The dance lesson is an important part of a student’s training, and it should be tailored to their needs. For example, if a student wants to work on their strength and endurance, the tutor can curate a plan that focuses on those areas.
Tutors should introduce themselves and ask students for their goals, interests, and any previous dance experience or background. This will help the tutor decide what steps to start with and will help the student feel at ease in the class.
Lessons usually start with a warm-up and some bar work before moving on to the choreographed dance. The tutor may also take the opportunity to discuss dance concepts such as rhythm, phrasing, or the importance of counting steps to the beat.
Inexperienced students will need to concentrate hard and focus on learning the terminology and steps. They will probably need to repeat the steps several times in order to understand them. This is normal. However, experienced students should not be pushed too far out of their comfort zone as they will have built up an accumulated dance style. They will resent a teacher who dismisses their personal style.
For older students the dance lesson could include a movement exploration that links to a current classroom theme such as climate change or sustainability. For instance, students could explore the effects of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on ocean life using a combination of steps and structured improvisation.
