How to choose a dance studio

7 things to look for when choosing a dance studio

1. Friendliness of Teachers

These are the people that will be teaching your child. Did they make sure to meet each child and learn their name? Your child should be in an environment where they feel comfortable, special, and cared for.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
The teachers at Dawsonville Dance strive to cultivate good relationships with their students through personalized instruction.

2. Qualification of Teachers

Do the teachers have adequate dance experience? Dance, especially ballet, is something that most teachers will have started training in when they were children. Teachers should have years of training and performance experience. They should also continue their education by attending conferences, seminars, and shows.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
Dawsonville Dance has an extremely qualified staff, as indicated by their bios and the numerous awards they have won.

3. Age-Appropriateness

Children are healthiest when they are allowed to just be children. A studio that focuses on health and technique does not need to have compromising moves or costumes. Also, a studio should not introduce your child to mature music with questionable lyrics.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
At Dawsonville Dance our goal is to partner with you as a parent to do what is best for your child. Dawsonville Dance will always have non-compromising costuming and clean song lyrics.

4. Safety

As with any physical activity, there is a risk for injury. But a good dance studio will take great efforts to reduce the risks. A reputable dance studio will have a specially constructed dance floor. Dancing on concrete can send shock through a dancer’s ankles and knees, potentially creating injuries. A good dance floor will be “sprung” – have cushion – on the bottom, and a special vinyl mat – often called “marley” – on the top. If a studio spent time and money in making sure you have a safe area to practice, you can bet that they’ll watch out for your safety during class too.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
Dawsonville Dance’s floor is state-of-the-art, and we even have a 6″x6″ model so you can see how it was constructed! Also, our teachers will not instruct students to attempt anything that would be hazardous, and we encourage students to not push through injuries that they should be resting.

5. Class Placement

Being placed in the proper class is very important for maximum growth. Children should be in a class where they are challenged to grow and learn, but not feel over their head. Often times in dance classes, this will mean placing students by experience and ability rather than based solely on age. This is a great time for your child to make friends of different ages. Sometimes a teacher will move a child to a new class they feel the child will do better in. This is a responsible thing for a teacher to do, because they should want your child to have the best dance class experience possible.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
At Dawsonville Dance, we initially place new students based on age with more challenging programs becoming available as they progress through a level placement system. We also employ mid-year evaluations to make sure that students are progressing as needed.

6. Class Size

Having crowded dance classes is less than ideal for several reasons. First of all, there should be enough room in the studio for students to stretch and move in a group without worrying about bumping into each other. Secondly, there should be a reasonable amount of students in the class so that your child gets adequate attention from the teacher. Several things in dance classes are done by taking turns, so you want to be sure the class is not so full that they hardly get their turn.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
Dawsonville Dance is proud of our small class sizes, designed to give your child the most benefit from their classes.

7. The Overall Feeling

Are students and parents happy at the studio? Is the staff pleasant? Is the studio well-kept and cared for? These are all signs that you are at the right studio. A studio should be a safe environment for children to learn and grow.

The Dawsonville Dance Difference
Dawsonville Dance is a family studio, run by a family, and run for families. We love our students and are honored that you allow us to be a part of their lives!

Read more about our studio’s journey and how you can become a part of it.

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5 questions you should ask when choosing a dance studio

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Are all dance studios the same?

There are 5 main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives and the overall enjoyment and experience of being involved with a dance program. Here are 5 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a dance studio for their child.

1. Do you Participate in Dance Competitions?

The dance studio industry has moved toward a highly competitive experience. Most dance studios have competition teams that practice together to enter into local, regional and national competition events. By focusing completely on competitions, young dancers spend time learning “a dance” rather than learning “to dance.” At Metropolitan School of the Arts, we do not have a competition team. Instead, we offer the opportunity for our young dancers to participate in high quality training that equips them for a professional career in the performing arts. MSA is home to 3 nationally acclaimed pre-professional dance ensembles that give students an opportunity to perform frequently at professional venues. We also offer a plethora of age appropriate, professional performing and learning opportunities for all of our students in addition to regularly scheduled classes.

