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Four Things Every Parent Should Know Before Choosing a Dance Studio
If
most dance studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience
teaching children and a big show at the end of the year, aren’t they all
pretty much the same? Does it really matter where you decide to enroll your
child in dance? Yes. There are many elements that can make a huge difference
in the quality of instruction your child receives to provide overall
enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a dance program. Here are
4 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a dance studio
for their child.
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What type of dance floor is used?
Dance is a very physical activity
that requires a lot of jumping, which can put stress on bones and joints.
Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support, so the shock
of dance movement can place a lot of pressure on the knees and back of a
dancer. The best way to prevent against potential injury is by choosing a
studio with a professional hard wood sprung floor. All 3 of our dance studio
rooms are equipped with such floors. Our special floors help reduce the risk
of injuries and allow students to dance longer without fatigue.
2. What is the size of
the class?
If the dance class has fewer
students in it each child will receive more personalized attention, increase
the learning process and have more fun. With younger students it is easier
for a teacher to maintain control over the class and make sure each student
understands the concepts and instructions. Our smaller class sizes make sure
that no fundamental concepts are being missed. A smaller class size also
allows our teachers to ensure that students are not developing bad habits or
improper technique.
Our studio limits its class sizes to
a maximum of 14 students per class. For ages 3 to 12, we have 1 teacher and
1 assistant teacher. Some teen and adult classes also benefit from
assistants. This means the ratio of student to teacher is low allowing more
one on one time.
We also provide many levels for
every age. This is especially important for older students who are new to
dance to know that they will be with dancers in their age range. For someone
who may be starting dance later in life there is no reason they should be
forced to dance with much younger students.
3.
How are the performances organized?
In many studios, there is only 1
recital at the end of the year. Many times there are several performances
that are arranged differently. This means that dancers who have more than
one dance may be required to perform one dance in one show, and another
dance in a following show. These performances can be very long, sometimes
lasting up to 4 hours.
At our studio we have 2 main stage
performances. All of our 45 minute and 60 minute ballet classes as well as
our competitive team perform in a mid-year production. The running time for
this performance is 1 ½ hours maximum.
The remainder of our classes that
did not join the mid-year show, will perform at The Rose Theatre in June.
There are two show nights in June, but both shows are exactly the same
therefore parents can buy tickets for one show night if they choose. This
also gives our students more on stage time. The other benefit of having two
separate productions each year means that the shows are not long and drawn
out. We take great pride in our performances and run them very
professionally. There are no students running in and out of the theatre.
There are no gaps between dances forcing the audience to sit through black
outs. There are always activities backstage for our younger dancers to keep
occupied and we have a very strict security policy when dropping off and
picking up dancers. The safety and well being of our students is always at
the forefront.
4. Can I get immediate
assistance and customer service?
In many studios the teacher or the
studio owner conducts classes and does the administration. By trying to do
two jobs at once, the class may suffer as the teacher has to use class time
for customer service issues, or the studio may have no customer service
available if the teacher is in a class. To have a good experience it is
important to choose a studio that can assist you with details like costumes
or schedules, even if a teacher is occupied in a class. Our studio has
office staff on hand during all regular class times. All phone calls and
emails are returned promptly on off hours.
At The Studio, family life is
important to us. It is important that students do not feel the pressure to
make difficult decisions on simple things that every child should be able to
make. Join the swim team - and dance, do the school play - and dance, do
gymnastics - and dance. It is our goal that students become well rounded
individuals that experience a full range of activities as well as dance.
Although their time commitment is great, even our small competitive team is
able to attend family functions, school trips and school events. We also
encourage a family atmosphere at The Studio. We have many fun events during
the year that bring students and families together. We hope to see you soon!
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