If most dance studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience teaching children, and a big show at the end of the year aren’t they all pretty much the same? Does it really matter which place you decide to enroll at?
Yes! There are 4 main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives; the amount of extra work and hassles the parents must deal with and the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a dance program. Here are 4 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a dance studio for their child.
Dance is a very physical activity that requires a lot of jumping. This can put stress on bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support, so the shock of dance movement can place a lot of pressure on the knees and back of a dancer. The best way to prevent against potential injury is by choosing a studio with a professional “floating floor”. A floating floor is a dance floor that rests on a system of high-density foam, to absorb the shock of jumping. A high-density foam base is superior to a “sprung” floor, which usually consists of a wood structure built on the regular floor.
The top layer of the dance floor is also an important factor. A vinyl composite “marley” floor is accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for recreational to professional dance. A marley floor allows dancers to slide, with a degree of “controlled slip", but is not slippery so there is less risk of slips and falls. Very few studios use professional marley floors because of the expense involved, and usually opt for a regular wood or floor tile for a studio floor.
Our studios have floating floors that have over 700 high density foam blocks under the floor surface and a marley top surface. Our special floors help reduce the risk of injuries and allow students to dance longer without getting tired.
If the dance class has fewer students in it each child will receive more personalized attention, learn more and have more fun. With younger students smaller classes make it easier for a teacher to maintain control over the class and make sure each student understands the concepts and instructions. Our smaller class sizes make sure that no fundamental concepts are being missed. A smaller class size also allows our teachers to ensure that students are not developing bad habits or improper technique.
Most studios put on a year-end recital in a professional theatre. Students that perform in the dance recital must have a costume & dance tights for their dance number. Our costumes, tights, parent’s event tickets and recording of the shows are all included in your recital package. Our studio purchases the costumes & tights for the students, delivers them to the students right in their class and we take care of any alterations. Parents do not have to worry about any costume hassles.
Our studio gives each parent 2 free $10.00 tickets for our year-end show and a free professional recording of both shows. This way you as a parent will not be faced with any extra recital expenses.
In many studios the teacher or the studio owner conducts classes and does the administration. By trying to do two jobs at once, the class may suffer as the teacher has to use class time for customer service issues, or the studio may have no customer service available if the teacher is in a class.
To have a good experience it is important to choose a studio that can assist you with details like costumes or schedules, even if a teacher is occupied in a class. Our studio have office staff on hand during all regular class times, so you can get immediate assistance. We also have our office manager in the studio before class times Monday- Friday starting at 9:00am.
After browsing this site please call us with any questions you may have about getting the most out of your dance experience. We are always here to help!!! 407-786-0269