We have talked about the ,Physical, ,Mental, and ,Emotional benefits dance offers. Do they apply to kids, as well?
Have you ever met a kid who doesn’t dance? Every toddler I can think of that I have come across bounces and smiles to music. They only stop when their parents intervene, when they get tired, or when they see a squirrel/puppy.
Dance has been part of our human history for generations. And that’s not about to end (thank God for that)!
Dance offers kids a safe space to express themselves. We just label it as “cute and funny”, but kids are LITERALLY expressing what they hear and what they feel when they hear music through movement. THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS WHAT DANCE ESSENTIALLY IS.
When you get a child involved in a dance program:
- they learn to speak a language that does not involve words.
- they learn that diligent work pays off (they see the results in the mirror).
- they learn to receive guidance and instruction from a trusted authority figure outside their family unit.
- they learn discipline and perseverance by having to memorize, execute, and practice a series of movement in a specific order.
- they learn how to work with there kids in class towards a common goal.
Kids benefit from dance just like adults do:
- Stimulated brain function and strengthened cognitive abilities (focus, concentration, memory, pattern recognition, problem solving and innovation).
- Strengthened neurological health.
- Weight management.
- Increased Flexibility and Improved Blood Flow.
- Strengthen core and Improved posture.
- Improves balance.
- Spacial awareness (respecting space).
- Stress-relief.
- Mood Boost.
- Therapeutic – releases energy and emotion, an incredible emotional outlet.
- Boosts Confidence.
- Increases appreciation for the arts (broadens their knowledge and appreciation for culture).
- Motivation and Inspiration, just like other forms of sports.
- Good habits- following instructions, cooperation, preparation, dedication.
- Improved Communication (cognitive benefits+boosted confidence = more comfortable communicating)
- Creativity (you get to imagine and explore)
- Sense of Self-Worth (when you’re proud of yourself, your self-love grows)
- Fun (it’s so good when you enjoy something that’s good for you)
- Body Language Awareness
“It’s all connected. If your child has a strong body that can host a strong mind, they’ll experience the world differently. Remember that we’re talking about art, something that has always been considered emotional, if not spiritual.”
Should you get your kid involved in dance?
Based on my experience, I would say YES! This is not me trying to tell you how t parent. This is me telling you dance has changed my life in so many ways and I haven’t met one child that has not benefited from being put in a dance class. So many parents get scared that if their kids dance when young they will choose THAT as a career. I would say the benefits your child will experience long-term and short-term outweighs the fake future you just created in your head for your child. Just because you put them in dance does not mean they have to pursue it as a career. And I hope that if they choose to do so, that you can find it in you to be supportive of them and their very hard decision. I thank God my parents were supportive of me.
ADVICE: If your child is interested in dance, I would personally highly recommend you put them in a ballet class in addition to whatever other dance style interests them. Ballet may not be their favorite, but it’s considered the mother of all dance styles. It’s an incredible dance technique to gain body awareness, learn discipline and patience, strengthen the core, and gain understanding on using the floor as a dancer. I have not met one dancer who has not benefited from having “ballet” in their back pocket. Not one.
In our ,previous blog, we talked about how a lot of ,people feel intimidated by dance/dancers. We also shared a video with tips on how to have a great dance class. Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMeQ-OpHluc&list=PLj4lUrypHXsMs-BmNkskKKwXlmU_nemUW
I hope this has been eye-opening. I am extremely grateful my parents allowed me to dance from a young age. Not because I chose it as my career (my two sisters grew up like me and didn’t become professional dancers), but because it has benefited me in so many ways. It still does.
If you have a child and you both enjoy dancing or you’d like to inspire your child to get involved in dance, try one of our ,dance workouts/dance classes at home together. It might just be a really fun time for you, a great way to connect, and an amazing opportunity express without any words.
We covered how Dance is so beneficial in so many ways (,Physical, ,Mental, ,Emotional). We highly encourage you to discuss as a family if putting your child in a dance class can benefit them.
Nobody puts baby in the corner.
If they want to dance, I urge you to let them.
Happy living and happy dancing,
Ferly
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