Have you ever wondered what makes a good dance student? A good student not only is beneficial for the teacher, but it helps the student accelerate their learning and build rapport with their instructor. To establish the qualities of a good dance student, we’ve listed some of them below. Read on…and maybe next time we see you, you can earn a gold star…LOL.
1. Arrive early and get prepared – Arrive a little early to class to prepare and get into the “zone.” You can put on your shoes, warm-up, clear your mind of stresses, and just get ready to learn and dance.
2. Keep focus during the lesson – To become a strong dancer, you need to create muscle memory. By focusing in class, you can pay attention to how the move is done, how it feels, apply corrections quickly, and become an overall amazing dancer.
3. Practice outside of the lesson – Don’t only practice after the lesson, but practice before to prep you for your upcoming class.
4. Take notes – Feel free to bring a notebook and paper to take notes so that when you are practicing outside of class, you have something to refer to.
5. Ask questions – Never be intimidated about asking questions. That’s why you’re in class. It’s a place for learning which means speak up with your specific questions. Whatever it may be. For instance, if you don’t understand a move, let us know. As instructors, we’ll be able to see what you’re doing wrong and correct the issue (i.e. alignment, timing, etc…). Plus, fellow students may have the same question to ask as well.
6. Spread the word – Spread positive energy by letting others know about the joy of dancing and class. Demonstrate your loyalty by referring others. We promise we’re loyal to you and place much emphasis in trying to help you achieve your goals.
7. Take advantage of group lessons, private sessions, and social dances – Each of these play a different role. While a group lesson is quite beneficial in teaching the fundamentals, private sessions will offer you the one-on-one attention. It’ll go over technique in detail as well as how to truly feel the movements. Social dances on the other hand will provide you with a safe, social environment to practice what you’ve learned.
8. Be proactive and participate – When taking a class, while it may be a lot to gather at first…don’t allow it to overwhelm you and shut you down. Be active in class. Ask questions. Participate. Have fun.
9. Have fun – Whether you’re taking classes to prepare for a competition, or learn some moves for a social setting, or even for fitness…you should have fun. Otherwise, you’ll lose motivation and drop out.
10. Set your appointment – Before leaving the studio, make sure you set your next appointment. The task of setting up an appointment can easily be lost among life’s daily responsibilities. Therefore, make sure you set it in order to continue your teaching and master your dancing.
Happy Learning!