Imagine: You enter the studio, slip into your dance shoes, and take in the sweet smell of lavender to calm your mind. Then, you begin to move and smile. You get lost in the moment, feeling proud of yourself as your hard work pays off. You head home, look at videos of the dance lesson, and feel even more fulfilled than when you first walked into our cozy studio. That’s what dancing makes possible.
In addition to developing strong technique, dance lessons help students develop critical-thinking skills, become creative movers, and learn to collaborate with others. To create this holistic learning experience, instructors use the five-part lesson plan. This lesson plan format includes a way to transition into class (Opening Ritual), a thorough warm-up (Warming Up), an introduction of the day’s dance concept, and exploration of that concept through guided improvisation. The lessons also include opportunities for reflection and a way to cool down through physical movements that are either less strenuous or different from those performed during the rest of the class.
One of the most difficult things for many dancers to master is spatial patterns and musicality. In order to move well, dancers must be able to navigate the dance classroom in a variety of ways including lines, circles, and zig-zags. They must also be able to recognize the rhythm of the music they are dancing to and keep their own pace and movement within that of the group they are in.
