What To Expect On Your First Day
For Creative Movement For Your Tiny Dancer
We are very excited to welcome your little one to JZT Dance. Our Tiny Dancers enter the studio with small steps, and sometimes some hesitation, but by the end of the season they have made extraordinary progress and are ready to leap to the next level. We know that as a parent you would like the first day of dance to be a positive experience for your child and we want that too.
All children are different and react differently to new situations. New students often express excitement about coming to dance class, but when they arrive they cling to mom and are hesitant to enter the dance studio. They are in a new unfamiliar environment, with new faces around them and that can be overwhelming. Please try to arrive early on the first day to give your Tiny Dancer a few minutes to get to know their new teacher and environment.
Our Tiny Dancer classes are designed as teacher/child classes. Parents are not allowed to remain in the dance studio during class. We realize that your child might have a difficult time separating from you on the first day of class, or even the second day. That is to be expected and we suggest that you speak to your child before coming to class and explain to them that mommy or daddy will be right outside in the lobby while they dance. We sometimes tell children our dance studio is a special room just for kids to explore and dance. Grown-ups have to wait outside. Please reassure your child that you will be there, right outside during dance class and you won’t leave.
During the first three weeks of a new class session, if necessary parents may come into the studio and walk their child into class. If you have to stay a couple of minutes before you can slip away without your child being upset that is okay. After the first three weeks, we do ask that all parents remain in the lobby once class begins.
As you probably know, tears can be contagious! Once one child starts crying it spreads like wildfire through the group. Wedon’t want dance to be a negative experience for your little one and if he or she is upset we will walk them out to the lobby to calm down with mommy or daddy. Students can return to the class once they are feeling better and are ready to participate.
Some children walk right into dance class without a tear on the first day. If that is not your child, don’t worry. Most of the little ones who start off with tears and separationanxiety finish the season with smiles! Some of my most passionate students, refused to dance the first couple classes and then came back to try again and have never left!
It is our goal to make dance class a positive, fun and safe experience for your child, and most of all to instill a love of dance in them. Each child moves at their own pace and some may embrace dance class on day one while others may need a month or two to really feel comfortable and participate fully. Your little one may not want to jump like a frog with the class right away and that is okay. If they are in the studio, standing in their spot and watching and listening to what is happening around them, they are learning! When they are feeling comfortable and ready to join the group, they will.
We hope you and your Tiny Dancer have a great experience at our studio and if you ever have any questions or concerns, please email or call us.