Why should my child dance?
Physical Benefits
According to an article published on Livestrong.com in August 2013, “Dancing is a highly physical activity, and kids who take dance lessons regularly should expect to see a significant improvement in their overall physical health. Regular dance practice can increase your child's flexibility, range of motion, physical strength and stamina. The repetitive movements involved in dance can improve muscle tone, correct poor posture, increase balance and coordination and improve overall cardiovascular health. Dancing is an aerobic form of exercise. For children who are overweight, it can potentially help them to lose weight and improve their eating habits.”
Social and Emotional Benefits
Beyond the pure health benefits of dancing are the social and emotional benefits of dance. Children taking dance class make friends. They learn to respect and interact with teachers and other students in a formal dance-classroom setting.
From the March/April 2006 edition of FamilyTalk Magazine, “Group choreography fosters teamwork, communication, trust and cooperation. Dance also has been proven to nurture important life skills, such as discipline and focus. Dancers naturally display confidence, self-esteem and poise. These skills are developed through participating in dance performances.”
Academic Benefits
Dance fosters a child’s creativity. Dance classes provide structure to children, often helping a child with emotional or behavioral issues to normalize. Research also demonstrates a strong link between children involved in the arts and advanced educational achievement. In fact, www.artsusa.org published a study that showed “students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to participate in a math and science fair, but also out-perform their peers on the SATs by 87 points,” regardless of their socioeconomic status.