2. What is the Quality of Dance Education?

Dance education is not unlike academic education. It requires the skill of highly qualified and motivated educators and administrators to teach and get the most out of a student by way of a well developed, age appropriate curriculum.

Most dance studios rely on the skills of teachers to create curriculum, choreography, structure and guidelines for individual classes, which results in an inconsistent standard of education across the board. There may be some highly qualified teachers who yield excellent teaching results alongside less experienced teachers who require additional guidance. This usually creates a two-tiered educational structure, where the most advanced students receive the best training by the best teachers and the less serious students receive the less favorable training by less experienced teachers.

In order to maximize the learning potential, all dance teachers on faculty should follow a unified, well developed syllabus created by dance education specialists. All dance faculty should participate in continuing education and training throughout the course of the year on teaching principles, learning styles, safe dance practice and content. Dance faculty should meet regularly with the administration to discuss the progress of each student to ensure their development and success. Our studio has department chairs for each genre of dance to ensure maximum success along with a dedicated Studio Director who oversees the studio wide curriculum and manages the educational needs of each individual student. We also have a dedicated and separate Artistic Director who oversees the artistry and performance needs of individual students to ensure a high level of professional performance work.

3. What Type Of Floor Is Used?

Dance is a highly physical activity that requires jumping and elevation, which can put stress on bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide the proper cushioning support to reduce shock to the joints and postural alignment of a dancer. One of the best ways to prevent injury is by choosing a studio with a professional “floating floor.” A floating floor is a dance floor that rests on a system of high-density foam, to absorb the shock of jumping. A high-density foam base is superior to a “sprung” floor, which usually consists of a wood structure built on the regular floor.The top layer of the dance floor is also an important factor. A vinyl composite “marley” floor is accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for professional dance. Facilities such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England, and Riverdance – The Touring Show, all use marley floors as their dance surface. A marley floor allows dancers to slide, with a degree of “controlled slip”, but is not slippery so there is less risk of slips and falls. Very few studios use professional marley floors because of the expense involved.Tap classes should be taught on a wood floor surface on top of the sprung sub floor. Fewer and fewer dance studios are opting to provide proper wood flooring for their tap dance programs.

4. What Is The Performance Philosophy?

Performance is a element of performing arts education. Most studios only put on one year end recital. The recital is usually a string of individual class dances that follow a theme and require costumes for each dance number. Oftentimes, more advanced students perform to mature song choices and wear costumes that may not be appropriate or acceptable for young children to see or experience. At MSA, we produce over 15 student performances each year. Our students have the opportunity to participate in the Nutcracker, Frosty Follies, The Winter Dance Concert, two acting showcases, two music recitals, our Spring Production amongst others. In the winter, our youngest dance students have the opportunity to participate in the Winter Dance Concert, which is a family friendly charity drive performance usually held in December. Students wear basic, low cost costumes for this performance and there is no ticket charge for this performance. In the Spring, we produce a fully staged Broadway-style musical production that incorporates all of our dance students, from beginning to advanced. Our students get a first hand opportunity to experience professional theater at its best. Our Artistic Director incorporates the individual dance classes into the main story plot, which is driven by an Ensemble of pre-professional students. Our youngest students can opt to perform with a class that participates in the Spring Production or a specially designed, low key Early Childhood performance for young children. All of our costume, choreography and music choices are appropriate for the entire family. We believe that young performers can present current and up to date material by learning age appropriate choreography and wearing age appropriate costumes that showcase high class, style, technical excellence and meticulous artistry.

5. Can I Get Immediate Assistance And Service?

In many studios the teacher or the studio owner conducts classes and manages the administration. By trying manage two jobs at once, the students may be affected as the teacher uses 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 studios have full time administrators on hand from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. most days, so you can get immediate assistance.

Ask these questions of any dance studio you are considering and you will realize why more families choose our studios each year than any other. After browsing this site, please call us with any questions you may have about getting the most out of your dance experience.

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How to choose a dance school?

Dance classes are more popular than ever before. Many who want to try their hand at this art, feel the positive impact of this type of activity, develop special skills. It is not surprising that the number of dance sections and circles is growing rapidly, because great demand gives rise to an abundance of proposals in this area.

