4 Reasons Why Being in a Dance Class is SO Important Right Now

Being a parent during a pandemic is not exactly a walk in the park. When a child is hungry, you feed them. When a child is sick, you take them to the doctor. When a child experiences a pandemic, sees the world flipped upside down, and probably doesn’t completely understand why, you…? 

Well, if you’re feeling lost on how to support your kids right now, check out this great article from the Child Mind Institute that we stumbled upon a few days ago. It’s got some great tips! When we read it, we couldn’t help but realize that dance class just so happens to check off quite a few things on that list. 

Dance is amazingly beneficial for kids. We’ve known this for years, which is why we’ve chosen to dedicate our lives to it. But when we think about what kids NEED during a pandemic, dance class seems even more magical than ever before. We are SO excited to dance with your children this Fall, especially because we know they will need it more than ever before. 

4 Reasons Why Being in a Dance Class is SO Important Right Now:

1. Back to a Routine

Kids need structure in their lives, and with almost nothing normal these days, finding that structure is super difficult. That’s why a weekly dance class that remains consistent throughout the ENTIRE school year is so valuable right now. 

We guarantee that when you sign up for one of our Fall Dance Classes, your child will have something to look forward to every week. They will settle into a groove when they have that consistency in their lives. More importantly, when they have consistent activities and structure, they will be less likely to act out and need YOUR attention at home. 

2. Socialization

In the year of social distancing, all of us are feeling the negative emotional impacts of isolation and being apart from others. While we may not be able to help your kids feel physically closer with their friends, we certainly can help them feel connected once again. 

In dance class, the smiles are contagious. The community feel is automatic and comes about organically. When you’re in a room dancing together, you feel together, no matter how far apart. We can’t wait to help your kids bloom into the social butterflies that they were before quarantine!

3. Physical Activity

With many sports cancelled, and A LOT more use of technology over the past couple months, I think we could ALL use some move-your-body time. Here at Positions Dance Studio, that is what we do BEST! 

Send your kids to us this Fall for a full body workout and a feel-good endorphins boost. In class, we get our heart rates up while also utilizing muscle control and flexibility. Dancing really is the whole package. Not to mention our adult fitness classes! Come move with us this Fall! 

4. Supportive and Positive Adults 

We KNOW you’re already doing this at home. But parents are humans too, and it’s unrealistic to expect yourself to stay positive for you kids 100% of the time (especially during a pandemic). That’s where we come in. 

It’s our JOB to be there for your kids. Our goal is to bring our students unwavering and unconditional positivity. At dance, we’re here to build them up for their own sake, but also so YOU don’t have to be the only one doing so. We’re here for both you and your child, now more than ever. 

Are you ready to make all of this magic happen for your child this Fall?! We are too! We are now accepting enrollment for our 2020/2021 Dance Season. Click here to view the schedule and register today! 

Making this list got our warm and fuzzies going, simply because we LOVE what we do. It’s time for another great year of dance at Positions Dance Studio, and we can’t wait to bring your children all the things that they need MOST right now. 

How We Are Safely Returning to the Studio

Positions Families, the time has finally come! The moment we’ve ALL been waiting for: a return to in-studio classes at Positions! For months, our staff has been saying that we CAN’T wait to be back in the studio with our dancers. Now that we are preparing to do so, the excitement is building, but this big step is certainly not one we take lightly. 

During all the chaos these past couple of months, one thing has always stayed the same. Your safety is our number one priority. Our staff is busy transforming our facility and re-thinking our procedures to ensure that our students are safe when they walk in our doors. We are dedicated to you and our responsibility to the community. 

As we accept enrollment for our fall and summer classes, we have put together a new set of policies that we’d like all of our families to take note of. The studio experience may look a little different than years past, but we are confident that it will be a great one.  

How We are Safely Returning to the Studio: 

1. Limiting Class Sizes

To ensure that there is room in our studios for proper social distancing, our class’ capacity numbers will be smaller than usual. If classes fill and there are dancers interested in joining, we will open new classes to ensure that our families get the classes they need. 

With limited class sizes in mind, be sure to view our schedule and register before your preferred class time fills up! 

2. Now Requiring Pre-Registration for All Adult Classes

Adult classes are being offered in-person (outdoors) and on Zoom. Due to limited class sizes to allow for social distancing, we are utilizing a new software to ensure that our drop-in adult dance/fitness classes do not exceed capacity limits. We’ve made it easy for you! Just visit our website and click the registration link next to the class you’d like to attend. 

Those who previously purchase class cards will be able to reactivate them. Please contact the studio to unfreeze your account! Our Summer 2020 Adult Classes run from July 20th - August 28th. View the schedule today! 

3. Drop-Off Only Policy

For all students over the age of 5 years old, parents will not be allowed in the studio to watch class or relax in the lobby. You will have the option to remotely view class via the Zoom Links posted in the parent portal. Parents of preschool children may accompany them inside and occasionally check on class, but we ask that you rotate your time in the lobby. This change was made in order to reduce the amount of people in our space at any given time. 

4. Hand sanitizer and temperature checks at the door!

When arriving at our facility, your student will be greeted by a Positions staff member who will use a touchless thermometer to check the temperature of each dancer before. We’ve also added hand sanitizing stations at the entrance, which will be mandatory for all dancers to use. 

5. Now Requiring Masks to Enter

Students must wear a mask while entering or exiting the building. However, the mask is not required while dancing. Need a mask? We’ve designed special Positions Dance Studio masks for our dancers who are ready to enter in style! Stop by our dance store to get yours today!  

