I WANT MY YOUNG CHILD IN DANCE CLASS...

It's so exciting to have your own child (or grandchild/godchild, niece, etc) whom you want to become a dancer, isn't it? Perhaps you were a dancer when you were younger, or wanted to be, and now you have a kiddo that you want to get started in classes as soon as possible... they might be the next Misty Copland or Rudolph Nureyev!

Ok... but when should your child start in dance lessons? Let's think about how children develop. I've often been told I could dance before I walked. I know this isn't actually true (I may have bounced up and down happily prior to taking my first steps) because the act of dancing is typically purposeful movement set rhythmically to music.

I find it interesting that many studios offer dance classes for ages 1-3. Really? Let's also think about attention span. Is your one year old able to stay focused on a task for more than 30 seconds to a minute? These classes may be touted at as "creative movement" but I would argue that no child younger than two has the ability to stay focused enough to learn repetitive movements and be able to reproduce what they've learned, while staying in their own space without hitting or bonking into others or falling down and getting potentially injured.

If you wan't your child to be able to learn dance movements and to feel some success, they should be:

• potty trained, or able to stay dry for 30-45 minutes in a class

• able to answer simple questions, express their needs, and have at least a short dialogue with the teacher and other students

• able to stay in their own space without constantly touching others or needing to be held

• have at least a bit of a handle on movement patterns (moving back and forth, walking vs. running, sitting vs. standing)

Don't get me wrong! As a parent or caregiver, I think you should put on music with your young child(ren) and get moving at home, for as long as it's fun and safe for them! I just don't believe you should waste your money enrolling a child under 3 in an organized dance class. To me, that's just expensive, glorified babysitting set to music.