Have you always wanted to learn to dance? Taking adult dance classes is somewhat different from taking them as a young person. One’s body has finished growing—though perhaps not horizontally—and flexibility might have been lost over the years. Knees and backs of adults have endured decades of activity and might vocally express their displeasure through creaks, cracks, and pops.
Maybe you took dance classes as a young child or had aspirations for dancing with a company. Even if you have never danced before, dance classes are a particularly good physical activity for adults. Combining elements of a cardio workout and artistic expression, dance is often gentle on the joints with isometric, bodyweight and resistance training exercises.
Taking adult dance classes — ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop—is a great way to keep an aging body in shape, flexible, and healthy. One of the biggest challenges that adults face when taking dance classes after 10 years or more being away from dance, is to re-calibrate the expectations for one’s achievement. As a young person, splits might have come easily, but no longer—the adult’s challenge is to not be disappointed in their body’s new definition of ability. Perhaps one’s turnout used to rival professional dancers’, but to force the same turnout in one’s ’30s or ’40s might cause injury. Patience and diligence is the new name of the game. A good instructor will make sure one’s physical boundaries are pushed safely and with good technique.
One of the great advantages of taking adult dance classes is bypassing all of the insecurities one might have faced as a youth. Presumably, an adult student is taking a dance class for their own satisfaction, and will not be “competing” against their fellow classmates. Everyone in the class is taking dance for their own selves. Some adults might still be very flexible, with previous experience in the sport. Some might have studied as a child and returned after a long hiatus. Others still might have never taken dance before, but, as adults want to fulfill a long-held dream. Such a variety of levels and experience makes for an unpretentious environment with gentle and individualized critique from instructors. Each dancer can work on their personal skill level—no need for uniformity.
The Omaha School of Music and Dance’s Adult Combo class is working on Hip Hop this spring. The class takes place Monday nights—a great way to start off the week feeling limber and inspired. Register online, or call the OSMD office to register by phone and for more information about the studio
The Omaha School of Music and Dance often creates classes based on demand. If you might be particularly interested in an adult class other than Combo for the summer session (Tap, Ballet, etc.), please call or email our office to register your interest. If enough interest is documented, we can open up a class based on your demands, and you could be grand jeté-ing by June!
