How Parents Can Support Their Dancer’s Journey

Encouraging Growth, Confidence, and Enjoyment in Dance

As a parent, you play a vital role in supporting your child’s journey in dance. Whether they’re just starting or they’ve been dancing for years, your encouragement, understanding, and guidance can make a huge difference in how they experience and enjoy their dance journey.

Here are some ways you can help your dancer grow, build confidence, and stay motivated—both in and out of class!

1. Encourage a Positive Mindset

A positive attitude toward dance helps build confidence and a love for the art form. Celebrate small wins, such as mastering a new move or improving technique, and always focus on progress, not perfection.

🌟 How to encourage a positive mindset:

• Praise effort over outcomes: Instead of only focusing on performance results, praise your dancer for the hard work they put into class, practice, and improving their skills.

  
  

• Emphasize the joy of dancing: Remind your dancer that dance is about expressing themselves, having fun and enjoying the experience. Help them understand that it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s all part of learning and growing.

  
  

• Stay patient: If progress seems slow at times, remind your child that success comes from consistent effort. Every dancer moves at their own pace, and that’s perfectly fine.

2. Support Their Commitment to Dance

Dance requires dedication, and showing your child that you believe in their commitment to the art form is incredibly valuable. This doesn’t mean pushing them too hard, but it does mean creating a space where they can take their dance seriously while enjoying it.

💪 How to support your child’s commitment:

• Encourage regular practice: Help your dancer set aside time for practice at home, whether it’s for stretching, perfecting steps or rehearsing choreography.

  
  

• Provide a routine: Consistency is key. Help them establish a routine for their dance lessons, stretching and recovery time to ensure they’re balancing their practice with rest.

  
  

• Support class attendance: Encourage your dancer to attend all of their classes and rehearsals, as consistency in training helps build technique and fosters growth.

3. Be a Cheerleader

Your emotional support goes a long way in helping your dancer stay motivated. Whether they’re performing in a recital, participating in an exam, or simply completing a challenging class, your positive energy and encouragement will help them push through any obstacles they face.

📣 How to be a cheerleader for your dancer:

• Attend performances: Show your dancer that you value their hard work by being present at performances and other events that happen throughout the year. Your support helps boost their confidence.

  
  

• Give words of encouragement: Before a big performance or event, remind your dancer of their strengths and how proud you are of them for all the hard work they’ve put in.

  
  

• Be patient with mistakes: Remind your dancer that making mistakes is part of the learning process, and it’s important to keep going no matter what. Help them see mistakes as opportunities to improve.

4. Foster a Healthy Balance

While dance is important, it’s equally important for your child to maintain a healthy balance between dance and other aspects of life. Encourage them to enjoy time with friends, focus on schoolwork, and take part in other activities outside of dance. This balance helps prevent burnout and keeps the love for dance alive!

⚖️ How to foster a healthy balance:

• Promote breaks and rest: Rest is just as important as practice. Ensure your dancer has time to relax, recover, and engage in other activities that refresh them mentally and physically.

  
  

• Help manage their schedule: With school, extracurricular activities and dance, it can be challenging to juggle everything. Help your child stay organized and ensure they’re not overloading themselves.

5. Communicate with Dance Teachers

Good communication with your dancer’s teacher can help you stay informed about their progress and any areas where they might need extra support. Building a strong relationship with their teachers can help create a supportive, understanding environment where your child can thrive.

🗣️ How to communicate with dance teachers:

• Stay involved: Stay up to date with information at the studio to learn about upcoming events, expectations, and your child’s progress.

  
  

• Ask questions: If you have questions about your child’s dance journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to their teacher. They can provide feedback on your child’s development and offer guidance on how to support their growth.

  
  

• Respect the teacher’s role: While it’s important to be involved, remember that dance teachers are trained professionals who understand what’s best for your child’s development. Trust their expertise and stay open to their suggestions.

6. Help Them Set Goals

Setting goals can help your dancer stay motivated and focused. Whether it’s learning a new step, improving flexibility or achieving a performance goal, setting small, realistic goals gives your child something to work toward and provides a sense of accomplishment when they reach those milestones.

🎯 How to help set goals:

• Encourage realistic goals: Help your dancer set small, achievable goals that they can work toward each week. This could be something like improving a specific technique or being able to perform a routine without forgetting the steps.

  
  

• Celebrate achievements: When your dancer reaches their goals, celebrate with them! This positive reinforcement will keep them motivated to keep setting and achieving new goals.

  
  

• Adjust goals as needed: Sometimes, progress takes longer than expected. Be supportive and help your dancer adjust their goals if they’re feeling overwhelmed or if they need more time to achieve them.

7. Focus on Enjoyment

At the end of the day, dance should be something your child enjoys! Focusing on the fun, creative aspects of dance rather than the pressure of being perfect will help your dancer stay passionate about their craft.

💖 How to foster enjoyment in dance:

• Encourage creativity: Allow your dancer to explore different dance styles, choreography, and even freestyle moments. The more creative freedom they have, the more likely they are to enjoy the process.

  
  

• Focus on the experience: Instead of solely focusing on performances or competitions, remind your child that the journey of learning and self-expression is just as important.

  
  

• Have fun together: Show your child that dancing is fun by dancing together, watching performances or attending dance-related events. Your positive attitude toward dance will be contagious!

Supporting Your Dancer’s Journey

As a parent, your role in your dancer’s life is incredibly important. By encouraging growth, supporting their confidence, and ensuring they enjoy the process, you help them become not just a better dancer, but a more confident, happy person overall.

Remember, every dancer’s journey is unique and with your love and support, your child can truly thrive in dance and beyond!

Yours in dancing,

Belinda Kawalek