What to expect on the first day of dance class

If this is your child’s first time taking dance classes, or you have signed up for classes at a new studio this season, you may be wondering what to expect on the first day. At Viking Dance, each class at our studio will likely include:

• Warm ups and stretching — Stretches, conditioning exercises, and other engaging warm up activities help us mobilize our joints, raise our body temperature and heart rate, improve circulation to our muscles, and prepare our bodies for the rest of class. Some warm-ups may include easy, follow-along choreography where your instructor will demonstrate and talk you through it. Other warm-ups may include set exercises that you will repeat each week.
• Center Exercises— Traditionally in Ballet class, we’ll move to the open studio floor to help us develop our technique without the aid of the barre, like single leg balances and pirouettes. Other styles may work on footwork, rhythmic patterns, tricks, and move through small combinations or skills that will relate to the choreography material later in the class.
• Across the floor — Often called ‘grand allegro,’ in Ballet, this part of class works on bigger movements with a wider range of motion, including leaps, kicks, and jumps. Whichever style you choose, across the floor sections involves expansive, traveling locomotor movements designed to help you get moving throughout the studio!
• Choreography and combo — The last portion of class is dedicated to learning a small routine or dance phrase. Your instructor will break it down in pieces, sometimes movement by movement, (with or without musical counts) that you will then get to dance and work on performance skills which emphasize memorization, style, and stage presence.

Every studio works a little differently, so here are some basic questions to ask your studio before the season begins:

• How early should your child arrive before each class? It is always a good idea to know exactly when a class begins, and then plan to arrive a little bit earlier. This will also help you settle in and get acquainted with the space. You can even ask if you can arrange a tour of the studios and facility beforehand so you know exactly how to get there and where the class will be held.
• What should your child wear? Having the proper attire ensures your child will be able to move appropriately for the style of class they are taking, while proper footwear helps weight distribution, cushion landings in jumps, facilitate ease of turning, and protects the foot and ankle.
• What studio policies should you know about ahead of time? These policies may include rules around makeup classes, attendance, bathroom breaks, studio etiquette and behavior, registration and tuition, dress code, class observation, etc.

Expert Tip:

Before you head to your first lesson, prepare a dance bag to hold everything your dancer may need in class. Items like a water bottle or some extra hair elastics come in handy. Dancers may also need some spare bobby pins, or an extra pair of tights just to be safe. To cover all bases, include a basic first aid kit and a healthy snack.

If your child will be attending dance classes for the first time, they may feel anxious when it comes time to head into the studio. This is a totally normal response! Doing things that are new or outside of our comfort zone can be intimidating. Encourage your dancer to be brave and just give the class a try. Our instructors are experts in the field of dance instruction, and would be happy to give some more advice if you need it. Once the beat of the music and the energy of the class begins, the first dance class jitters melt away.

Happy dancing!

Do you have more questions about dance class? Check out our FAQs, or reach out to chat with us personally! We would love to help you find a class that fits your child’s unique talents and personality.