OBSERVATION WEEK
OBSERVATION WEEK FOR KIDS & TEENS CLASSES
Monday 20/11 – Saturday 25/11
Families are invited to come in and observe their dancer’s whole class. All of our dancers have been working hard and we would love to show you their progress so far!
TIPS FOR OUR YOUNG DANCERS PARENTS
It’s Parent Observation time here at Dancenter, and while we know you will come to see your dancer shine, there are a few other things we hope you will observe.
Observation Class can be loud and intimidating for the dancer. It can be a little scary for young dancers to face room full adults during their normal class when they are not used to that. Needless to say, all of the excitement may cause your child to act out more than normal, cry a little or just need to sit with you for a minute. If you notice behaviors that concern you, just ask your teacher. But chances are your child is just reacting to the audience in the room.
Talk with your dancer to prepare them for the special guests that will be watching their class. Remind your dancer that there will be parents watching their class, but they need to listen to their teacher and dance just like normal so you can watch them! If you know that your child may want to sit with you or be a little clingy: agree to one or two hugs before class starts and then immediately after, but encourage them not to sit in your lap or ask to be held during the class. Warn your dancer in advance if you will not be attending the full class.
Warn your dancer in advance if you will not be attending the full class. It is heartbreaking to see a young child expect to see their parents with all of the other mommies and daddies and then not find them. So if you will be dropping your dancer off and not returning until the end, or only watching for part of the class, please talk with your dancer in advance so they know what to expect.
Try Not to Interact With Your Dancer During Class
It can be hard not to talk to your dancer or let them run to your lap every few minutes, but in order for the class to run smoothly we need to minimize these distractions. So encourage your dancer to participate in the full class and celebrate with them after.
Young dancers will not get everything right, and may struggle to focus with an audience in the room, so be sure to catch them winning at certain things so you can celebrate those accomplishments!
♦♦ Here are few accomplishments to look for:
Celebrate Their Accomplishments!
• They understand and participate in the flow and different parts of the class
• They listen to the teacher and attempt to follow directions
• They know how to make a circle, sit like a dancer, find their spot and line-up behind when going across the floor. (These skills become very important for choreography)
• They know the name of dance steps and participate in choreography
• They are kind and respectful to their teacher and classmates
• Their smiles are contagious and light up the room!
If Your Child Is Too Upset to Participate… That’s Okay! Class Observations can be very overwhelming for young dancers. Observation Classes are not an indicator of how well your child will perform on stage for the recital! Being on stage is a very different experience from having your regular classroom full of people! We have had dancers struggle with observation that do amazingly on stage, so don’t be worried or discouraged.
It’s More Than Just Dance!
We hope you will observe the love, care and devotion our teachers have for their students; as well as their commitment to excellence. Dance is about so much more than just the steps and we want our dancers to gain not only a passion and love for dance, but also be encouraged to love and care for others. At Dancenter we teach that dance can be an expression of our hearts so we hope you are moved by the dancer’s expression. Your dancers fill our hearts every week, so may you leave with a full heart as you share in their dance experience.
