I am the mom of three girls, my oldest started in dance and decided gymnastics was her place. When our second daughter was old enough she went right into gymnastics and dance and now after spending years in activities with my girls I can finally share a few things I have learned along the way. Being that my daughter wants to compete in dance and knowing so many other dance moms I know that as a new mom looking to put my girls into dance I had a lot of questions.
After experiencing dance studios with little emphasis on technique and style I can say I have learned quite a few things about the kind of studio you want your child to dance at. 
5 Simple Tips For Choosing a Dance Studio
- Style – Decide what kind of dance styles your child wants to do. Avoid studios with little to no ballet, as ballet is the foundation of dance. Then find studios in your region that offer those styles. Do they compete? What are their policies? Do your research!
- Looks for qualifications – I made this mistake myself early on, but you should look for teachers who are knowledgeable enough to teach different levels, body types and that they can describe movements. It’s important for teachers to be able to describe movements to effectively teach your child.
- Talk to others – Talk to dancers and parents in your community. Ask them what they like about their studio and their experiences. This is important!!
- Sit and watch – You should observe your child at the dance studio. See how other children and teachers interact with your child. Teachers should give your child positive reinforcement and instruction on proper muscle alignment to help improve technique.
- Feel the vibes – Is there something that doesn’t sit right with you about a particular place? Watch the youngest dancers in the studio, see how they are being treated. Do they look like they like being there? This is a good indicator of how dancers at any age will feel, so if something doesn’t look right it probably isn’t the right place for you.
Got any tips to share?
Happy Dancing!
I feel like many kids these days are way to sedentary. I’d like to keep my future kids active while they’re young and teach them that physical activity can be fun. You make a great point about sitting and watching a class from a particular dance studio. This way you can get a feel for the instruction and if the kids are enjoying themselves. I’ll have to remember that tip when I have kids.
My daughters have been asking if they can start taking dance classes and after reading this I think I have a better idea of how to find a good studio for them. I like the suggestion you give of observing how your child does in the class and how the teacher interacts with the students to see if it is a good fit for them. I imagine that would also help you see if your child really does enjoy it enough to continue. Thanks for sharing this!