Expert Article: Importance of Early Childhood Dance

The Importance of Teaching the Whole Child in Early Childhood Dance Classes

Here are four things that separate a high-quality early child-hood dance curriculum from the rest. Most children are ready for an independent dance class without a parent between the ages of 3 and 4. 1– Is It Developmentally Appropriate?

The first indicator of a high-quality early childhood dance curriculum is that it keeps childhood development in mind. The curriculum should support a young child’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. At this age, children are exploring the world around them, developing relationships between themselves and other things and people. They are discovering new words, movements and feelings all the time. Early childhood dance should enable their naturally occurring development, and then amplify it! Also, safe and effective dance curriculum doesn’t push little bodies into positions too soon. 2– Is There Purposeful Pretend Play?

The most beneficial programs are those that allow students to make their own interpretations, connections and suggestions. As psychologist and co-creator of the early childhood dance curriculum Leap ‘n Learn, Dr. Annie Spell says, “The job of every 3 through 6 year old is pretend play.” Children should have the opportunity during class to make their own movement choices and be given the latitude to dream up ways of expressing movements in ways that are meaningful to them. The Director of Education for Leap ‘n Learn says, “Classes that incorporate pretend play ensure that children develop as individuals, not as clones.” 3– Are Props Used as Scaffolding Tools?

Giving a child a wand and telling them to run around is NOT creative dance. In a strong program, props are used thoughtfully to build complex skills and support children’s development. A good early childhood dance curriculum uses props as building blocks to support learning outcomes and amplify children’s conceptual and physical skill development.

Dr. Elena Lambrinos says, “The best dance teachers are able to see past ‘what is being done’ to understand how the component parts come together. They understand how dance education develops ways of moving as well as ways of acting, thinking, feeling and being a dancer.” A truly comprehensive early childhood curriculum has a team of experts on board to educate and guide instructors on how to teach, scaffold, connect, integrate and build knowledge. Understanding how children learn and process information is a game changer because a few incorrect techniques early on can lead to hard to unlearn bad habits later on.

Community Expert: Wellness - Mindful Living Becky Moller