Happy fall, Showcase families!
There are many reasons to love fall (like a hot cup of coffee on a crisp morning, am I right?) but one of my favorites is helping our dancers settle into their classes for the new season—and many times, that means adding something new to their schedule.
There is something special about seeing a young jazz dancer discover their talent for acro, or watching a ballet dancer’s musicality improve by taking tap class. Equally special, I love helping students discover their aspirations, whether it is dance, leadership, academics, community service, or simply making lifelong friends.
This time of year is perfect for our dancers to set new goals, stretching their minds and bodies in a healthy way. When our kids do more of what they love, their confidence improves by leaps and bounds—sometimes literally! I’ve watched this happen in my own children and it makes me grateful for these opportunities to impact SDS students as well.
Here are a couple of the pathways in dance that we recommend for your children, based on their wants, needs, talents, and goals:
For optimal social interaction and a stronger dance foundation, choose at least three dance styles from our “top five,” which are Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, or Musical Theatre. As their focus and self-discipline increases, dancers with more class involvement make more progress over a shorter duration of time. Their opportunities to grow and deepen friendships also increase, which is a wonderful bonus!
To make faster progress with specific technique and skills, such as increased flexibility, higher leaps, or stronger pirouettes, dancers should take a minimum of four classes per week—this could include four different styles or, for example, two Ballet classes, one Jazz, and one Tap. Even for the student who professes to only love tap or who considers themselves a ballerina, complementary skills are a game-changer when it comes to progress.
To explore more of our recommended dance pathways, see our Dance Pathways cheat sheet here or email Ms. Meg at showcasedancestudioinfo@gmail.com to discuss the best combination of classes for your child’s personality and goals.
Each student’s path in life is uniquely theirs. It takes careful thought—and sometimes a trusted leap of faith—to get them where they want to go! Through dance, we are committed to helping our SDS kids be all they can be, in and out of the dance classroom.
Ms. Crystal
