Kids' dance classes are an excellent way to encourage physical fitness, mental sharpness, and social bonding. However, deciding which type of dance your little one should focus on can be a challenge. Here is what you need to know about the differences between the most popular types of dance taught to children. 

What Are the Most Popular Kid-Friendly Dance Classes?

1. Ballet

Ballet is one of the most classic forms of dance available. This is a practice that focuses primarily on discipline, technique, and form. The choreography is complex and utilizes long, graceful movements and sustained balance. If your child is focused, determined, and goal-oriented, ballet could be the right choice for them.

2. Tap

Tap is a percussion-based dance style that evolved over many decades from various traditional dances all around the globe. This type of dance features special shoes that serve as percussion instruments in their own right, creating acoustics with the steps. It's an excellent dance style for energetic kids who thrive within a multi-sensory experience. 

3. Jazz

Jazz dance became popular alongside jazz music in the 1930s. It combined structured European dances, including ballet, with the free-flowing steps of traditional African dance. Jazz dance steps are exaggerated, theatrical, and sometimes even improvised. If you have a child who loves to be active and creative, jazz classes could be the ideal choice.

4. Hip-Hop

Hip-hop is a more recent, modern form of dance that emerged in the 1970s. This style offers a more cultural take on dance, influenced heavily by traditional African and jazz styles. It does not derive from any form of classical dance such as ballet; its steps are based upon the intrinsic movements of the human body. If you're looking for the right dance style for a kid who doesn't love being told exactly what to do, hip-hop is likely the right class for them.

If you're interested in enrolling your child in dance classes, you can count on CC & Co Dance Complex in Raleigh, NC. This dance studio and its expert instructors offer world-class instruction with a casual, welcoming atmosphere that fosters fun. Visit their website or call/text (919) 846-5200 for more information on how to enroll.