What makes a good Dance School
Choosing a good dance school for your child is an important matter and there are many things to think about. Most of our enquiries come from parents about their children, who often tell us that they know nothing about dance, so we hope that the following comments will be useful.
Asking about the school
How long has the school been in existence? Does it have a good reputation locally and nationally? Does it have both young, energetic teachers, and those with years of experience? If you are concerned about exams, ask about past exam successes and the standards achieved. Any good school is proud of their record. Of course, too much concentration on exams and syllabus work could in itself be a cause for concern. Some children are just not natural exam candidates and most children dance purely for pleasure. Does the school provide performance opportunities? Dancing in shows or festivals is great fun, and brings all age-groups together. Does the school also train the creative aspects of dance? This involves choreography, improvisation, mime and free work, and is a very important part of training that is often neglected nowadays, due to the pressure of examinations. Ask if it is possible to attend or watch a class before you commit yourself to enrolment. As well as allowing the teacher to assess the needs of the child and decide on the correct level, this may well give you the opportunity to talk to other parents. Is the atmosphere friendly and welcoming?
The Classes
It's very important that the school provides a graded programme of training which takes the young dancer from the very earliest stages to a higher level. A sound basic foundation is necessary for later progress, and even a possible career in dance. You should ask at what level the school provides training. Do they have any former pupils currently in full-time training, or dancing professionally? It can be quite unsettling for a child to leave a particular school in order to continue their dance studies, particularly if they are talented. Dance is highly dependent upon music. Most schools manage perfectly well with recorded music but this clearly needs to be suitable, with non-syllabus music to help with the development of musicality and artistry. How large are the classes relative to the size of the studio, and is there a wide range of levels within the class? Age differences within a class do not matter, but it is very difficult to teach with several different grades together!
The teaching staff should be properly qualified.
Most teachers belong to professional organisations which administer dance training and examinations from beginners to professional level.
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD examining Cecchetti and Imperial Ballet)
Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD)
British Ballet Organisation (BBO)
International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA)
These are the biggest organisations and all of them have branches in several countries and their teaching and qualifying examinations are recognised and highly respected. Quite often the teachers have particular letters after their name showing their qualifications (for example: AISTD or RAD RTS) or may hold a dance teaching certificate, such as the very prestigious Royal Ballet School diploma (RBS dip TTC) or a Cert Ed or dance degree.
Most of these organisations require not only a knowledge of ballet and music, anatomy and physiology, health and safety, child development, etc, but also ask teachers to regularly attend courses for their ongoing professional development. Proper academic qualification is essential, but the manner and approach of the teacher are also very important. Children need inspiration, and dance lessons must be enjoyable, but still disciplined to avoid the risk of injury. Few children become professional dancers and all children need encouragement, regardless of their ability. Their dance training will be invaluable to them in later life, and we must never forget, that as teachers, we are training the audience of tomorrow.
Give a child a love of dance, and they will keep that for the rest of their life.
The premises should be suitable
Check the dance studio surface: is the floor slippery? Is it a "sprung" wooden floor or is it a concrete base? Dancing on hard floors may cause injuries at senior levels of training.
Is the general accommodation safe and suitable? Look around. Consider the problems and the safety aspects of leaving and collecting your child. Does the school have a Child Protection Policy?
I hope that these points have been useful. Why you choose a particular school is important and it should not be because it is just around the corner, the fees are low or the class times slot nicely in between all the other activities and hobbies which many children now have. Your child might be there for several years!