Salsa Dancing for Kids
First, I’m so excited for you and your kids! I started dancing when I was about 23 years old, and I wish I started earlier. By 23, I felt really awkward and uncoordinated and insecure about my body. So I want to thank you for taking the time and effort to help your child gain confidence and self-love which will spill over into every part of their life. Giving your kids the gift of Salsa dancing will have a life-long impact. I also want to guide you and help you figure out the right instructor and the right school.
Feel the Love but also be Challenged
Salsa dancing for kids should be about more than dance, it should be about growth. Even when adults come into my studio, I see them as kids and kids want to feel love and belonging. But, if you never challenge them with new moves or combinations and all you do is celebrate and congratulate them, they won’t grow. Children won’t learn about motivation and drive and that effort and hard work produce results. The culture that “everybody wins” and nobody gets feedback actually lowers self-esteem. The research supports this – just google it. Kids need to feel that when they get feedback, it is because the adults care. Not only about dance, but that they care about the kids’ success in life. So before you decide on a school or instructor, meet with the instructors and ask them why they’re teaching. You will quickly discover which instructors are not only passionate about dance, but also about helping children grow and believe in themselves more.
One-on-One Attention
When students are practicing new moves at our school, the instructors and volunteers walk around and give every single student personal feedback. Each dancer is an individual and not a number. This is really important for children. This is easier in smaller classes. Smaller classes mean there can be more one-on-one time. Everyone feels and is seen. That’s why I felt like I didn’t belong for so long because I felt like I wasn’t seen. I wasn’t special. Now I’ve grown and matured and love myself more, but with kids, if they feel love and belonging, they will be more motivated and work harder to show up and do better for themselves. So look for smaller Salsa dancing classes for your kids. Click here for more information on how to choose a dance school.
Salsa Dancing for Kids and Life Lessons
At the beginning of each class at our school, students are asked a question to help them discover more about themselves. Questions like “What’s one thing that made you frustrated this week? or How do you deal with stress?” Knowledge is power and knowledge of self is self-empowerment. An instructor who doesn’t just teach the moves, but talks about the mental game is extremely important. Kids need to know that their instructors are not perfect. We are all human – everyone makes mistakes. Parents often try to protect their kids by not sharing their mistakes or worries but that’s also a mistake because the kid just feels more isolated. And so an instructor who talks about the mental game, who educates kids on how to have a great mindset, that’s your diamond of an instructor.
Final thoughts
Again thank you for looking into Salsa Dancing for your kids. Learning Salsa is a beautiful journey. It helped me build confidence and even changed my career. In university, I studied Psychology because I wanted to be a Marriage Counsellor. Then when I learned that wasn’t for me I decided I wanted to be a police officer. That wasn’t for me either and now I run Canada’s largest Salsa Dance School. Dance really should be part of the school curriculum for all its physical, mental, and spiritual health benefits. With a compassionate instructor who understands the mental game, an instructor who both accepts and challenges their students, makes all the students feel special, and is willing to share their own journey, kids can’t help but grow. And that’s just amazing, isn’t it?
I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you come in week-to-week, have fun, connect with new friends and let loose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.
If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected].
