WHAT KIND OF DANCE IS RIGHT?

There are many types of dance, and you can find people who are knowledgable and willing to teach just about all of them.

So what genre of dance should a child begin with? The old school train of thought is that children who are "serious" about dancing should always begin with ballet. It's true that ballet technical skills, focus on flexibility, precision, and fluidity can be a great foundation for many dancers. Sometimes those students who begin with ballet have an easier time picking up other styles later on.

It would be arguable that some young children don't have the patience or desire to focus on specific foot/leg positions, the monotony of barre and floor work, or the breaking down of complex movements to the basics... all set to classical music.

On the other hand, research shows that almost all children thrive in a structured environment, where expectations are set and upheld, and the patterns are consistent and predictable. Practicing skills over and over feels comfortable, and over time, mastery of skills occurs.

A good dance teacher should incorporate all of these things into their instruction. If ballet isn't what your child wants to learn, and it's tap, or hip hop, or ballroom, then the lessons should all follow a structure and sequence that your child can comprehend, can be challenged, and feel joyous and successful at. The movement patterns should offer some predictability, be able to be practiced outside of the studio, and be something that the student wants to engage in often.

In essence, your child should be encouraged to try many types of dance, if dancing is what they are passionate about. A lot will depend on the instructor, as well as your child's level of interest and effort, as to which they excel at, or are at least have the most fun participating in. And truly, that is what dancing is all about.