I know from experience that taking a dance class as an adult can be scary... stressful... overwhelming... and a little embarrassing, if it's been a while since you've danced or you've never danced. I also know that those feelings stop some people who'd really love to enroll a dance class from taking the leap. This post is for them:
How to Take an Adult Dance Class
Don't worry about getting *all* the gear
Some students in adult jazz classes, adult tap classes, adult ballet classes, and other dance classes for the 18 and up crowd are tempted to invest in lots of gear. Others are hesitant to invest in any gear at all. By gear, I mean shoes, leotards, dance shorts, tights, stretch bands, foot stretchers, cute dance bags, portable ballet barres, ankle weights, etc. Here's the deal: you don't need to invest in a bunch of gear to take an adult dance class. You can sign up without any gear at all. I'm never going to turn away an a student because they don't have tap shoes (socks are sufficient for a few weeks) or they're not wearing dancewear. A pair of yoga pants, a t-shirt, and your feet are really all you need to get started.
You don't need top-of-the-line dance shoes
There are jazz shoes, tap shoes, and every other kind of shoes at every price point you can think of. Hop on Amazon and you'll see budget no-name shoes. Hop on Facebook groups for long-time tappers and you'll see people showing off their $800 custom tap boots. I don't advise buying the budget no-name shoes because the lack of support will mess up your feet and will break pretty quickly (especially cheap plastic tap shoes). You don't, however, need to spend big bucks. A decent pair of tap shoes will cost you around $50. Jazz shoes will cost around $30. And ballet shoes about $25. Canvas jazz shoes and tap shoes, which tend to be less expensive, are sometimes the better option.
Just show up
As an adult dance student myself, I totally understand how life can get in the way of dance class. Sometimes you have to work late. You have a sick kiddo. A pipe breaks. You throw your back out. All of these are totally legitimate reasons to miss dance classes. But if you're tired? Come anyway. We're ALL tired! Exercise in the form of a jazz class or a tap class can actually boost your energy for the rest of the week. Getting up, getting into your workout clothes, and getting your dance bag ready can feel like such a pain, but I guarantee that once you are in the studio moving your body, you'll be so glad you decided to come.
Commit to one year
It's not just about showing up for that first class. Showing up week after week (barring the kinds of complications I talk about above) is actually really important. You may feel awkward in that first, second, fifth, or even tenth dance class, but that's okay. You're learning and you're growing in a skill. That takes time. When you first start tapping or doing ballet, you have no clue what your potential is. By the end of a season, you'll have a better idea of whether dance is for you. Another good reason to commit to a year is that your dance instructor has a curriculum. You will do so much growing as a dancer over the course of that year!
Don't judge yourself against others
Standing in a room of people who are more skilled than you never really feels good, whether you're taking a dance class or learning woodworking. But it's important to keep in mind that you never can tell where someone is in their journey. Dance classes for adults are mixed-level at a lot of studios, which means you may have total beginners in the same classes with people who have been dancing for years plus people who danced when they were kids. That's tough, because it makes less experienced dancers feel like they have to "catch up." Dance teachers who teach a lot of mixed-level classes know that the goal isn't to turn beginner dancers into advanced dancers as quickly as possible, but rather to help everyone progress at their own pace.
Remember, no one is judging you
Everyone is standing at the barre or in center thinking about one thing: themselves. No one is looking at your feet or judging the depth of your plié or secretly laughing at you because you can't do a pullback or a pirouette. They're all worrying about their own technique. Heck, if you're new to dance, the more experienced dancers in your classes may actually be hoping to impress the newbie! I always tell my students that the dance studio is a 100% judgment-free zone. Keep that in mind when it's your turn to go across the floor. Your fellow dancers won't judge you for making mistakes. They'll be proud of you for trying!
Practice, practice, practice
You don't need a special dance floor to practice at home -- even if you're a tap dancer! I grew up practicing my tap, jazz, and ballet routines in socks on carpet and tile. No one I knew had a tap board or a fancy in-home dance space with a Marley floor. I will still run routines in the living room and choreograph in the kitchen in bare feet or socks. I taught all my Zoom dance classes on carpet this past summer. My point is, you can dance anywhere, so don't let being outside the studio stop you from drilling your shuffle ball changes or pas de bourrèes.
Watch lots of dance videos
Watching people dance can be inspiring! Serious dancers spend a lot of time watching other dancers do their thing, and there is no reason you shouldn't just because you're new to dance. Watching dance videos can help you decide what kinds of dance classes you want to try, can help you find new moves to learn... you can even pick up quick a bit of technique on YouTube. One piece of homework I'll sometimes give students in my adult tap classes is to first check out this or that video on YouTube and then slow it down (using YouTube's viewing settings) to try to learn it at home.
Get out of your comfort zone
If you danced as a kid, you may have some ideas about what you can and can't do. The same is true if you've sustained an injury as an adult or if you've just lost some flexibility over time. You shouldn't push yourself to the point of hurting yourself, obviously, but you should try new things. I've had adult students in my adult tap classes literally say "I can't do that" or "I'm not trying that" -- and they weren't talking about things that can be hard on the body like wings, but stuff like improv or dancing in a smaller group in front of their fellow students. I know from experience that it can be scary to do something new, but a dance studio should be a no-judgment zone. There is no penalty for making mistakes in dance classes, and we're all still learning.
Don't worry about the recital
A lot of dance studios don't include their adult dance classes in the end-of-season recital, but if yours does, remember that the recital is usually optional for adults. I always encourage the students in my adult dance classes to perform with me in the recital -- it's actually super fun -- but if the very idea stresses you out? Don't worry about it! It's okay if you're taking dance classes because you want to dance, not because you want to perform. Not everyone likes stepping into the limelight!
If you find your way to this post because you'd like to take a dance class for adults but you've been feeling nervous about it, I hope this helps ease your fears!
Happy dancing!
 |
Comments
Post a Comment