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!