A dance lesson is a session led by a professional or experienced dance instructor designed to teach participants specific dance moves, techniques, routines and styles. Lessons may be tailored for various skill levels from beginners to advanced dancers and can take place in a physical setting or through a virtual platform.
A key part of the dance lesson process is helping students overcome challenges that might prevent them from fully engaging with a particular activity or skill set. This is often a matter of reframing the class point of view from one that emphasizes the need for flawless performances to one that recognizes that error and experimentation are an essential part of motor learning.
Some children may be uncomfortable with a particular aspect of the lesson, such as a close embrace in couple dancing or sustained direct eye contact. While it might be tempting to dismissively tell such dancers to “get over it,” they will learn better (and stay in your classes) if you provide them with alternative activities that support their comfort zone.
A good dance lesson will also help students develop their observational skills. It will encourage not only the ability to see and name individual steps and movements, but also the broader conceptual contexts within which those movements fit. For example, telling dancers to run across the room to “catch the Big Bad Wolf” or reach their arms up to hold a cloud helps them understand how these movements relate to the overall story they are creating.
