Teaching Holiday Recital Dances

Recitals are an important tangible goal for our dancers. They are also crucial to our business success. 

This week, we are busy preparing for our upcoming Dancin’ Holiday Magic and Nutcracker shows. I make it my goal to get as many of my dancers to participate in two shows per season - holiday show and spring recital. 

Here are some teaching tips to prepare your preschool and school-aged dancers for the stage: 

Spatial awareness is as important as teaching the steps in the recital dance and will continue to be crucial in their dance training as they grow up. I recommend using the following:

• Single line marley tape in the studio

• Glow tape line onstage

• Have dancers hold hands and pull apart until their arms are extended

• Imagine a “Pretend dancer” in between each “real dancer”

• Dancers practice in the same space each week in class

• Practice entering and exiting stage in class

Sing the song with them with arms while seated before you stand up to teach the dance. Sometimes when they are standing and facing the mirror they become distracted and miss the choreography. They can only learn if they are focused. When standing they are also thinking about what their feet are doing. Learning the words with arms first is best.

When teaching them, talk through the dance until you see their attention start to fade. At that point do the dance with the music and continue past the section that you taught them. They should be able to follow along with you and do that dance. 

They will give half of what you give them. When you teach babies you have to give 200% energy and enthusiasm for the movement as well as exaggerate your arms and steps.

Only work on the recital dance for 10 minutes max in each class. This should be a part of what they are learning and running the dance 2-3 times in each class will keep them excited and eager to come back to class the next week. 

Free Webinar

On top of offering the Twinkle Stars and Showstars Curriculum and Choreography subscriptions, Tiffany strives to provide real-time business insights from her experience of owning and managing multiple dance studio locations. Each month she holds free webinars. Learn more: https://www.twinklestardance.com/webinars

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Preparing to Teach a Preschool Dance Class

Teachers need to keep control of the classroom at all times. Control is usually an issue of how engaged the students are in the material. Sometimes the children with behavior issues cannot be controlled easily. 

Be creative when leading in the studio and keep the dancers moving at all times. Move quickly from one exercise to the next. 

Make sure to organize music and lesson plans so the class flows. Never turn your back on the dancers as you are changing the music or looking at your notes. Continue Leading them with your voice as you are tending to the music, etc.

Here are three things to keep in mind when preparing to teach a preschool dance class: 

Training: 

By using a curriculum, such as Twinkle Star Dance, teachers can focus on the delivery rather than creating content. They are no longer “experimenting” as they go and have the necessary tools to adapt the class to various learning styles and abilities. 

Organization:

Teachers, especially dance teachers, need to be prepared and organized. You cannot run into class two minutes before its scheduled start time and turn on the music. At that point there has been no physical or mental preparation for your class or the classes that follow. 

Punctual:

A large part of teaching is the preparation and organization before the class; otherwise it would be called “giving” a class. All Twinkle Star Dance™ teachers need to be prepared for their classes and are to arrive at least 15 minutes before their first scheduled class. This preparation period allows you to be in a calm state by the time dancers and parents arrive. 

Rediscover your light at Spark Mini-Conference Series.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Where are all the preschool dancers?

Ready to increase your preschool dancer enrollment, engagement, and retention?

Starting to rebuild your dance studio? Gearing up for new season registration means finding creative ways to attract and retain preschool dancers.

Tiffany Henderson, dance studio owner and industry expert, shares how she added value to her dance classes with curated props, monthly themes, and inspiring narratives. Plus, how to brand and market your dance classes to stand out from other studios in your area.

Join Tiffany live Friday, May 28 at 1:30pm ET/ 10:30am PT for a FREE WEBINAR: Attract Preschool Dancers with Fun, Monthly-Themed Lesson Plans. Register here.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates seven Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Increase your dancer enrollment, engagement, and retention

As we see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, we are starting to rebuild our dance studio business beginning with our foundation - preschoolers.

Join us for “Time to Rebuild Your Preschool Dance Program” a free webinar event with Dance Studio Owner and Industry Expert, Tiffany Henderson. Tiffany shares how to market to new and returning students; how she increased dancer engagement and retention; plus updates to her preschool dance curriculum.

Don’t miss this free information Friday, April 30 at 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT. Register now.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates seven Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.