An interview with a few Alumni of Encore Studios - Why it is important to keep dance in your child's life as they get older

As we head towards the finish line of our 15th season, we thought we'd touch base with some of our past students about how taking dance classes has shaped their lives.  

What feelings do you associate with dance lessons from your youth?

Alumni #1:  Joy, strength

Alumni #2:  Happiness, responsibility, stress relief, commitment, belonging,

Alumni #3:  Happiness. Those classes allowed me to make happy memories even if I was having a hard time in other aspects of life.

Alumni #4:  fun, friends, creativity, expression

Alumni #5:  Happiness, fulfillment, passion

Alumni #6:  Happiness, freedom, imagination, discipline, creativity

Did you dance in High School? How was that beneficial?

#1:  Yes. It was beneficial in that I made a lot of great friends, it helped my self esteem. It kept me active. I was not good at gym and dance allowed me to stay healthy

#2:  Yes. Kept me active, continued friendships that had been formed earlier, gave me a way to de-stress

#3:  I danced throughout my 4 years of high school and it helped keep me focused and helped teach me discipline, along with keeping me active! :)

#4:  I danced all through high school. It taught me to be self disciplined and responsible- to do both dance and maintain my grades was absolutely possible and I believe it gave me time management skills that were incredibly beneficial in university and my career. In addition, it was my escape from the stresses of high school life. I could leave it all at the door of the studio!

#5:  Yes - about 15 hrs/wk. Dance taught me to be poised, to handle challenges, to be disciplined and helped with my confidence in public speaking, self-expression and juggling priorities.

#6:  No! But so many regrets that I stopped before I started high school.

Did you dance while in post-secondary education? How was that beneficial?

#1:  Yes. It was like high school in that I made a lot of friends and it kept me physically active

#2:  Yes. Great way to stay connected to friends, stress relieving, kept me active

#3:  Yes, throughout my post secondary education I have continued to dance and be apart of the dance community. It has helped me de-stress during busy times at school and it has helped me express myself and focus my emotions during tough times

#4:  I taught and took classes all through my post secondary career. In fact, dance paid my way through university! I was able to work at a job that I thoroughly enjoyed and allowed me to work less hrs per week, which was possible because I committed through high school and was able to become an instructor as a result.

#5:  Yes - see above, but also dance provided an outlet for my stress, an extra support system of people I loved and a part-time job that I absolutely adored.

#6:  Yes! That’s when I came back to dance. I missed it so much. It felt great to come back.

There are two main concerns that we hear from students and parents about continuing dance as they get older:

1. They won't have enough time to dance
2. We can't pay for both university and dance

While each student is unique with individual strengths and weaknesses, for the most part we find that those students that keep dance in their life have more success at school.  Here are a few reasons why:

• Dance is the only activity that works both sides of your brain, which helps to expand knowledge as well as memorization skills
• Dance reduces stress levels because it is a form of exercise as well as a form of expression
• Dance enhances the quality of life of a student as they are more fit and feel more confident
• Dance improves kinesthetic intelligence
• Dance gives structure in a student's mind, making it easier for them to manage their time and complete assignments in a timely manner

And if those reasons aren't enough, did you know that the average dancer gets 30% higher on their exams than the average student who doesn't dance?!

We've had dancers completing their entire degree, and sometimes even a second degree, all while still dancing!  These are intense programs too like medicine and physiotherapy.

But what about cost?  Well, as mentioned by some of our alumni, they were able to work as dance teachers which paid their way through their degree.  But if that isn't an option or of interest, just taking a class or two per week they can still reap the benefits as described above.

They are going to need structure.  They are going to need to exercise.  They are going to need an outlet.  They will take time to socialize.  They already love dance.  It just makes sense to keep this positive activity going as students get older.

Whether you take a class once per week or several times, we know that dance will help you academically - and its FUN!


To find out more about programs for your child or for yourself, visit us at www.encoreperformer.com.