You can practice dancing professionally, devoting all your time and energy to it. Such a person sets clear goals and does everything possible to achieve them. It is also possible to be an amateur in this area, for whom success in the art of dancing is not the main task. It's just a hobby that brings a lot of positive emotions. But regardless of whether there is a desire to connect your destiny with the dance art and make it the main business of life, or you just want to be able to sometimes enjoy an exciting pastime, you should approach the choice of a dance school responsibly. nine0005

The concept of the dance school

So, first of all, decide what goals and results you are pursuing what you expect from classes. This will allow you to understand what exactly your “ideal” dance school should be and rush in search of it.

When choosing a school, ask what educational opportunities it offers. Specify which programs and formats it operates, what tasks it is focused on. There are those that are aimed at preparing exclusively professional dancers. Naturally, in this case we are talking about regular and serious classes, enhanced training. nine0005

Training will need to be approached very responsibly. There are also sections and schools that offer dance classes to everyone who sees them as a way of exciting pastime, active recreation and a charge of positive emotions. They do not practice too strict approach in teaching. You can attend classes if possible or if you wish. However, any coach will say that regularity is extremely important if you want to achieve certain results (lose weight, tighten your body, become more graceful, develop dance skills, etc.). nine0005

Also modern dance schools can be conditionally divided into three types:

Working exclusively with adults or children . To work, for example, with children, teachers must have specific knowledge, skills, and experience. Such professionals have a certain specificity of work, and therefore the preparation must be appropriate. Not every school is ready to teach very young dancers.
Highly specialized . We are talking about studios that work in a certain direction and style - Latin American, oriental, ballroom dancing, etc. However, there are fewer and fewer of them. nine0030
General schools . They offer dance training in various styles, working with both adults and children. Anyone can apply, regardless of age and level of training.

What kind of dances are you interested in? Even if you are not sure that, for example, bachata , kizomba , pole dance or some other dance style is yours, it's not scary. Some schools offer free trial classes. Also, no one forbids visiting several workouts, trying different directions in order to be able to decide what exactly your soul lies in. nine0005

The dance of a thousand hands is traditional in China. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is always performed by 21 dancers. Their hands are so synchronous that an amazing illusion arises, as if there is one woman in front of you, skillfully moving many hands. Just imagine what preparation and how many rehearsals such dancers need to go through before entering the big stage!

Teaching staff

One of the key values of the dance school is carefully selected team of teachers . They must have excellent theoretical and practical training, have decent work experience, be able to interact and establish communication with different people. They must be masters of their craft. Before making a choice in favor of a particular studio, ask who will teach you how to dance . What achievements they have, what regalia they have, how long they dance and teach, whether they improve their professional level - all these are significant indicators. nine0005

It is also worth paying attention to how long the school has existed. Great if it has been working for a long time. This indicates the stability and high quality of the services provided. Agree, if the school taught dance poorly, the students would not stay in it and, in the end, it would not have existed for a long time. And vice versa: a good school is practically not afraid of either adverse circumstances (including economic ones), or the fact that it will be left without its wards. The best advertising is satisfied customers who speak excellently about the studio, thereby attracting new students. nine0005

Variety of dance styles and programs

Multidisciplinary schools offer a wide variety of dance styles. And this is very good. It is possible that over time you will want to try some other areas of in addition to those for which you came to the studio initially. This will allow not to change the school, but to continue studying in comfortable and familiar conditions.

If you have not yet decided which dance direction to prefer, consider a few points:

First of all, listen to yourself: what do you expect from the classes - to improve your physical fitness, have a good time or the opportunity to become an athlete?
Secondly, if you want to dance alone, in a couple or in a group, how much time are you willing to devote to training?

You can consult with the school's specialists what dances and what format of classes may suit you. With more experience, they will be able to recommend what you should try. You can also watch videos of people dancing in certain styles. nine0005

Suitable learning format

Classes can be held individually, in group format and in the form of master classes . Here you need to decide which option is more preferable for you. Group trainings are aimed at working out the basics of dance, general learning of movements and ligaments. Not much attention is paid to each student. If you want to study at your own pace, which is convenient for you, improve your skills, it is better to choose individual lessons. They are also necessary for those who are preparing for competitions. nine0005

As for master classes, they will allow you to improve your dance “literacy”, gain new experience in one direction or another, and form skills. With their help, the skill of the dancer increases.

