So You Think You’ll Take Dance?

Little ones often showcase their first dance moves—swaying, bouncing and clappingbefore they take their first steps. As they grow, many kids show an interest in further exploring dance, whether classical ballet, modern dance, tap, jazz, hip hop or ballroom. Yet with so many worthwhile extracurricular activities available, why choose dance?

Why Dance?

Dancing positively impacts children’s lives in multiple ways. In addition to gaining self-confidence and learning to express themselves through creative movement, kids develop proper posture along with strength and flexibility; learn to work well with others; cultivate a sense of musicality and more. In fact, says Virginie Mecene, director of the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and artistic director of Graham II, dance classes even prepare children for school, as one of the first things small dancers learn is to “focus and pay attention to the teacher.” “Dancers are organized individuals who can juggle their academic and dance classes,” adds Kate Thomas, director of the School at Steps. Through dance, “kids develop patience as they wait for their turn and improve their memory as the sequence of steps gets longer,” says Hanne Larsen, artistic director of Downtown Dance Factory (DDF).

What To Look For

When considering dance classes, “Parents should look for a school with experienced teachers who have a warm and positive approach to teaching, a well-equipped facility and, if possible, live accompaniment,” says Julia Dubno, director of Ballet Academy East (BAE). Consider the teaching method as well; Renata Celichowska, director of 92nd Street Y’s Harkness Dance Center, recommends a lyrical and storytelling approach for teaching creative ballet. Most of all, says Jo Matos, director of children’s programming at Joffrey Ballet School, look for a great teacher. “The teacher’s background is more important than state-of-the-art facilities,” Matos says. “The teacher should be in control of the class, while being caring and loving.”

Most schools offer a range of programs for different age groups, from Mommy & Me classes for 2- and 3-year-olds to pre-ballet classes for 3- to 6-year-olds to more intensive classes for kids 7 and up.

Getting Serious

As
a child’s casual interest in dancing transitions into a more serious
pursuit, parents should expect an increase in commitment in terms of
time. “By 11 or 12 years old, students committed to dancing take classes
four to five days a week, plus rehearsals for performances,” says
Matos. Yvette Campbell, director of The Ailey Extension, notes, “Serious
13-year-old dancers take one to two classes a day. At this point,
dancing could be their only activity outside of school.”

Supporting Your Dancer

Parents
can nurture their child’s interest in dance by watching their latest
moves, attending student performances and taking them to live
productions. Finally, “parents should dance—if kids see their parents
dancing, it will encourage them,” Celichowska says. So go ahead, boogie
down with your kids, and revel in the joy of creative expression
together.


It’s A Boy Thing, Too!

Many boys show an
interest in dance from an early age, but too often they write off taking
dance classes as a “girl thing.” To dispel this perception, remind boys
that superheroes move in dance-like steps, suggests Virginie Mecene of
the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Yvette
Campbell of The Ailey Extension adds that little sports fans may be
interested to know that many pro football players take dance classes to
improve their speed and agility. Hanne Larsen and Melanie Zrihen,
co-founders of Downtown Dance Factory (DDF) in Tribeca, report that boys
make up 11 percent of their students, in part because of musicals like
Billy Elliot” and hit shows like “So You Think You Can Dance.” Once
your boy is ready to give dance a try, start by enrolling him in an
all-male class—the ones at DDF are taught by male instructors trained in
dance, sports and martial arts. “Boys have no sense of reticence in
attending classes since they’re with their guy friends, and not an
‘oddity’ in a girls’ class,” Larsen says. —Cristina Dimen


Where To Take Dance In NYC
miss_kristins_shooting_stars.jpg
74th Street Magic, 212-737-2989, 74MAGIC.com.

92nd Street Y’s School of the Arts, 212-415-5500, 92y.org.

Albee School of Dance, 718-852-7025, albeedance.com.

The Ailey Extension, 212-405-9000, alvinailey.org.

American Youth Dance Theater, 212-717-5419, americanyouthdancetheater.com.

apple seeds, 212-792-7590, appleseedsnyc.com.

Applause New York City, 212-717-0703, applauseny.com.

