Your Complete Guide to the Different Types of Dance Classes

Looking to cultivate your child’s dancing talent? Whether it’s for recreation or to prepare them for a future dancing career, formal training is a must.

Enrolling your child to dance classes can help them enhance their skills. However, you might feel overwhelmed with so many dance styles out there.

Our guide will help you learn various types of dance classes for your little one. Read on and discover how.

Ballet Classes

Ballet music has a refined and classical feel to it. It makes your child feel like a Prima Donna when they don the tutus and twirl around your living room. It also offers more cultural exposure since the dance positions use French.

Your child needs balance and flexibility skills to become an excellent ballerina. At the same time, their stamina must improve to sustain long dances. If your child stays consistent with their classes, they can graduate by the age of 12.

After graduating ballet, they can try pointe. It’s a more challenging variant of ballet since you must train and dance on your toes. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and only those with passion can reach this next level.

Tap Dancing

Considered a percussive dance style, tap dancing requires wearing special shoes. These shoes have metal taps underneath to produce a crisp tapping sound. Enrolling your child in these classes teacher your child timing, rhythm, and beat.

If your child is cheerful, tap dancing is a great style for their personality. Tap music is often lively and animated. Your child can choose between various dances like:

  • Flamenco
  • Rhythm
  • Broadway
  • Classical
  • Post-modern

However, aside from shoes with metal taps, this dance requires a specialist floor. It helps achieve a crisper, more hollow sound. It highlights their performance while protecting their joints from untoward injuries.

Jazz

Children with higher energy levels will thrive in jazz dance lessons. It’s an upbeat dance style using the music of the same name. This dancing style improves your kid’s improv skills because it allows them to own their moves.

If your child suffers from low self-esteem, jazz can give them a boost. It makes them feel more satisfied with themselves since they can make their dance moves. It makes them feel more valuable when discovering moves that work for them.

Jazz and ballet sometimes go hand in hand. Both dancing styles require flexibility to produce dynamic and fluid movements.

However, instead of a refined and classical feel, it feels exciting and more modern. It keeps your child moving while improving their skills.

Lyrical/Contemporary

A contemporary dance class teaches your child a combination of classical dance styles. They learn choreography while expressing the music. The dance allows the audience to realize the music’s deeper meaning and purpose.

Your child learns graceful and flowing movements in lyrical and contemporary dance lessons. As their foundation, they will develop great strength and flexibility in the process. Often, they will dance either barefooted or nude-colored half-dance shoes.

If your child shows interest in this dance style, you must enroll them in ballet classes. This ensures that they’re fit enough to handle the physical and skill requirements.

Hip-Hop

This dance style uses music from the genre of the same name. It’s popular for children aged 7 and older. It offers a perfect combination of footwork, floor work, and complex gestures.

It’s similar to lyrical dances since it often tells a story. The primary difference is that it uses an upbeat and bombastic method. It’s perfect if your child wants to feel cooler and more confident.

After establishing a hip-hop dance foundation, your child can learn breakdancing. It’s an advanced urban dancing style influenced by Latin and African dances. Aside from cultural influences, breakdancing incorporates gymnastics and martial arts into their moves.

Using power moves like popping and locking is challenging to learn. It becomes more rewarding for children to master it. If your child is 10 years old and above, consider enrolling them in a breakdancing class.

What About Combination Dance Classes?

If your child isn’t certain of their style yet, get a combo class. Most studios will have this program, usually for children between 6 and 8. For example, you can make them learn a combination of ballet and jazz.

For younger children, you’ll find creative dance programs for kids as young as 3 years old. It’s an introductory class that teaches acrobatics, ballet, and tap dancing. However, it focuses more on making children love music and dancing.

It also helps them enjoy weekly social events and set the foundation. It prepares them to advance further once they develop their dance style preference.

What Must You Look for in a Dance Studio?

Before enrolling in a dance studio, you must consider your child first. Ask them what they hope to learn from their dance lessons. You must know the reason why they want to learn how to dance.

It matters not whether it’s for fun, learning proper techniques, or competitions. If your kid sees dancing as a recreational activity, opt for a more informal studio. It means their lessons won’t focus on recitals or competitions.

Otherwise, get a more technical dance school. This is perfect if your child shows passion and undeniable skill for dancing. Do your research to ensure that the instructors have proper credentials.

Interview your potential studio about their dance philosophy. Is it about making children love dancing, or learn proper techniques? Regardless, find one that shares your views.

Let Your Child Discover the Beauty of Dancing Today

These are some types of dance styles your child can learn. Cultivate their talent and enroll them in dance classes they’re sure to love. Helping your child chase your passion allows them to feel more fulfilled in the future.

Looking for a dancing studio in San Diego? If so, contact us today, and let’s discuss your child’s dancing needs.