Model Musical Connection

Connecting to music and moving your body is how we fall in love with dance. Music is pleasurable and plays an essential role in our wellbeing. Many researchers also believe that music strengthens social bonds and connections. 

Dancing to music increases coordination and cooperation with others; gives us an oxytocin boost; and strengthens our ”theory of mind” and empathy for others. 

Music works a lot like language does—except instead of words and ideas, emotions and intent are communicated. In this way, similar to language, music and dance can be passed from generation to generation. 

Here are some tips to model musical connection in your dance classes:  

Discuss How to Listen to Music 

Talk about the set of 8, beat, and tempo with your preschool and recreational dancers. Practice counting the 8-count and clapping the beat with them. Discuss how the speed of the beat is the tempo. 

When choreographing for preschool and recreational dancers try to keep phrases in 4’s and 8’s with a repetitive chorus. Use musical cues in - they can hear them and it makes the dance interesting. 

Use themes that are appropriate for the dancer's age and stage. For example, Twinkle Babies 2-3 dancing to “Cuddle Bug Boogie” with imagery of ladybugs, gardens, etc. 

Sing the Song

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. 

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.

Perfect Practice Makes Progress

Preschool and recreational dancers will give half of what you give them so 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. Give them as much time as you possibly can to learn the dance.

Face them away from the mirror and/or cover mirrors one month prior to your show. Sit down with your hands behind your back and watch the class do the dance one month before the recital. This will give you a true assessment of what they know without your help and what you need to work on. You will automatically want to help them, so that is why you need to put your hands behind your back. 

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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.

YOUR ENERGY IS CONTAGIOUS

As a preschool dance teacher, you have a significant impact on the energy around you. During class, your role is to generate passion, enthusiasm, and drive in your dancers. Dancers will model your energy level and enthusiasm for the material being presented to them. 

You need to display “full out” energy in everything you do. Dance as if you are being paid to perform this job on stage for a crowd.  

Ultimately, the success of your class will depend on whether you can share this energy with others and foster consistent enthusiasm among your dancers. If you want 100% - give them 200%. 

How do we share our contagious energy? Here are five tips:

1. Be Passionate About your Work

If you have a passion for dance and/or a love for working with young children that is energizing! Tap into that to make your work more enjoyable. Your passionate energy will start to spread to your dancers and everyone around you.

2. Balance Structure with Fun 

Don’t get stuck in a rut! When constructing your dance class, balance periods of sustained focus on Skill Building with free moving Center Movement and Just For Fun exercises. We want dancers to learn AND we want dancers to fall in love with the joy of moving to music. 

3. Take Breaks as Needed

Don’t wear yourself out! Taking short breaks throughout your teaching line up will help you focus and lead to you being more productive. We cannot share our energy if we are running on empty. 

4. Take Care of your Instrument

Our bodies need to be fully tuned and equipped to give us the energy for taking on the challenges of teaching dance. You need to find what works best for your body, preferences, and lifestyle. 

5. Use Instructional Scaffolding 

Instructional scaffolding is the process where a teacher adds support for their students in order to enhance learning and aid in the mastery of tasks. As a preschool dance teacher you can do this by building on your dancers' experiences and knowledge as they are learning new skills. For example, if your class has the basic understanding of shuffle, have them try shuffle hop this week. Dancers will generate the energy necessary to rise up to the challenge. 

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.

Engaging Preschool Dancers

Students are engaged when they are interested or curious. Sometimes if the class material is too difficult or too easy they lose interest. 

Preschool dancers also thrive on verbal feedback and are inspired by the teacher's energy and enthusiasm for the material. A good teacher knows her student's ability and gives material that will challenge the child while making them feel a sense of accomplishment. 

Remember, If you love it, they will. A balanced preschool dance class ebbs between free moving exercises followed by periods of sustained focus. A preschool dance curriculum, such as Twinkle Star Dance, should strike a balance of structure and fun. 

Make sure to slow down and lower your voice if the class is getting loud and wiggly, and raise your voice and speed up if they are staring off into space.

Humor is also a great way to connect with your dancers.

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.

Connecting to Preschool Dancers

Teaching dance is not really about the steps. It is about sharing joy and building a community through dance. 

There is a lot more than movement being taught because we are dealing with separation anxiety, etc. In our Twinkle Babies ages 2-3 class, for example, there are very few pauses. Keeping the dancers moving from one exercise to the next becomes very important, especially if you have a crier. 

That being said, it can be difficult to foster connections with your dancers if you are also trying to create the class as you go. You need all of your devices to be successful in a preschool dance class. You cannot be tending to the music or experimenting with choreography. 

As a preschool dance teacher, it is your responsibility to engage the dancers during class. A preschool dance curriculum such as Twinkle Star Dance will free you up to turn your attention to the delivery rather than coming up with the content. Instead, focus on making eye contact, use of voice, and learning the dancer’s names. 

It is equally important to engage with the families before and after class. I don’t mean to invite them over for a BBQ at your house. It can be as simple as “Susie is so close to getting her skips, keep up the great work.” 

Here are some tips and tricks to connecting to preschool dancers: 

• Eye Contact  

Always Be Scanning. Eye contact is important for developing social interactions, relationships, and even language skills. Some children may become overstimulated when you make eye contact with them so it's important to not force it. Instead be patient and invite them to engage in mutual gaze.

• Use of Voice 

Cue them with your voice prior to movement. Using a warm and affectionate tone of voice helps reassure and comfort preschoolers. This is especially useful when engaging a child who is withdrawn or shy. A warm tone's message can be reinforced by using words of endearment such as “friend.” Children are different from one another, so observe what works best for each child. 

• Names 

Know their names! Just as a warm and affectionate tone reassures and comforts, a calm tone creates a nonjudgmental environment where appropriate behavior can be promoted. This is also an effective tone to use when a child's attention wanders. Calmly and gently call children by name and guide their attention back to where it should be placed. 

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.

Be a Keen Observer

Being a preschool dance teacher is incredibly important and rewarding work. We often are a child’s first experience working with an adult outside of their parents, primary caregivers, family members, etc. This comes with its own set of challenges and responsibilities. 

Know that children arrive at your dance class with a variance of different “scripts” and “attachments” based on their unique interactions in the world so far. By having a set preschool dance curriculum, your class will lend itself to the instructor focusing on the delivery rather than creating the content. 

It is our role as preschool dance teachers to take time to learn as much as we can about each dancer. A successful preschool dance instructor teaches the dancer's individual challenges and strengths. 

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

Learning Styles: 

We all learn things in a different way. Dance is typically taught verbally as well as the “follow me” method. That works for the majority of dancers, however, some dancers learn in a more “hands-on” way. 

While Teachers need to be careful when touching dancers, sometimes it is necessary to physically move the dancer through the movement. The use of analogies, and rhythmic exercises such as clapping the rhythm, etc. are good alternative ways of getting the material across to the students. 

It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine the learning styles of their students and use the necessary techniques to ensure the students learn the material to the best of their ability.

Keeping Class Notes: 

Keeping notes at the end of each class about what took place will help you keep consistency in your classes. You may also write down any ideas you have for new steps or ideas on how to teach a certain step in a more efficient way

Teaching the Whole Child: 

Remember that you are teaching the whole child. You cannot separate the child’s personality or life experiences from the dancer. Take an interest in your student’s well-being and make mental notes about background and family situations. 

Is mom pregnant with child number two? Is that why Susie is acting out and needing more attention in class? These are the things that are helpful to know when you are teaching young children.  

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.