May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while dance may be one of the most effective ways to improve one’s mental health overall, there are aspects to a dancer’s experience that may challenge the balance between the mind and the body. Especially in more traditional dance settings, things like the mirror, food, and even peers can inhibit a dancer’s ability to maintain a healthy mindset. When this happens, comparison is chosen over compassion. Image is chosen over wellness. Perfectionism is chosen over personal care.
But, there are ways to shield dancers from these harmful notions. Whether you’re a dance teacher, a caregiver, or family member, in this article we aim to equip you with important tools to use in class or at home to support your dancers’ mental health through out their lives.
  1. Open the line of communication– Talking about mental health is one way to  alleviate the stigma associated with it, as well as ease any tentativeness discussing topics like depression, anxiety, and body image. For example, up until recently, the concept of mental health was not readily accepted as a suitable topic of discussion in society. Now in our present day, it has become clear that silence perpetuates the problem. Not sure how to break the silence with your dancer? Share a way you practice self-care in your daily routine or what you do when you’re feeling down.
  2.  Advocate for healthy choices– Dance is great for your physical health! However, when the emphasis is on one’s figure rather than wellbeing, the message that sends to dancers can be both mentally and physically damaging with long lasting effects. As teachers, caregivers, and parents, however, you can choose to send a different message. If you’re a teacher, being inclusive of all body types and abilities in class can radically shift your students’ definition of the word, “dancer.” At home, the conversation can be extended to the importance of eating healthy foods in order to make dancing stronger and more powerful. What’s our favorite way to advocate for a healthy choices? Leading by example. Your dancers are bound to notice and be inspired to follow suit.
  3. Promote positive self-talk- When you’re in a bad mood, have you ever noticed yourself talking down to yourself with phrases like, “Ugh, you can never do anything right” or “Why are you like this?!”- either internally or out-loud? Chances are you probably wouldn’t talk to your dancer that way, and you probably wouldn’t want them talking to themselves that way either! A change in the script can make a huge difference to self-esteem and can be helpful in nurturing compassion for ourselves (and each other) when we go through challenging times in life.. Instead of letting your dancer succumb to negative self talk, offer different phrases to try like, “I’m still learning” or “I’m growing through what I go through”. Through positive reframing like this, dancers learn the power of perspective and its ability to not only enrich their growth on the dance floor, but also, their mental health through out their lives.

    Try these at home and in class to help support your dancer’s mental health today!

, , ,

5 Benefits of Taking Class Together!

Some of the BEST memories are made on a dance floor together! As we celebrate Bring Your Person to Class (BYPTC) at the studio soon, it got us reflecting on how special it is to share dance with loved ones- something our Mini & Me classes get to do every week! In this article, we aim to explore the ways dancing together, whether its in BYPTC week or a weekly Mini & Me class, benefit both the adult and the child.

Below, we share 5 benefits both you and your mini me will gain from taking class together:

  1. Bonding + Quality Time – Carving out special dance time together helps facilitate and support the adult + child connection. When you commit to following through on taking class together, you enforce the promise you made to share in something intentionally special for you two, increasing trust, strengthening your bond, and promoting consistency, which is essential to motor and mental development.
  2. Developing Mental and Motor Skills– Speaking of motor and mental development- dance class is an optimal approach to achieving and supporting healthy bodies. Studies show that both adults and children benefit from dance classes, and some benefits include increased brain function, memory retention, and strengthening muscles, among many others. Scroll through to see our post entitled, “5 Ways Children Benefit from Dance Classes“ for more!
  3. Socializing– Dancing together is a wonderful way to connect to the community and make new friends. Through sharing the experience of class together, your dancer will explore creating friendships for the first time, while you are able to connect with other adults on all things childcare, dance, and more! For many, the connections and friendships built in class can be lasting, positive relationships that extend beyond dance and widen the net of support for families, caregivers, and students.
  4. Expression– Dancing holds the power to unlock and release emotions in a healthy, mindful, and creative way. For both adults and children, who each deal with their own daily stressors and challenges, the act of coming together on the dance floor can empower both parties to explore their expression in a conducive way. The effects of this expression can have an overall positive impact on one’s own sense of happiness as well as the relationships and friendships within one’s own circle.
  5. Develop Independence– You’ve heard the expression: “Monkey see, monkey do”? The same is true for dancing together! While initially you may wonder how dancing with someone could result in increased independence, we’ve found that with the assistance of their adult in class, dancers are excited to watch, learn, and model moves and class expectations exhibited by their adult. Ultimately, this will encourage them to make similar choices in class on their own. Over time and with consistency, dancers will see a boost in their confidence and autonomy on the dance floor, allowing adults to be able to sit back more and let loose in their own way.

