How Does Dance Benefit Children?

With so many extracurricular activities for families to choose from, it can be extremely hard for parents to decide where to send their child in the hours outside of school. From sports to music lessons to theatre groups, the options are endless - so why choose dance?

If you're someone who's spent some time in the studio growing up you understand the countless ways that dance lessons become life lessons. As for myself, I know I wouldn't be the person I am today without having had dance as a major influence in my life, from improved academics as student to an intense work ethic and sense of dedication as an adult in the professional world. So if you're considering extracurricular activities for your child, let me make the case for dance.

Improved Classroom Performance

Countless studies have shown that students who participate in dance outside of school display and increased level of focus and cognitive function. The discipline instilled in students in the studio translates directly to academics as well, improving a student's sense of dedication when it comes to school work.

Increased Social Awareness

Dance can be the perfect introduction for toddlers and preschoolers to begin their social education - music and movement provide the perfect backdrop for one on one interactions between both teachers and fellow students to take place and for communication skills to begin to grow. The dance class setting is also an ideal place to introduce a group learning environment to young children, allowing them to relate themselves as individuals to a larger group.

Active Lifestyle

In a world driven by social media and the latest and greatest technology development, it is more important than ever for children to find ways to be physically active. Developing a lifetime love for dance also instills a lifelong passion for physical fitness and movement in general. Students of dance are more likely to develop healthy habits, not just physically but mentally. Strength of both the body and the mind is instilled in dancers from an early age, and is something that will carry through their entire lives. 

Enhanced Professional Performance

There are endless ways that a dance education instills in students the life skills that will be highly beneficial in future careers. Determination, discipline and drive are founding pillars of a dancer's mindset and are equally essential to a successful professional career as an adult. Dancers are quick-thinking and resilient, able to take constructive criticism with grace and apply that criticism easily to improve job performance. The way a dancer carries themselves will never fade, and is an attribute that allows them to stand out from the crowd throughout their lives.

The benefits of dance training are truly endless, but possibly most important among them is fostering an innate sense of creativity and appreciation for the arts in general. From performance arts like dance, music, and theatre to the visual arts like drawing and writing, the arts enrich our lives and our communities like nothing else can. And even if a dancer someday stops dancing, they will never lose the love they've developed for the creative arts.

Stop by next week for a brand new article all about the benefits of dancing as an adult!

Happy dancing loves!