6. Now Requiring Props for Ages 5+

In order to keep our surfaces free from cross-contamination, all dancers ages 5+ are required to bring a yoga mat and hand towel to class. View our graphic below to double-check that your child has everything they need!

Positions Dance Studio is now offering special, branded back to dance packages! Take 20% off when you purchase all 3 items!

7. Socially Distant Dancing! 

We’ve prepped our studio from top to bottom - literally! Our dance floors are now equipped with floor stickers for our dancer’s feet, surrounded by individual, taped boxes. 6 feet apart, but dancing together! 

8. A Revamped Cleaning Schedule

Our staff will be sanitizing high traffic areas such as barres, doorknobs, and bathrooms between each class. Heavy-duty cleaning will be done at the end of the night to prepare for the next day of classes. 

As you can see, we’ve put great thought and detail into our back-to-studio planning. We’re committed to a safe return to the studio. The safety of our dancers, families, and staff is always number one on our list. Be well, and we can’t wait to see you at the studio!

COVID-19 Resources for Dance Families

Oof! Whatever you are stressed about right now…. just know, you are NOT alone. Between finances, health, and childcare, it’s just a lot. These are REAL issues, REAL concerns, and we are with you. We want to help. From our stuck-at-home family to yours, we are here to offer some positivity during this trying time. 

Even though it may seem harder than ever before, now is the MOST important time to make sure our students KEEP dancing. Why? Endorphins, of course! We can probably all agree that we need a few extra of those right now! 

Our Positions Staff has been hard at work this past month taking our dance classes TOTALLY virtual! If you haven’t yet hopped on zoom with us or joined our Facebook groups, don’t worry! We are still wrapping our heads around all this too! It’s not too late to join us. 

On top of what WE’VE put together for our current Positions families, we have been totally thrilled by the number of people and companies who have banded together to help. From live online classes to at-home workouts, we’ve compiled a list of amazing resources for our dance families! We also threw in some general resources for our parents who are suddenly expected to be teachers AND parents!

Check out these awesome resources for dancers and parents during COVID-19:

Exclusively for Positions Families:

• FREE Facebook Group for Current Positions Families - Contests, recital videos, and fun activities are posted weekly! Stay moving and connected in our Positions-only group!

• LIVE Classes on Zoom - Access your child’s Zoom Link via the Parent Portal. If you are new to zoom, this tutorial will help you get oriented. View the zoom class schedule on our website and we will see you on the virtual dance floor!

• Paid Adult Fitness Subscription Group - For $25, you can gain access to all of our at-home workout videos. At Positions, we don’t let quarantine stop us from reaching our health and fitness goals! Join us today! 

• Kids Yoga on Facebook Live - Are things a little crazy at home? We’ve got you! Join Miss Kelly for some relaxing Kid’s Yoga. Follow Positions Dance Studio on Facebook so you don’t miss a class! 

Dance Training:

Bored at home? Can’t get enough dance? On TOP of your Virtual Classes at Positions, we’ve found some extra classes that will help you stay moving! These classes won’t be taught by your Positions Faculty, and they won’t help you learn your recital dance, but they are great class supplements to take advantage of!

• Ballet Class with the Pros - A list of professional Ballet dancers that are offering virtual classes via Instagram/Facebook Live.

• CLI Studios - The industry’s leading online class outlet is graciously offering FREE classes during this time with your favorite choreographers. Visit the website for a complete schedule and get moving!

• DANCIO - Take class with the stars of dance from the comfort of your own home. They are offering a free 2-week trial.

• GAGA classes - Donation based Gaga classes through Zoom multiple times a day!

• STEEZY - Explore different urban dance styles like house, breaking, and popping. Free 7-day trial!

• Sugarfoot Therapy - Injury prevention workouts for dancers designed by a physical therapist.

Staying Active:

• BOKS - Free online fitness program for kids.

• CorePower Yoga On Demand - Parents this is for you! CorePower has released their online classes for free.

• Cosmic Kids Yoga - Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+

• GoNoodle - Keep your tiny dancer moving with these fun, free dance videos for the whole family!

• LES MILLS On Demand - Another great resource for parents to experience over 800+ workouts from home. They’re offering free trials!

Exploring Art:

• BroadwayHD - You can experience the magic of Broadway from home! They offer a 7-day free trial!

• Google Arts & Culture - Google has partnered with over 500 museums and galleries around the world!

• Met Opera - Every evening enjoy a FREE night at the opera from your couch! 

Virtual Learning:

• ABC Mouse - Reading, math, science, and art for ages 2-8.

• Kahn Academy - Free online learning and lesson plans for kids of ALL ages.

• LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems - Mo welcomes you into his studio at home and guides you through drawing activities using one of his favorite characters as inspiration!

• Raddish Kids - Healthy meal prep activities for families

• Scholastic Learn at Home - Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.

• Wild, FREE & Crafty - Free art lessons for kids and adults.

Stay informed:

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Stay updated and informed! The CDC recommends also following your local and state health agencies for additional information.

Whether you’re homeschooling kids, trying to work from home, or doing your best to keep your dancer active, we hope that you find these links helpful!

From all of us here at Positions Dance Studio, we are sending you warm and healthy thoughts. Together we will make it through this time, and we can’t wait to see you all back at the studio. Happy living room dancing to all of our students!