes and dreams all in one swoop.

Finally, during competitions, we are surrounded by other dancers. These dancers come from different places, dance different styles, and have different perspectives on dance. Being exposed to this time and time again helps our dancers learn to appreciate things and people who are different than them. I am so proud that our dancers here at Prestige can see the value in any type of performance and are becoming open-minded young adults.

As you can see, dance competitions are about so much more than trophies and titles. The skills that are learned there will last not only for a season but for their whole life! We are so excited for the rest of our competition season and cannot wait to see the great things our dancers will accomplish, on and off the stage.

For updates on our next performances, make sure to check our Facebook Page.

Goals And Why You Should Set Them With Your Dancers

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Goals

With New Years right around the corner, people are busy thinking about all the resolutions they will commit to this coming year. From fitness to financials, ’tis the season for making promises to yourself and the people around you. This concept is probably very clear and familiar to you after years and years of goal setting. If you’re lucky, you may have even mastered the art of actually committing and achieving those resolutions unlike so many of us (yes, I admit I have let a few goals slip through my fingers over the years).

But what about your dancers,  what are their goals for 2017? Have no idea? Don’t worry you still have time to figure it out.  If you are wondering why exactly we are even talking about this, please read on! Although it is hard to pick just a few reasons to share with you, we hope it inspires you to take on the challenge of 2017 along with your dancers!

  • Focus– Have you ever been to the gym the day after New Years? It is a MAD HOUSE but do you see the looks on these new gym goers’ faces? They are determined! Dancers need that same focus in class. Especially mid-year when it is cold and sometimes miserable out, it can be hard to remember why we are spending all these hours at the studio. Setting goals can re-ignite your student’s passion remind them why they are there in the first place.
  • Confidence– How do you feel when you achieve a goal? I know when I accomplish something, whether big or small, it feels AMAZING! It makes me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. The more I accomplish, the more I feel like I can take on. We do this in dance class all the time (working on single pirouettes, then doubles, then triples). With each new skill, it gives the dancer more confidence to take on the next, more difficult challenge. This is one of those life-long skills that will stick with your dancers and serve them well in any area of their life.
  • Resiliency– Goals aren’t always easy and that is how they should be! Setting and working toward goals teaches your dancers that it is worth it to KEEP GOING. Even when things don’t go their way, if they have that specific goal in front of them, they will be less likely to wave the white flag (maybe sometimes with a little encouragement from you but that is ok!). We all know that life is tough sometimes and the earlier you work on this skill, the better. They will be much more equipt to handle all the things life throws their way in the future if you practice with them now.

Are you inspired yet? I know I am! Take the time to talk about your 2017 goals with your dancers now and check in with them every couple months or so to see how they are coming. HINT: Talk about your goals with them too and make it more of a conversation. It is so good for them to see how you handle your successes and struggles!

We can’t wait to see all the great things they accomplish this year!

Holiday Gift Guide For Dancers

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holiday gift guide

Welcome to the season of gift giving! Are you one of those really ahead of the game shoppers who are pretty much all WRAPPED up(hehe) or are you still having a hard time figuring out what to get your loved ones? Either way, we have done the research for you and gathered the perfect gift selections for your dancer. From books and clothes to dance tools and accessories, we got you covered!

Don’t want to go very far? We have a couple perfect stocking stuffer options for you right here at Prestige! Highlighters ($5), youth, toddler, and adult socks ($12), rhinestone decals ($15), and colorful bows ($5) will all fit very nicely in your dancer’s stocking and you can pick them up while your dancer is in class- they will never know!

Books:

“Firebird” by Misty Copeland and Christopher Myers is great for dancers 5 and up. Not only are the pictures beautiful but it is a powerful story about following your dreams! Bonus: you can always pick up the Misty Copeland Barbie Doll to go along with it (but last we checked they were sold out until January).

“Life in Motion” by Misty Copeland for dancers 8-12 yrs. Written by the first African-American principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Copeland provides an inspiring story about following your dreams and never giving up.

“Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday” by Jordan Matter has the most amazing photographs of dancers dancing in everyday moments. Although it is great for all ages- this book may be more appreciated by the older dancer (12+).

Accessories and Clothes:

Just Dance Bangle Bracelet from the AdelineQuinnCo shop on Etsy is super cute, simple and represents what we do every day.

Holiday Muscle Tee from Covet Dance is beyond clever. I mean- Dancer the reindeer is everyone’s favorite right?? Warning- These look like they are selling quick so put your order in soon.

Dance Backpack from Pottery Barn Kids is adorable. Ballerinas and sparkles all over! They have a couple different sizes with a monogram option.

Dancer Tools:

Turning Board by Ballet is Fun is a great tool to practice those turns! It helps dancers become more aware of spotting, core strength, and arm placement.

Arch Stretcher by Arch Genie has so many different colors and fabrics to choose from, you will definitely find one your dancers will like! It is the perfect tool to work those arches.

#WorkHardDreamBig Resistance Band will motivate your dancers all while stretching and strengthening them, can’t beat that.

Foot Rubz Massager by Sure Foot is a treat after a long hard day of dance!

Performance Repair Kit will ease your mind for all of our performances coming up. You will never have to worry about a tear or rip again with this handy kit.

Small Knee Support by Bunheads are my favorite kneepads! They have comfortable fabric and silicone pads, great for those hard rehearsals.

Tap/Turning Floor by Dot2Dance is so amazing for practicing at home, it is a small portable dance floor.

The Original Ballet Foot Stretch is a bit more of an investment than the other arch stretcher but is a great gift.

Stretch Max by Superior Stretch is awesome! It really allows you to focus on alignment while increasing flexibility.

Do you have any ideas that are not on our list?! We would love to hear about them in the comments below. We wish you the best of luck with your holiday shopping and can’t wait to celebrate with you soon!