Practice at Home

Practicing at Home 

Many of our students absolutely love practicing dance at home. 

You’ll find your child twirling in the living room and tapping in the kitchen—they just can’t contain their enthusiasm!  It’s not uncommon for a parent to tell us that their child feels compelled to choreograph with their friends after school or teach their stuffed animals how to piqué and passé, or do the Bart Simpson!

If your child is one these non-stop movers, you might have started wondering, “What can I do to encourage this practice in a safe way?  How can I foster this passion?” At Myriad, we get it!  And we’ve got some great advice for you here with our Do’s and Don’ts for practicing at home.

Designate dance practice space at home

First and foremost, Do designate a specific spot in your house that is “dance practice” space!  This could be a room or hallway with very little furniture, or perhaps your garage—somewhere that is easy to move in.  Don’t allow tap shoes on your easily-scuffed floors.

Stretching at home  – ask about our stretching guidelines resource!

Do encourage your child to follow their special dance stretch book, created by Myriad’s own dance staff: A Stretching Resource for Smart Dancers: Improving Flexibility & Technique. Your child’s dance teacher will specify which stretches are best for your dancer.

Encourage improvisation at home

Do challenge your child to practice what they remember from class, but don’t worry if they just want to improvise their own moves!  Resist the urge to “teach” the dance steps yourself; Do allow your child’s dance teacher to be the authority of those skills in the classroom.

Practice class choreography with YouTube links as the Spring Showcase draws near

Do practicing Spring Showcase choreography! Closer to Spring Dance Showcase, we will be sending home YouTube videos of your child’s choreography. Do download these videos and encourage your child to go over the routine at least once per day. Stay tuned!

Use music as motivation at home

Don’t expect perfection with at-home practice; it should feel relaxed and carefree as much as possible.  Do suggest that your child practice with music (any music!) since it will help them become even more familiar with finding the beat and keeping time with rhythms.

Safety first

Do ensure your child’s dance space is safe at home. Don’t hesitate to join in the fun!

Questions?

Practicing dance at home should always feel comfortable and supportive so that your child can unleash their creativity and joy for dancing.  If you ever have any questions about what is safe or appropriate to practice at home, please ask!  We’re happy to help.