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NEW TO DANCE?
4 Things You Should Know Before Choosing a Dance Studio
Despite many dance studios having certified teachers, high-quality dance training, and a
year-end recital to commemorate the dance season, they are not all the same. Choosing the right dance studio for your child can have a large impact on their social, emotional, and physical well-being and development.
Below, we have listed 4 factors that make a huge difference in the quality of instruction, experience, and the overall enjoyment your child and family receive when being involved with a dance program.
1 - What Type of Floor is Used?
​Dance is a very physical activity that requires a lot of jumping, which can put stress on the dancer’s bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support for said bones and joints; therefore, the shock of dance movement can place significant pressure on the knees and back of a dancer. The best way to prevent potential injury is to choose a studio with a professional “Sprung Floor.” A “sprung floor” is a floor designed specifically to absorb shock. It’s considered to be the best available floor for dance and indoor sports.
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 recreational to 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, and usually opt for a regular floor tile for a studio floor.
At Bella Dance Academy, all three of our dance studios are equipped with professional sprung floors with a Marley top surface. Our special floors help reduce the risk of injuries and allow students to dance longer without getting tired.
2 - What is the Size of the Class?
​Smaller class sizes allow students to receive more personalized attention, learn more, and have more fun in their dance class. With younger students, smaller class sizes make it easier for an instructor to maintain control over the class and make sure each student fully understands the concepts and instructions. A smaller class size also allows our instructors to ensure that students are not developing bad habits or improper technique.
At Bella Dance Academy, our average class size is 12 students per class, enabling personalized attention, better understanding of class concepts, and a more community-like class environment.
3 - How Do I Choose the Right Level of Dance for My Child?
​Most students are placed in classes by age. This helps to ensure that dancers are working on technique and skills safe for their physical development level, as well as age-appropriate choreography. If you are unsure about what level to register your child, please reach out to us at info@belladance.ca, and we would love to help guide you in choosing the class to best suit your child.
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How Do I Know My Child Is Ready to Move Up a Level?
Just as receiving a report card from school assists you in understanding your child’s progress in school, an evaluation from their dance instructor assists you in understanding your child’s progress in dance.
Bella Dance Academy provides individual student evaluation forms at the end of each season to assist you in choosing the appropriate class level to register your dancer for the upcoming season. As well as personalized recommendations for classes, we believe they will enjoy and help improve their dance education.
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We encourage families to check in with their child’s instructor throughout the dance season to track their progress. However, receiving written evaluations at the end of the season provides you and your child with feedback regarding their strengths and weaknesses in dance, so there is an understanding of what they need to focus on in future classes. As well as the areas in which your child excels. This feedback provides valuable information so that you and your child understand the class placement recommendation for the upcoming dance year.
4 - What Extras are Offered Throughout the Season?
​​Most youth activities offer many additional events throughout the season. Bella Dance Academy offers extra performance opportunities outside of our annual year-end show, such as The Nutcracker, our STAR Leadership team, Birthday Parties, Student Appreciation events, and so much more!
We also run various fundraisers throughout the season to benefit local community groups such as the Yellowknife Women's Society, Foster Family Coalition, the Rainbow Coalition of Yellowknife, and the YK Food Bank.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, as well as keep up-to-date with our Weekly Wednesday newsletter, to stay informed on all upcoming events and fundraisers.
The Many Benefits of Dance
This excellent article from More Than Just Great Dance provides in-depth details, citing the numerous benefits of dance, including social and emotional, physical, intellectual, and academic aspects.
Social & Emotional Benefits
"Dance promotes psychological health and maturity. Children enjoy the opportunity to express their emotions and become aware of themselves and others through creative movement [...] Movement within a class offers a structured outlet for physical release while gaining awareness and appreciation of oneself and others (More Than Just Great Dancing, 2020)."
Intellectual & Academic Benefits
"Young children will create movement spontaneously when presented with ideas or problems that can be solved with a movement response. Movement provides a cognitive loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution. This teaches an infant, child, and ultimately, adult to function in and understand the world (More Than Just Great Dancing, 2020)."
Physical Benefits
"Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength, and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dance utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness. Young children are naturally active, but dance offers an avenue to expand movement possibilities and skills (More Than Just Great Dancing, 2020). "
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