Choosing The Right Dance School For Your Child

So the time has finally come. Your kids want dance lessons. Where do you go from here? How do you choose the right dance school? What if my kids are still kind of young?

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose the right dance school for your 3 - 10 year old.

Class Size - How many kids are in the class, with older dance kids it's OK to be in larger classes. Teenagers have a much longer attention span and can usually take direction well. Young children however need much more personal attention. Children 3 to 5 years shouldn't be in classes with more than 6 kids per instructor. 6 to 10 year olds are OK in classes between 8 and 10 students.

Programs - Is it a kids school? Are the dance programs really designed with your little one in mind? Dance classes for older kids can be more demanding, the teacher can be a little harder on older students while the little ones tend to need more nurturing. Be sure that the school has a good reputation and has more of a child friendly environment.

Dance Floor - The best dance floor for students of all ages (especially children) is the floating Marley dance floor. This type of floor reduces injury and fatigue so that students can dance longer and parents can worry less about the short and long term impact on their children's health.

Recitals - Dance recitals should be low pressure and reasonably priced. If you can, try to find a dance studio that offers free recitals. Many studios charge $30 or more per person to attend. That may not seem like much at first but if you bring the grandparents, a brother and/or sister, and of course mom and dad your looking at $180.

Recreational or Competitive - Do you want your child to compete or just learn to dance for fun. This is a very important question that only you can answer. The pressures of competition can really turn a child off of dance. Even though it can help kids set goals for themselves it might be to much for your little one. It is better to start in a recreational program first. If, after a year or two, your child shows an interest in competition, consider putting them in something with a little more pressure.

Keep in mind that it's fun that really matters in the beginning. You want to give your kids something that they can love for many years. Let your intuition be your guide. If you feel good about a particular dance school but it doesn't have all of the above criteria relax and go with your gut. I'm sure that it will work out fine.

Looking for fun, recreational dance classes in Oakville Ontario? Please visit www.danceclassesoakville.com or call the Academy of Music & Dance at 905-845-1227

James Franczek is the school director at the the Academy of Music Dance in Oakville and Burlington as well as the music director for the Oakville Celtic Fiddle Club. He has been teaching and performing in the Southern Ontario region for over 20 years. Whether you're in a class or taking private lessons from James you will find his love of music and upbeat teaching style just right for learning, and loving traditional and contemporary music.

For more information on the fine programs at the Academy of music & Dance please visit www.academymusic.org