Comfortable conditions

It is important that dance halls are spacious, bright and preferably with mirrors . But not only. Comfortable conditions in changing rooms is another indicator of a good dance school. They should have enough space, warm in the cold season and cool in the warm season. nine0003 Not bad if there are showers . This will allow you to freshen up after a busy workout, put yourself in order.

Let's say you don't know exactly what you want out of dancing. The so-called "trial period" will help you decide, during which you can listen to yourself and your feelings, understand what you like most and what you don't. Already today you can start enjoying the dances that you will learn under the strict guidance of experienced and talented trainers. And it doesn’t matter at all what result a person is most interested in. Dancing is always an opportunity for self-expression, revealing one's physical potential and comprehending an unimaginable range of emotions. nine0005

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How to choose the right dance school in St. Petersburg

Contents

If the decision to dance has already been made, it is better not to let the impulse run free, but to go to a dance school, where they can turn your craving for creativity into real art. A new hobby will color your life, and regular physical activity will improve your figure. We will tell you what should be guided by when choosing a dance studio. And at the same time - we will explain why the club "La Boca" should be among the main candidates. The choice is yours! nine0005

The main thing is the goal

Dancing without a goal is doomed to failure from the very beginning: having mastered the basic elements, you will simply mark time. If you initially decide why you are going to a dance school, the result in most cases will not be long in coming. There are several options:

Learn how to move beautifully on the dance floor;
Get a good posture and feminine silhouette;
Find like-minded people;
Restore the body after childbirth, restoring its former appearance and readiness for physical activity; nine0030
Unlock your creative potential;
Work on femininity and your own sexuality;
Prepare a wedding dance or act for a competition;
Find a trained dance partner.

It is very important that the dance club you choose can satisfy different interests, because when you reach one goal, a new one will definitely appear, and you will no longer want to change schools.

A good indicator is if the studio asks about your intentions before you sign up for the first classes. nine0005

Even better, administrators can offer options based on customer goals.

Your own criteria

When you have a clear goal in mind, it's worth thinking about an individual list of requirements for a dance class. What is important for you? For example:

Suitable location: near home, work, or - universal option: near the metro in the city center.
Experience: Are you ready to become one of the first clients, or does the presence of a track record and a long work experience of the studio inspire more confidence in you? nine0030
Atmosphere: battered rooms of the post-Soviet space or bright halls with a modern design?
Conditions: a flexible system of discounts, special offers and a free trial lesson show that the dance school values each of its clients.
Extracurricular life: is the studio limited only to dance lessons or is the club ready to offer you something more? It is important for modern dancers to know why they attend each class. A bonus to any studio will be the opportunity to participate in internal dance evenings, competitions and master classes. nine0030

The dance club "La Boca" has been successfully operating for more than six years. It is located in the very heart of the city: a couple of minutes walk from the Petrogradskaya metro station, which makes the club accessible to residents of any district of St. Petersburg. Classes are held in three spacious modern halls - red, blue and purple, all of which are equipped with comfortable locker rooms and showers.

Absolutely every client we have the opportunity to visit the first lesson for free, get a special discount and bonuses from our partners. Thanks to a well-thought-out system of dance evenings, competitions and festivals, we provide interesting and useful leisure time for each student, giving everyone the opportunity to demonstrate their skills on a real dance floor. Clients of "La Boca" regularly participate in secular parties, milongas, outdoor events and master classes with dance stars. nine0005

Choosing a style

Next, you should decide on the dance direction that you would like to master in the first place. The following questions will help you make a decision:

Would you like to dance solo or dance in pairs?
Social dances or pop dances?
Modern or classic?

Just three answers will help you choose the right style for you. Close interaction with a partner means salsa, merengue, bachata, flamenco and Argentine tango. You can realize yourself in a solo program by performing body ballet, Latina solo or hip-hop. Modern choreography will help to correct the figure, and Ladies style will reveal femininity. All of the above, as well as many other areas that are in demand today, are represented in La Boca. nine0005

Study the teachers

A significant part of success in dancing depends on the choreographer.