    Whether you come for BYPTC week or to one of our weekly Mini & Me classes, we’re thrilled to provide the opportunity for families to connect through dance here at Reach For The Barres! Hope to see you AND your dancer in the studio soon!

, , , , ,

Party Mode On!

You’re cordially invited to attend the parties of the Summer!

 

With imaginative, original themes, like Into the Fun-known and Minnie Mouse Dress Up House, each one of our newest Pirouette + Play Dance Parties celebrates the joy of movement, creativity, and fun!

Below, we share four more things we already love about Pirouette + Play Dance Parties:

  • P+P Parties combine the magic of dance class with the fun of camp in a festive two hour party!
  • P+P Parties have all the party essentials: games, crafts, and – of course – dancing!
  • P+P Parties provide an open, welcoming space for dancers to express themselves!
  • P+P Parties are the perfect place for nurturing new friends or making new memories with old ones!

RSVP for four P+P Parties by May 1st and receive an Early Bird Discount on ALL four parties. Plus, you’ll  receive one of our Party Punchcard with your purchase!

Boogie into as many of our Pirouette + Play Dance Parties as you can make it to and keep your tiny dancer moving & grooving all summer long! With so much fun in store, we can’t wait to get these parties started! For more details, view our party page HERE.

Want to introduce your toddler to dance this summer?

Leap into one of our Little Stars Reach For The Barres (Micro Camp) and give your tiny dancer a small sampling of the basics.

By the end of camp, your dancer will feel confident and excited to make their dance debut in our upcoming ’22/23 main season!

What is a Little Stars Reach For The Barres (Micro Camp)?
A micro-camp is a three day series of 45 min dance sessions, packed with learning opportunities for ages 2.5-3.5. A general daily schedule will consist of:
  • Circle Time
  • Warm-Up
  • Ballet Barre
  • Across The Floor Variations
  • Tumble Time
  • Listen + Move (Creative Movement)
  • Turn Taking Opportunities
  • Pattern Building
Why sign up? For many dancers, this will be their first time exploring movement on a dance floor, meeting new friends, and/or participating in a structured learning environment. If your little one is about to start school for the first time or you’re looking for a trial-run to dance class, micro-camps provide a nurturing, developmentally appropriate, and fun way to kickoff your dancer’s journey!
Plus, they’re a great way to get accustomed with the studio, our faculty, protocols, and fellow peers. When classes resume in the fall, these little campers will have full confidence jumping back onto the dance floor and into a new, weekly class of their own!

Perks to Little Stars Reach For The Barres (Micro Camp)?
  • 3 weeks worth of dance classes packed into 3 days is just too good of a deal to pass up!
  • Incredibly fun themes week-to-week, providing lots of dance variety and magic!
  • Pattern building +  Play = Self Confidence!

Aside from the physical, social, and emotional BENEFITS OF DANCE CLASS FOR KIDS  enrolling in a dance experience like micro-camps allows your dancer to build upon their dance knowledge and skills ahead of the ’22/23 Main Season.

With summer still a couple months away, our LITTLE STARS schedule can be a compliment to your summer plans. Rather than missing out on classes because of summer vacation plans, you’re be able to sign-up around your big plans AND get the full bang for your buck!

We can’t wait to introduce your dancer to the magic of dance! For more info or to check out our LITTE STLARS REACH FOR THE BARRES (MICRO CAMP) schedule.