The Dance Teacher Life
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Christmas Gifts to Coax Any Dancer Out of the “Box”
Question for you: have you done your Christmas shopping yet? We all want to find the perfect Christmas gifts for those special people in our lives. We want it to be meaningful, functional, and inspiring. As a creative, I would venture to say that it is sometimes hardest to buy gifts for fellow artists. We want something that is unique and also meaningful. Whether you are looking to shop for fellow dancers, dance instructor friends, or dance coaches, you need something special and applicable. Fear not. I have numerous functional yet meaningful gift ideas for you this year. This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a…
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Dancewear Favorites: The Best and Greatest From My Closet
For dancers and dance teachers, dancewear is important. My twin (who also a dance teacher), always say: “I’m nicer when I like my outfit.” Can any of you relate to this sentiment? I sure can. And, whether you are social dancing or teaching your students, everyone can benefit from us being in a good mood, right? Right. Apart from the fact that what we wear has the ability to affect our mood toward others, it’s important to remember that dancing is a joy and a blessing, so why not wear clothes that match that feeling? I recently listened to a fantastic episode of the “Grow With Shea” Podcast entitled “Finding…
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Tiny Dancers Class: 3 Awesome Tips to Inspiring Quick Order
Whether you’re facing a brand new class of littles or you are walking in to greet the same group you’ve had for months, law and order in the classroom is key. It’s important because a bunch of cute ballerinas in sparkly black leotards and pink tights can turn into a band of mini elephants faster than you can say ‘grand battement.’ Keeping a tiny dancers ballet and tap class orderly can be a challenge. I don’t know about you, but I personally go a little nuts when baby, preschool, and kindergarten dancers are running loose. It’s not necessary for littles instructors need to tolerate unbridled disorganization or noise. I remember one…
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Dance Teacher Gifts: Wow Your Instructors This Year
Can you believe it’s time to find dance teacher gifts again? Where did 2020 go? The way time has gotten away could have something to do with all the crazy evens that have taken up this year, but your Christmas list doesn’t need to get away from you! Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just about here so let’s get a jump on that shopping. Ready for your guide to gifts that the dance teachers at your studio, your dance teacher friends, or you will LOVE? Look no further, I’ve got dance teacher gifts covered! This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a product with one…
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9 of the Best Tools to Keep Preschool Ballet and Tap Class Exciting
We all have our absolute necessities when it comes to teaching dance, don’t we? For me, having the right tools for preschool ballet and tap class is beyond necessary. That’s why today I’m sharing with you my must-have. These products keep my class room running smoothly and do the trick when it comes to keeping those littles excited about each and every exercise. Without further ado, let’s get into it. This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a product with one of these links I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I never recommend anything that I don’t love or would…
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Online Dance Class on Zoom: How to Keep Preschoolers Engaged
I think that we can all agree that the switch to online dance class on Zoom came with quite the learning curve. It took a little while to get the hang of Zoom. Then there’s the ever-present challenge of keeping the younger students engaged apart from the technical aspects. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I definitely wasn’t as exciting as Dora the Explorer or Paw Patrol. Kids these days love their technology. However, that didn’t mean they would automatically love the “show” when I arrived on a glowing screen. The question became, how am I going to keep them entertained with this for weeks and weeks?…
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Dance Teacher Survival Kit: My Favorite Practical Self-Care Items
Teachers give of themselves everyday. It can be an exhausting job because of the little minions you get to enlighten, discipline, and interact with everyday. Then there’s the fact that as a dance teacher, you’re on your feet a lot, walking, dancing, crawling–all of it. That’s why I’ve created this “dance teacher survival kit” made especially for teachers who need a little self-care. We might be the instructors in the studio, yet we still end up sore and in need of a little self-care at the end of the day because, more often than not, we dance just as hard as our students. And talk at the same time. While…
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Dance Teacher Necessities : 7 Items I Can’t Live Without
Tools that make my job as a dance teacher a whole lot easier. When you’re a dance teacher, you’re pretty much a one man or one woman show. This is partly true since you are the head of your preschool dance class. However, we all know that appearances can be deceiving. Every one of us teachers has a special little collection of friends that make our days of dancing successful. And no, I’m not talking about your students though I’m sure they are pretty darn fantastic as well. Today, I’m thrilled to open up my treasure chest of essentials, sharing with you tools I utilize in every class. These products…
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Preschool Tap Class: 3 Fresh Ideas For Keeping Your Kiddos Engaged
Keep the kids engaged during tap class! Okay, so you have flaps, heel toe walks, shuffles. But as every dance teacher knows, you need something pretty powerful to grab your kids’ attention in preschool tap class. So, is is possible to keep those little ones engaged in preschool tap class while still teaching them the fundamentals? Of course! More than likely, you’ve developed a few activities of your own. However, you can never have too many options when it comes to great class ideas. But perhaps the ones that have become you’re go-tos need a break. Something can be fun and diverting to kids for a while. However, eventually the…
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3 Easy Peasy Tips for Keeping Preschool Tap Class Under Control
So you have a roomful of girls dressed in pink leotards and boys in black stretchy pants ready for preschool tap class. It’s adorable. Then you put tap shoes on all of their feet. The noise escalates. It just gets louder and louder….. So what’s to keep a teacher from going mad from all the chaos that comes with pairing 4-5 year olds with tap shoes? Here are a few ideas that will help you keep your tap class attentive and under control. Quiet Mice I find the metaphor of “tiptoeing quietly like mice” especially helpful during times of transition in class. In order to keep the kiddos from thundering…
