The Benefits of Dance for Kids
Extracurriculars offer many benefits to young children, and dance is one activity that helps create well-rounded kids.
Physical benefits are often the first that come to mind. Adalhi Aranda, founder of the Bluegrass Youth Ballet, calls dance a “total body workout” that increases flexibility, balance and coordination. Dance can also affect spatial awareness.
“The greatest physical benefit is it gets children to move, enjoy exercise, and live an active and healthy lifestyle,” Aranda said. “Dance is not just exercise, but an art form. It’s not just a work out but a full body, mind and soul experience.”
Dancers experience social-emotional growth as well. The typical dance class involves plenty of team-building skills along with the opportunity for self-expression.
“Dance class is sometimes a child’s first experience being in a classroom setting,” Aranda said. “Children learn how to interact with the teacher, follow directions, and how to work with their classmates as a team. Dance also gives them a creative outlet to express themselves in a way that does not require words.”
The world of dance can often be competitive, but Aranda points out that competition can be positive when training focuses on self-improvement and not just the outcomes. The right dance teacher will set the tone to use competition productively and help students improve.
“At BYB, competition is with our own selves,” Aranda said. “We encourage the children not to compare themselves to others but to try to outdo themselves, always becoming a better version of the dancer they were in the last class. It serves no beneficial purposes to pit dancers against each other.”
A supportive dance environment values ability over appearance. Aranda hopes all aspiring dancers know that body type doesn’t determine success in the dance world.
“There is a lot of training, skill, passion and dedication that determines a dancer’s success,” she said. “It is important to focus on how to use your own unique body and train it to be the best that it can be.”
Despite stereotypes, boys and girls alike can benefit from dancing. Dance is an athletic activity and requires the same dedication as other sports. Access to the performing arts and witnessing male dancers is vital to changing outdated views about ballet.
“If a boy shows an interest in ballet, it is essential that we support them, provide an atmosphere of acceptance, and give them the confidence needed to succeed,” Aranda said. “It is everyone’s responsibility to become an educated adult and be part of changing the stigmas and preconceived notions about boys and ballet.”
From early childhood through adulthood, dancing can lead to a lifelong positive impact.
Bluegrass Youth Ballet provides a positive, nurturing, and non-competitive environment where students can build their self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-respect. For more info visit www.bluegrassyouthballet.org