How Punctuality and Preparedness Set Up Dancers for Success

For dancers, it’s important to prepare for success. Two of the simplest ways to do this are to arrive for class on time, and ready. It sounds simple, but the ways these two things effect a dancer’s performance and progress may surprise you!

Arriving On Time is Important for Kids’ Success:

Have you ever heard the expression, “Early is on time, and on time is late?” We’re not saying your child needs to show up early every day! But it’s important that they arrive with enough time to get prepared and focused for class to begin. Often when parents bring their young ones to class late, their child feels overwhelmed and uncomfortable, with no time to adjust to their new surroundings. For other children, arriving late can make it difficult for them to switch from “school mode” to “dance mode.” We’ve experienced the mellowest of kids having really tough days simply because they were rushed to class late. It’s worth it for your child’s sake to take a few extra minutes to make sure they arrives on time.

It’s Also About Being a Good Student and Classmate:

That’s not the only reason arriving on time is important. Being respectful to your teacher (and fellow students, in group settings) is a huge part of dance class etiquette. Showing up late disrupts both the teacher and the other students, and the result is a less enjoyable, less effective class for everyone. We understand how difficult it can be to arrive on time all the time, but we can’t stress enough how important punctuality is for everybody in a dance class. It makes a huge difference, and it makes classes much more fun, comfortable, and engaging for students – so make sure they arrive on time!

Showing Up Prepared:

Along with being on time, wearing the right clothing for class is key to success! It’s all about being comfortable. Just like missing warmups can make a dancer uncomfortable and unfocused, wearing attire that’s not right for dancing can make class really tough to get through. It’s not just about comfort, it’s about having the mobility to perform moves and exercises properly. Trust us: showing up to dance class in skinny jeans, a hoodie, and Mary Janes might seem really cool in your child’s head, but it’s going to be uncomfortable and painful. We’ve got a page here that explains the dress code for each of our dance classes.

We know, these things are a little basic, but sometimes it’s important to remember why we place so much importance on the basics. For any of our music learners or their parents, this stuff is important for you too! (Well, maybe footwear isn’t as important for guitarists, but you know what I mean!) So as our autumn dance classes begin, let’s all try to remember these things before class every day. As the saying goes: proper preparation prevents poor performance. And we know how important it is for everyone to perform their best!