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Choosing A Dance Studio for Your Child

If most dance studios seem to have qualiﬁed, friendly teachers, are experienced in teaching children, and produce a big show at the end of the year, aren’t they all pretty much the same? Does it really matter which place you choose to enroll your child? Yes.

There are 4 main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives, the amount of extra work and hassles the parents must deal with, and the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a dance program.

4 Things Every Parent Should Know Before Choosing A Dance Studio
One of the most important choices facing parents today is that of choosing a dance school for their child. Today with the increasing number of studios in the area, it has become harder than ever before for a parent to make this choice. So, how do you choose where to send your child for dance? There is no regulation of dance studios in the U.S. Anyone can open a dance studio and call himself or herself a dance teacher. What questions do you ask? And when you ask the right questions, what answers should you be looking for?
Below is a quide to the most frequently asked questions when choosing the right school for your child.

1. WHAT TYPE OF DANCE FLOOR IS USED?

The dance floor is the most important part of a studio. Dance is a very physical activity, requiring a lot of jumping, which can put stress on the bones and joints. Most dance footwear lacks any substantial cushioning or support, so the shock of dance movement on the feet can relay a lot of pressure to the knees, ankles, and back. For this reason, it is important that the studio have a “sprung” floor, which is a wood floor placed over wood and/or foam blocks which greatly helps to absorb the impact of jumping. Very few studios use professional floors because of the expense involved, and usually install regular floor tile for the studio floor.
Mirrors and Barres are another important part of any dance studio. Professional Barres allow students to learn proper placement in ballet. Our studio has professional double and adjustable barres for all students and adults, Every studio should also have full length mirrors lining the entire front of the facility. Without mirrors, students cannot check for proper placement and positioning of the body. Each of our studios has mirrors lining the entire front wall.

2. QUALITY TRAINING
Most young dancers will start anywhere from ages 3 to 10yrs. Therefore most young dancers will invest anywhere from 5 – 15years in one dance studio. That adds up to a big investment of time & money for the parent over the years. What is surprising is that a parent will take more time planning for a vacation then picking a long term dance studio for their child. A parent needs to put equal time in choosing a dance studio as they would select a doctor or a dentist. So how does one know if one's child is receiving good training?
With so many schools from which to choose, all appearing to be equally qualified through a wealth of information with technology today, how does a parent know if the training is as good as the information acquired?
One of the best ways to see what results a good school is accomplishing with their dancers is to go & review one of their shows (like a recital or Christmas show). Or, observe their most recent video. A performance allows you to see the quality & level of dancing performed & executed by the students. From this observation the parent is more able to make a responsible selection. And isn’t our children's means of expression in the arts, whether it be goal oriented or for the pure joy of dance, of paramount importance?

3. HOW MUCH VARIETY IS THERE IN DANCE STYLES & CLASS TIMES?

Offering a wide variety of dance & fitness styles benefits both dancers and parents. As students progress they may become interested in different styles of dance or exercise. Also, different children and or parents in the same family may have different interests. Our studio offers more than ten different styles of dance, divided by both age group and level of training. We offer both a strong recreational dance program and an extensive pre-professional dance program for interested students.
A wide variety of classes and class-times allows parents to schedule multiple children at the same time and to more easily fit dance classes into their busy lives. At our studio we offer weekday morning, afternoon & evening classes, along with Saturday morning and afternoon classes.

4. CAN I GET IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE?

In many studios the teacher or the studio owner works both as an instructor and as an administrator. By trying to do two jobs at once, the teacher is often forced to use class time in order to handle customer service issues. Or, the studio may offer no customer service while the teacher is in a class. If you want attention and quick service, choose a studio that can assist you with details such as costumes or schedules even if a teacher is occupied in a class. Our studios have office staff on hand during most regular class times as well as during the summer hours so that parents can get immediate assistance on-site or over the phone as well as our LHQ website.