First time at dance class? You MUST read our top tips!
At Siegeris Dance, we pride ourselves in our wonderful team of highly qualified, friendly, welcoming & professional teachers. We know stating classes can be very daunting ( as can starting anything new). It’s sort of like the first day of school! However, we have truly found that more often than not, even the shyest of children break out of their shell during class. We wanted to share some of our top tips with you, to help your child feel their most confident & excited about coming to dance class for the first time:
The excitement builds!
This is such a fun & exciting time for both you & your child! You never know, you might have a budding Prima Ballerina on your hands! Maybe they can have a watch of some youtube videos showing Ballet dancers & you can show them some costumes etc Keep things light hearted & pressure free.
What to wear?
For your child’s very first class, we recommend that they wear something comfortable & that they can move it. It is always ideal, if they can have their hair pulled back off their face & securely fastened in a Ballet bun, braids or a ponytail. Sometimes it can be a nice touch & incentive if you say ‘let’s do you a special Ballet hair style!’. Don’t worry about having all the kit right off the bat! If you decide to go ahead with joining class, we will then direct you to our wonderful staff at The Ballet Boutique who will be happy to help your little dancer with their first Ballet kit! Each level has it’s own color scheme & attire, so it is best to wait & confirm that your child is joining the correct level.
Before class
Other than comfortable clothes to move it, it is important if a positive but pressure free attitude can be adopted. We all know how smart & savvy children can be & can pick up on things! Asking questions such as ‘I wonder if you’ll do any high jumps?’ or ‘What nice music do you think you will dance to?’ will get them curious without having to feel pressured into doing ‘their best’. Of course, it is always a bonus if they have a friend or someone who goes to the same clubs or school as them in the class! But, if this isn’t the case, then not to worry.
At the class
Our teachers will be aware from their registers, that it is your child’s first time at class. Aim to arrive on the earlier side to avoid rushing & unnecessary stress. Our teachers are experienced in welcoming new children into class & will do their absolute best to make your child feel safe, comfortable & welcomed. Classes usually get started pretty quickly & so once the music starts, then your child will most likely be too distracted to notice that you’ve dipped out. For a number of reasons, we don’t allow parents to stay in the room as the class is going on, but you are welcome to wait close by & in the venue if there is space.
After class
Well done! Both you & your child have tried something new, exciting & challenging. Ask them for specific feedback, along the lines of ‘What part did they like the most?’, ‘What story did they tell?’. Can you ask them to show you their favorite ‘moves/steps’. Praise your child for trying something new, being brave & ask them if they made any friends? It’s amazing how quickly children can adapt & become social butterflies! Next, you have to let us know that you’d like to join. Great! You can sign up directly through our website, as this is the easiest way to see which classes have availability & fit with your schedule. Alternatively, if you have any questions, you can pop us an email.
We look forward to seeing you in class & welcome to your new dance class!
