Dancing is an excellent way for kids to improve coordination and stay active. Beyond the physical side of dance, it’s a great way to encourage appreciation for different kinds of art, as there are many different types of dance. At The Landing Dance Centre, we want to present your child with various kinds of dance, and teaching tap classes is one of the ways we can.
If you’ve considered tap lessons for your child but aren’t sure they’ll like them, we have three great reasons we believe they will. Keep reading below to find out why.
It’s VERY active
Many forms of dancing are incredibly active. The slow, precise ballet movements require strong bodies and tremendous control, while styles like hip-hop and jazz are much faster-paced and energetic. You’ll find that tap dancing includes aspects of each as it takes incredible precision to use the feet to create a steady and rhythmic sound while continuing to move to the beat.
Many moves in tap dancing are performed quickly and include synchronized arm and shoulder movements to go with them. As your child gets more advanced in tap, they’ll include much larger and faster movements to go along with each step. As the steps for each dance get quicker and more complex, your child will build arm, shoulder, leg, and core strength, which will help them continue to improve.
It helps with rhythm
Tap dancing is incredibly rhythmic. Your feet are the drums that create the beat to which the rest of your body moves. If the feet get out of synch, it starts to sound like a jumbled mess, and the rest of the dance doesn’t work. Learning tap is a great way to get your child started understanding rhythm and how it applies to music and dancing.
One of the best things about tap dancing is that you can apply it to various styles of music. Your child can learn tap while dabbling in jazz, hip-hop, and other styles, which can help them decide whether they want to move on to something else or stick with tap.
It improves balance and coordination
Tap dancing and sports are similar in that they require athletic posture as the dancer or athlete spend much of their time forward on the balls of their feet rather than their heels. Tap dancers need to be on the balls of their feet 90% of the time to help move faster, change direction, and transfer weight. In addition to balancing on their toes, dancers are taught how to balance on one leg and coordinate multiple moves at once.
Learning to balance on the balls of their feet can help your child with everyday coordination as well. Timing jumps, leaps, and steps are a great way to help your child improve their balance and agility at a young age, which can be beneficial if they decide to pursue dance or another activity in the future.
Sign up for classes
Don’t wait to get your child started with tap classes. Get in touch with us at The Landing Dance Centre. Your kids are never too young to start improving athleticism, rhythm, musicality, and agility through dance. You can reach out to us to learn more about our available classes by calling 604-325-8653 or sending a message using our online contact form. Please don’t hesitate to send any inquiries as we’re always ready to answer your questions about our available classes and programs available for everyone, from preschoolers to adults.
We look forward to dancing with you!
