After dance class, it is important for the students to continue practicing at home so they don’t forget their steps by next week’s class. It’s also critical to keep the students engaged and excited about dance when they are thinking about it throughout the week.
For younger students, it can be hard practicing at home, because the students may not fully remember their dance. The dance instructors are always there to help out, however. Ask your child’s dance instructor what song they are going to be dancing to and take a video of the dance on your phone during the class to reference later in the week.
To keep younger kids motivated to practice, make sure to develop a routine. A few days a week for practice outside of dance class will get students well adapted to practicing. If younger dance students show resistance to practicing, small rewards and words of encouragement can always help. To ensure an effective practice session, go through the dance a couple times with the student and then have a couple minutes of “free dance” to the student’s favorite song.
For older kids, other activities often get in the way of having time to practice dance. Remind them that practicing their dance a couple times should only have to take about 10 minutes, and everyone can find a way to squeeze 10 minutes into their schedule. When they get back to dance class the next week, their confidence can soar from knowing the dance better and progressing quicker through the dance.
When practicing at home, make sure you warm up and stretch. If your muscles are not warmed up, you could injure yourself! Also make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing for the dancing that you will be doing. Baggy clothes are probably not a good idea if you are practicing ballet. Practice in a good space for what you will be doing. Move furniture out of the way if necessary, or practice in the basement where there are no roadblocks in the way to trip you up.
Stay positive when you are practicing. If you stay positive, it makes reaching your goals more achievable and makes you happier. You are going to have tough times when learning something new or difficult, but remember that you love to dance and you will become stronger through the challenge! Don’t overdo it. Make sure you give yourself a chance to rest too!
The benefits of practicing dance at home are numerous. By practicing at home, students can stay active, learn their dances faster, and keep their motivation and drive to dance alive.
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