So Your Kids Think They Can Dance? Why That’s a Good Thing!
| 3 min read
No matter where you live in Michigan, there are nearby studios with the sole focus of introducing dance to children. There is Knapp School of Dance in Macomb County, Michigan Academy of Dance and Music in Dexter and West Michigan Dance Center in Kalamazoo, to name a few. What you may not realize is that all of those studios don’t just teach rhythm and choreography, they also expose kids to some pretty important life lessons they can use long after class is over.
- A wider view of physical activity: It’s important for everyone to learn to love being active and to understand that there is a whole world of activities out there to try. And if someone learns that from a young age, that’s even better. Children are likely already aware of traditional team sports—they often play them during school and in summer camp—so suggesting dance lessons is a great way to broaden their horizons.
- The importance of practice: Kids don’t stage a performance in front of an audience the first week of dance lessons. It takes many classes and rehearsals before the big moment. This means they will see that to reach a big milestone (the dance recital), hours and hours of practice and hard work have to happen first.
- Teamwork: Almost every dance routine relies on working well with other people. If one child refuses to coordinate with the others, it ruins the whole performance. But the opposite is also true: When all kids move in sync, the dance routine comes together beautifully. This teaches a child how to share the spotlight and how being a team player benefits a group as a whole.
- Confidence: Performing in front of a crowd is the perfect way to get your kid comfortable being in front of others—something that will help them when they have to give presentations or speeches later on in life.
- Healthy competition: Not every child is going to get to be the star in the dance performance. Maybe your kid gets that coveted spot, but maybe it goes to someone else. And there isn’t always an obvious reason why one kid is chosen over another. Life not being fair can be a tough lesson to learn, but it’s also a necessary one.
Interested in other ways to teach kids to love being active? Check out these blog posts:
This blog post is part of #MIKidsCan, an initiative created by Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan to promote positive change in the health and well-being of Michigan youth. To learn more about the campaign, visit https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/mikidscan
Photo credit: Bethany King
