For children who are serious about ballet, practicing at home is of the utmost importance. Home practice also allows parents to get involved, which is an excellent way to bond with your child over an activity they love. Here are a few simple things parents can do to help young dancers hone their skills. 

How to Help Your Child Practice Dance Moves at Home

1. Straddle Splits

Stretching is essential when warming up for any physical activity. For ballet dancers, it ensures they're flexible enough to perform maneuvers without injuring themselves. Straddle splits are great for flexibility, and also quite easy to perform. The dancer will sit on the floor with their legs positioned far apart and their knees straight. From there, your child can reach to the middle, right, and left to achieve full flexibility before taking part in a lesson or practice.  

2. Five Positions

It's impossible to dance ballet without knowledge of the five positions. While the first two positions are rather simple, they get more complex as they progress. For instance, the fifth position entails standing with legs crossed, arms raised above the head, and toes pointed towards each other. Parents can help by providing support to young dancers, who may experience balance issues when performing more complex maneuvers. 

3. The Gateway

Dancers will assume gateway positions with their arms as they move through the five positions listed above. For instance, dancers will hold their arms in front of them in a hugging motion and lower them slightly, until the elbows are slightly lower than the shoulders. Gateway positions are very simple, but practice ensures that dancers assume them naturally as they move. Parents can also easily model these moves for their children, which helps them maintain the proper form.  

Dance lessons are crucial when a child expresses interest in ballet. Since 1992, the instructors at Suzanne's School of Dance in College Station, TX have passed along their immense knowledge and passion to students. In addition to teaching children techniques, this school imbues them with important life lessons about hard work and commitment. Young dancers can pursue jazz, tap, and hip-hop classes, while also forming lifelong bonds with fellow students. Visit the website to register your child today, or call (979) 485-8277 for more information.