Dance? How do you choose a Dance Studio?
Which Dance Studio do you choose? How to choose a dance studio is not as easy as it seems. We recently welcomed a potential client, a 17-year-old young lady who had been dancing most of her life at 2-neighboring dance studios. After her evaluation, she was determined to be a level IV of VII per our curriculum standards. Her Dad was devastated because she was not in our “top level.” He told us that he would get letters of recommendation from her former instructors that would vouch for her excellence. He really thought we had made a terrible mistake.
Parents do their best to choose the right programs for their children. What can a parent do to ensure that their choices will give them the results that they are looking for?
Here are some interesting perspectives into today’s world of dance that when coupled with some “good old fashioned parental instinct and research,” may help families navigate the plethora of choices out there for our young people.
- Why Dance? Why Ballet First?“Good Ballet” provides a foundation for core strength, mental focus and emotional intelligence. Today’s leading scientific studies show how ballet over time can even help to develop wisdom. These tools developed throughout childhood shower into all aspects of a young person’s life that foster happiness and success. A solid ballet foundation supports all dance genres, sports and academic excellence. Like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.
- So what does “Good Ballet” look like?
a. A good ballet class does not practice routines for a recital in class.
b. A good ballet class is a training session that supports a child’s growth
and development over time (Yes, 10 years or more).
c. A good ballet class for intermediate and advanced dancers should be 1.5
hours or longer.
d. Private lessons are not a substitute for regular class and should be
utilized to work on a specific area that cannot be adequately addressed in group lessons or to provide pre-professional students with additional training hours during the week.
e. Pointe work is in addition to a required number of weekly ballet technique classes, when the proper ossification of the foot is far enough along, the dancer demonstrates the proper strength, commitment and technical ability.
f. A good ballet class never compares students to each other, it encourages each dancer to develop at their own pace.
See what alumni from Scripps Performing Arts Academy is saying about our “Good Ballet” classes that support our students on their individual road to excellence.