Ballet Hispanico, 212-362-6710, ballethispanico.org.

Broadway Dance Center, 212-582-9304, broadwaydancecenter.com.

Brooklyn Arts Exchange, 718-832-0018, bax.org.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212-721-1223, cmom.org.

Church Street School for Music and Art, 212-571-7290, churchstreetschool.org.

Creative Arts Studio, 718-797-5600, creativeartsstudio.com.

Creative Play For Kids, 212-729-1667, creativeplayforkids.com.

Dancing Divas and Dudes, 917-279-4351, dancingdivasanddudes.com.

Discovery Programs, 212-749-8717, discoveryprograms.com.

Downtown Dance Factory, 917-587-6386, downtowndancefactory.com.

The Early Ear, 212-877-7125, theearlyear.com.

Eastside Westside Music Together, 212-496-1242, eswsmusictogether.com.

Gymboree Play and Music, 212-838-4301, gymboreeclasses.com.

Gymtime Rhythm and Glues, 212-861-7732, gymtime.net.

JCC of Manhattan, 646-505-5700, jccmanhattan.org.

Jodi’s Gym, 212-772-7633, jodisgym.com.

Joffrey Ballet School, 212-254-8520, joffreyballetschool.com.

Kidville, 212-362-7792, kidville.com.

Lower East Side Dance Academy, 212-343-1620, lesdanceacademy.com.

Lucy Moses School, 212-501-3360, kaufman-center.org.

Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, 212-787-1178, manhattanmovement.com.

Manhattan Youth Ballet, 212-787-1178, manhattanyouthballet.org.

Mark Morris Dance Group, 718-624-8400, markmorrisdancegroup.org.

Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, 212-838-5886, marthagraham.org.

Miss Kristin’s Shooting Stars Performing Arts Company, 212-987-2203, kristinsstars.com.

New York Theatre Ballet, 212-679-0401, nytb.org.

Peridance Center, 212-505-0886, peridance.com.

Reebok Sports Club NY, 212-362-6800, thesportsclubla.com.

The School at Steps, 212-874-3678, stepsnyc.com.

The Sports Club LA, 212-355-5100, thesportsclubla.com.

Xtreme Rhythmic Academy, 646-457-7527.

YMCA, 212-630-9600, ymcanyc.org.

For more dance venues, check out our classes guide!

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Cucu's PlayHouse

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Interactive, live-streaming music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!<br />Join us every day from Monday through Saturday at 1:30 pm EST to sing, dance and play together while learning Spanish from your home.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">This class is part of a Spanish Immersion Program where your child will be introduced to basic concepts like the animals, colors, numbers and letters. All of these through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, interactive and engaging.<br />A selection of Children Songs in Spanish guides the class from start to finish. Activities are related to the lyrics, in order to familiarize the children with the words and their meanings. Some of the songs encourage the children to dance. Nilda uses puppets, musical instruments, and props to teach children basic vocabulary through action and interaction, rather than through translation.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />The classes are streamed on Zoom's webinar platform. Participants (children, parents, nannies) are able to join the video from their homes and interact with us in real-time, it is a fun and engaging experience.</div>

The Tutorverse

<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Join The Tutorverse for the highest quality in academic enrichment and test preparation! Whether your student is gearing up for the </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">state exams, ISEE, SSAT, SHSAT, or SAT/ACT</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">, our team of </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">experienced and local professional educators</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> can help. Have your student join a </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">small-group class</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> at our downtown or Upper East Side locations. Or, they can meet with a </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">private tutor when and where it’s most convenient for your family</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">. Does your student need help building study skills or improving grades? Whether your middle or high schooler needs help with </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">STEM or humanities</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">, our patient and affirming tutors will teach them how to build </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">confidence and content mastery</strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">. </span><a style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;" href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Send us an email</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> or give us a call—we'd love to hear more about how we can help!</span></p>

Gaga Madness

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Gaga is the hottest new sport in NYC. We've taken the fun of GAGA and pushed it into overdrive. Energetic coaches, pumped up music, sideline commentary, gear giveaways and more. Stay active and keep fit with this new craze that's sweeping the city.</span></p>