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Make sure the atmosphere in the class is one your child will agree with.
All parents with little girls dream of the day when children are old enough to finally begin dance classes. It's easy to buy pretty tutus and ballet slippers, and dream of the costumes and performances - but most people are shocked when they realize just how many choices there are of dance schools. Parents that grew up dancing themselves generally want to send kids to the school where they were taught. But parents without dance background tend to get lost in the rosin. With so many schools of choose from, it's important that parents know what to look for to choose the best dance school for you and your little dancer.
Know What to Ask
Before you start calling every school in town, make a list up of things that you want to know. On this list should be things like 'What classes are available for my child at this level?', 'How many kids will be in the class?', and 'How much will these class cost per month?'. Other good things to know is if there is a dress code, what shoes are required, and if there is an annual recital (and how much those costumes tend to cost).
Narrow Down the Options
Once you've made calls to several studios and weeded out the few you seem most interested in, it's time to get a bit more involved. Call ahead to each studio and schedule a time to visit the studio, meet the instructors, and sit in on class for a few minutes. Looks for studio's with well organized and clean lobby areas, and nothing is more inviting than a warm-faced receptionist welcoming you to the studio. Get literature from the lobby on the studio. A good dance studio has very well presented literature. Organized and easy to read and understand information such as tuition, policies, and rules are important to look for. The teachers will probably not speak with you as long as the receptionist (they have classes to teach after all!), but should at least greet you and invite in you to watch for several minutes.
During the sit-in on class there are several important things to look for. First, check the teacher to child ratio. Some teachers can handle a room full of 15 four year olds perfectly fine all by themselves. Other times a teacher will have one or two assistants in the class with them to help maintain order. Next, look for technique use. This could be teachers making corrections to dancers technique, or barre work. Teachers should also be using and teaching students terminology. Most four year olds should know at least a handful of basic ballet terms. And lastly, take note of the children's attitudes during class. Are they hyper-actively excited to be there, or are they crying and wanting to go home? Do they pay attention to every detail in quiet anticipation for the teacher's next words, or are they staring off into their own little world? This will tell you alot about a teacher's ability to be engaging and keep children's interest during class. That is what you will be paying for after all.
In the end, the studio you choose should be one where you feel comfortable not only with the faculty and staff, but the facilities and other patrons - because you will probably be spending a lot of time sitting in the lobby talking with other parents. Somewhere that feels relaxed, but still upholds an aura of discipline and classroom etiquette. Kids should have fun during class, but understand that dance class is not play time. It's a time for them to learn movement skills in a structured, social atmosphere that will help them build confidence and self discipline.
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