Six Reasons to Send Your Kids & Teens to Summer Dance Camp

Welcome to June 2013. Summer is almost upon us and the question of what to do with the kids is on the minds of many parents. Summer Camp is the solution for many parents out there. So, the search begins for the right one and, yes, there are so many to choose from. Let me ask you this; have you ever thought of Summer Dance Camp? This option is great for the little ones BUT, it is also great for tweens and teens. Typically summer dance camps provide kids and teens dance classes according to their age grouping so no one feels out of place. What summer dance camp allows is the opportunity to try different styles of dance, work towards a performance quickly, and learn in a fun, safe environment.

The Six Reasons to Consider Summer Dance Camp:

1. Mind, Body, Spirit and Learning

All year kids are learning all day and every day in school. Academics are important, however, if it’s not fun, or it doesn’t peak their curiosity, kids get bored. Summer dance camps provide a great resource to keep those brains working in a fun, creative and physical way through observational learning. Memorizing patterns, sequence of steps, music rhythms, etc., keeps those brains active! Studies show that making split-second, quick decisions as when we do in dance, causes new neural pathways to form which in turn increases our brain power.

2. Discovery

Dance is a great way for kids to discover what they are passionate about. Maybe it’s a particular style of dance. Maybe it’s finding a new way to move their bodies, (“Who knew Susan loved Hip Hop!”). Maybe it’s the discovery of the math in the music, or, maybe it’s their chance to find out how really good they are at something. Discovery is a wonderful thing for every child regardless of age. It fires the imagination and allows a kid to dream.

3.Confidence Building

Let’s face it, growing up can be a blast but different stages bring different challenges in terms of the level of confidence a child has. Maybe at first it is shyness because they aren’t used to being away from Mom. Later it may be the awkwardness that comes from moving into your teens and all that comes with it. At Joy of Dance Summer Dance Camp, every child belongs. It’s fun and every step is celebrated. They gain confidence with every movement. It’s the joy of it.

4. Make New Friends:

Dancing by its very nature creates a team-like atmosphere. Students must work together during their warm up, their stretches, choreography and of course, creating a finished product for performance. Kids bond and make fast friends that they like to hang out with after the day is over. Memories are formed that last forever.

5. Permission to be Creative

We recognize that some kids are shy about being creative, which can spark thinking. In a summer dance camp creativity is all around them. They are given the perfect opportunity to be creative through movement, music, what they wear everyday, and costume design for their upcoming performance.

6. Mentorship

Strong bonds are built between students and teachers and that’s because most of them are rock stars. There are so many good lessons to be learned from dance teachers, and often they become mentors simply through the act of teaching. Maybe it’s because they are seeing each kid for their potential and treat them with never-ending belief in their ability to do what they set out to do. All I know is that the magic is there and the kids pay attention. Even though parents are constantly drilling those everyday lessons into their kid’s heads, sometimes a good dance teacher has this innate ability to make it stick. That is a special relationship that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.

You can easily find summer dance camps through a search online or sourcing various studios in your area. Check them out to see what kind of options may be offered. Even though registration tends to be early, there may still be room, as many summer dance camps often start in July.