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Dancing is said to be an art that is as old as man himself. It is not uncommon to find it as an elaborate niche with various aspects and styles all over the world. Over different parts of human history, people of various cultures have created distinct styles and moves that express their connection to music. It is also said to be one of the best sports!
Dancing is of help in many ways, including relaxing the mind and expressing oneself. For children or students that participate in any kind of dance lesson, this art could help them improve motor skills, build self-confidence, and enhance mental agility. In line with these apparent benefits, we intend to look at how to choose dance lessons for children in Nigeria within subsequent paragraphs.
See where to find dance classes for kids in Nigeria!
Preparatory Classes To Know Your Kid's Preference
The task of choosing your kid's extracurricular engagements is usually a daunting one. The reason is that you must pick something suitable for their age. It would be best to shop for a compatible private teacher, a well-equipped school, or an organization. If your child has a talent for dancing or if you intend to convince them to participate in school dance, you must know that various factors are considered.
Dancing has various styles. It is more common in a typical Nigerian setting to see hip hop and traditional African dance than ballet. As such, you must be familiar with the pros and cons of each style and what fits your kid best before you contact any dance school or private dance tutor.
You can find a professional dance tutor for your child on Superprof!
Thankfully, most dance studios offer an introductory lesson for children. If you wish to enrol your kid in one, it is crucial to let them decide what type of class they want to attend. The reason is that children have to develop a genuine interest in something new instead of compelling them.
If you compel them, they might lose total interest in the new activity or become frustrated. However, you can chip in by helping them attend trial sessions which will assist them in discovering what they want. Students and teachers will go through various musical styles, including hip hop and traditional African dance.
Attending these preparatory sessions is a helpful alternative to compelling children when determining their style preferences. A child does not need to rush this phase or be enrolled in a proper dance education system as it might take more than several months to a year of trial before they find their ultimate choice.
As soon as the children discover what style they want, you can then follow up and motivate them when necessary. Hence, the urge to pick your favourite style on their behalf can be harmful. Rather, a few hours of letting them see the options they have might save you time, resources, and frustrations in the long run.
As soon as your kid completes kindergarten and nursery education and is old enough for basic classes, they can attend any available dance lesson. This age is what most centres that specialize in ballet lessons for kids use as criteria for admission.
Read on what dance lessons entail!
If they're old enough to have self coordination for ballet lessons for kids, they should be qualified to try out other styles like hip hop and modern African dance. However, a child that is not old enough can attend free trial sessions or get in touch with private dance teachers.
You can shop for a private dance teacher near you at Superprof!
What Does an Introductory Session Entail?
These sessions are not the typical lesson type as kids are not expected to memorize any technical routine at this stage. However, it is an excellent way of making them know what's ahead in the dancing world. The reason is that this session does not focus on a specific niche; rather, it helps young people discover the extent and simple details in various styles.
This stage aims to open their eyes to body movements at a particular time and space. In simple terms, they master how to sync their body movement in time and express themselves simultaneously to specific sounds. These sessions could last for a few months or even a year.
The coaching method at this point is focused on how to channel their inner energy and use it to maintain adequate balance. This technique is essential for those who attend ballet lessons for children. They must also know how to create a rhythm with various tunes and concentrate at the same time. In the long run, they will acquire skills that will enable them to relax their mind and improve their resilience.
Children will also learn obedience as part of the core principles of routine practice and choreography at this stage. They will also learn to understand individual differences during group practice and how to adapt accordingly.
Furthermore, preparatory sessions involve more than choreographed twists and turns. At this stage, they will master the various types of musical instruments and the different music types. Exposing them at this early stage will go a long way in improving their creative insight and ingenuity.
They will understand that dancing is a way to express one's emotions and thoughts, a way to listen to others, and a way to become resilient and versatile. When they do this for a while, it creates the perfect recipe for making them expert dancers in the future.
What you need to know about dance classes!
Jazz and Idol imitation
Jazz, especially its modern form, is quite famous in the world today. It is the best class for children who wish to imitate their favourite musicians. Kids learn how to follow the famous songs in these classes, which explains their palpable love for the genre.
Usually, ballet dance for kids is not the best choice if your young one wishes to imitate popular styles. The reason is that even though they can master a certain rhythm with ballet, famous Nigerian artists don't often follow this style. As such, teaching kids different routines for jazz enables them to dance along with many popular songs.
Typically, in jazz and some hip hop sessions, students can improvise and channel their creativity into creating new moves. They can pick any available famous track and create routines to perform in front of a large audience.
They can reuse these approved styles for other tracks and practice them till they become experts. With time, these moves can be integrated into more contemporary genres such as hip hop and African dance as they are more popular than jazz in Nigeria.
You can contact any dance studio that offers free tutoring trials or watch videos to see if your child fits into their criteria. You can also schedule an online session through a webcam where you see the teachers as they take the students through various leaps and moves.
Ballet lessons
Usually, many people think of a ballet school when kid musical sessions are mentioned. This line of thinking is not far-fetched as ballet dance for kids is an ancient creative pursuit. The famous Leap of Dance Academy, established by the Lagos-born professional, Daniel Owoseni Ajala, has opened the floor for more ballet schools in Nigeria after a viral video of one of its pupils surfaced online.
Any dance studio that offers ballet dance for kids usually admits basic school pupils as this is the best time to start learning leaps and other moves. Pupils older than basic classes can also attend ballet schools, but good practice states that leaps and other detailed moves are easier at a very young age.
When children grow older, they become better with their leaps and movements due to constant practice, video tutorials, and online sessions through webcam. You can show your kid some video sessions or enrol them in a dance studio that offers free coaching if you wish to see their interest level. There is a myriad of these centres in Lagos and other states in Nigeria.
Here are the benefits of taking dance classes!
How To Choose What's Best
In Nigeria, several approved dance schools are popping up these days, especially in Lagos. Some are Private dance schools such as the Ajala owned academy, while others are one-on-one tutorial centres with good reviews. Nigeria is also blessed with myriads of talented professionals with excellent reviews and approved profiles.
As we mentioned, some offer free online tutorials through webcam, and others organize group sessions.
All these sessions have their merits and demerits. As such, you must personalize your decisions and not always go with public opinion. Other factors you should consider include budget, location, and teaching method.
The teaching method determines many things, including the fee and effectiveness. Centres that use webcams for online teaching would need more expenses in terms of internet connection and related charges, especially if the teacher has an approved profile.
However, you get to save up on transportation costs and get the advantage of having regular classes. For physical centres, you get sessions to learn dancing. Private dance sessions are also another widely used learning method. These private dance lessons with tutors with approved profiles ensure that the student gets comprehensive supervision and education.
Group sessions are another alternative that offers cheap fees, but there is a possibility for ineffective monitoring.
Whichever coaching method and model you choose, it is pertinent for you to read online reviews or get referrals from people that have used the centre. These reviews would give you an idea of what to expect and how to go about registration. However, it would be best if you did not believe them hook, line and sinker.
In essence, you should make necessary findings such as the teachers, available tutoring method, and availability of face-to-face sessions before you contact any school. You can also read up on our other articles about dance lessons for your kids.
Head on to Superprof to find a dance instructor for your kids. The first lesson is always free!
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