Most dancers live for the day they are finally allowed to dance en pointe! Dancing en pointe requires a student to meet certain milestones before they can begin, and one of those is having enough ballet training.
Dancers should study ballet for at least three years before beginning pointe. Those three years should be consistent, focused ballet training. But the length of study is not the only requirement for dancing on pointe.
Dancers who practice at home have a leg up on dancers who don’t, and luckily, there are ways to make practicing jazz dance fun! From focused exercises to silly games, practicing jazz dance at home does take some effort, but the results will be worth it when your child and their teacher sees their progress.
It’s your first time at a dance convention – adrenaline is high and you and your dancer are itching to get in the ballroom and see what it’s all about! An essential part of participating in dance conventions is etiquette, for both dancers and parents.
Proper dance convention etiquette includes respecting all participants, being mindful of the space you’re in, and being prepared for anything!
One of a young dancer’s main goals is to achieve perfect splits. There are “Banana Split Clubs” around the world at dance studios that reward dancers with ice cream parties when the whole class gets all three splits. These days, you can find all sorts of products that claim to help dancers achieve the splits, such as split stretchers, but you may be wondering if they’re safe, or worth the investment.
Dance teachers and dancers are always looking for new music to use in jazz class, both at home and at the dance studio! Sometimes we just need to shake things up a bit and find music that will give our dancers some new inspiration, new rhythms, and new ideas!
Some of the best songs for kids’ jazz dance classes include old favorites, unexpected artists, and of course, clean lyrics and themes!
This list includes just a few of my favorite songs to use for kids’ jazz classes – feel free to go down the rabbit hole of Spotify by following some of these artists and seeking out similar sounds if you like what you hear!
Pointe shoes, while strong enough to support a dancer’s full weight on her toes, are surprisingly delicate and don’t last a very long time! Ballet dancers are constantly trying to figure out innovative ways to make their pointe shoes last longer. While no pointe shoe will stay in great shape forever, there are a few ways to give them a fighting chance at lasting a bit longer than normal! To make pointe shoes last longer, you can use Jet glue, darn the boxes, rotate your shoes, store your shoes properly, and always remove the padding.
Ballet is challenging enough when you have good vision, but for dancers who need glasses, things can get even trickier. While it’s true that you rarely see professional ballerinas performing in glasses, young dancers are a different story.
Ballet and other styles of dance are possible to do while wearing glasses, but some steps and styles are harder to perform bespectacled. By securing glasses properly, and choosing the right frames, you can dance in glasses easily.
So what is the difference between lyrical and contemporary dance or hip hop break dancing and krumping? The Dance Parent 101 team has you covered with simple explanations of every dance style you might come across.
Do you need to buy a pair of ballet shoes but you are not sure where to look or find a pair? We have you covered! I was a dancer for many years and am now a dance mom and I have bought, begged and borrowed plenty of ballet shoes during my time and am here to give you the best tips on how to secure yourself a pair!
Have you been talking about your ballet shoes but are not sure of what all the parts are called? Then this post with labelled diagram is for you!