Many parents enroll their children in dance class to give them the opportunity to get some exercise, socialize with other children, and learn poise and confidence. You may want to do this, but are not sure how to choose the right one for your child. The tips below may help you:
· First, talk to the owners or principal instructors. Ask them if the dance classes are informal-that is, the children are allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves while learning dances, or if the classes are very structured. Unless your child does better in a structured atmosphere, or he or she is very serious about learning to dance, you want to look for one that combines a little bit of both.
Small children, especially, may need classes that allow for some “play” time as well as instruction time. Also, instructors who work with small children should not display a “drill instructor” mentality. This can be very intimidating to small children, and will definitely take all the enjoyment out of the classes.
· Find out how the determination of which class your child will be in is made. Do they go by age groups or experience? For younger children, being placed with their age group may be good in the beginning; however, if your child shows exceptional talent, will he or she be allowed to progress to a higher level, even if the children are somewhat older?
· If your child has already been taking dance classes, and is starting at a new school, will the instructors/owners take past experience into consideration or do they go by the “first year here, in a first-year class” rule? If this is the case, you may want to consider another school.
· Are the instructors truly interested in teaching dance, or is this just a way for them to make money? One way to determine this is if they are always asking for “donations”.