Choosing a dance studio for your child in Woodstock can be a daunting to task. There are so many great Woodstock dance studios to pick from and so many worries that can cloud your mind…
Will my child like their instructor?
Does their schedule work with mine?
I heard dance is expensive… What kind of dollar are we looking at here?
These are just a few of the worries that I hear as a studio owner through our registration season from parents. To help put your mind at ease I have come up with a few items for your checklist when looking into the various Woodstock dance studios:
1) The Studio’s Culture
What does the studio you are looking at believe in. And I mean, not just what is written on the mission statement section of their website but rather, what do they do in class, out of class and in the community to back up their values. Check out their Facebook pages, Instagram, etc to see what kinds of material they are posting on a regular basis. Take a visit to the studio and see how they treat their students and parents.
Munchkin Hip-Hoppers dance up a storm at Footprints
2) Programming
The studio you pick should reflect what you want your child to get out of dance. If you want dance to be the place where your child can come to be active and make friends than a recreational class may be best. However, if your child is looking for a place to grow technically through the art with goal setting and milestones than an exam class would do the trick. Ultimately if your child’s dream is to become a dancer or work on their triple threat skills then a studio that offers competitive dance may be what you are looking for.
Exam Dance Students prepare for their chasses down the floor.
3) Qualified Faculty
Check out the studio’s bios for their teachers. It is so incredibly important to know who is teaching your child’s class and what qualifications he/she may have. Just because an instructor is an excellent dancer does not mean that they are an excellent teacher. Also, just because someone has a degree in dance or childhood education does not mean that they are an excellent teacher. Look for teachers that are well rounded and have experience.
Miss Lainy LOVES her little dancers. These early years are some of the most important to make sure you have a qualified teacher on hand!
4) Community Involvement
Is the studio you are looking at stay involved in the community? Woodstock is such a beautiful small town and has so much to offer. Woodstock Dance Studios have so much potential to give back to this wonderful community. Check out your studio to see if they do any fundraising for local charities or better yet – see if they have partnered with a local group to make change happen in Woodstock.
We partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters Woodstock to have some of their Littles dance with us as they waited for a matched Big!
5) Schedule and Price
Ultimately you have to do what is best fitting to your schedule and dollar here. Keep in mind that the cheapest dance studio may not offer the best training and neither could the most expensive. Find a studio that fits your schedule and is going to give you benefits for your dollar.
We encourage our little dancers to DREAM BIG at FDC.
One of the best ways to find out if a dance studio is right for you is by visiting the studio and taking a class yourself!
If you are interested in trying out a class with us at Footprints Dance Centre simply click here.
