It’s super important to understand that if you want to go pro in the dancing world, it’s gonna take way more than just a few hours a week. Even if you’re all about having fun, you still gotta put in a ton of time, effort, and dedication. Keeping the motivation going and inspiring the kids after endless classes and practice can be a real challenge. This guide should help you figure out how to keep your students engaged, motivated, and pumped up about dancing.
1-Creating a common group goal with your class
Your students gotta have their own goals, you know, but also some goals for the whole class is also important. I’ve noticed that younger kids can easily lose focus, so as a teacher, I make sure to keep talking about these group goals to help them stay motivated during class.
For instance, a group goal could be the end-of-year recital, or maybe just moving up a level in the next year. It might seem like a lot of effort right now, but reminding the students that they’ll be performing for their families on the big stage in June can really help them stay on track with the group goal. It keeps them motivated and gets them excited about what’s coming up later in the season!
2- Receiving feedback from your students and letting them voice their opinions
Having 20 little voices shouting out their thoughts can be tough for any teacher. Chatting with students one-on-one or getting group votes in class on activities can be a good way to start. I’ve found that having group votes makes my little dancers more interested in the topics when they can have some say in their learning.
Asking questions to the group like, “I’ve noticed this isn’t working well, what’s bothering you about it?” helps them not only use more critical thinking skills but also keeps them more engaged in their learning.
I also let my students help create their warm-ups for each class. I give them some guidelines, and with my guidance, they create their own warm-up routine. Allowing students, even at a young age, to have some control over how they learn keeps them really engaged.
3- Switching up dance styles to help prevent the student from becoming burnt out
Taking different dance classes can totally help a dancer become more versatile. If you stick to just one style, you might end up feeling tired and bored. Trying out new things and learning different skills can keep you motivated to master new moves and routines, especially when you’re young. If you keep repeating the same stuff over and over, you’ll probably get bored and give up.
To avoid getting burnt out, it’s suggested to try at least 2 different dance styles. Learning different styles isn’t just cool, it can also motivate you to set more goals for yourself.
A good way to get started is with styles like ballet and hip-hop, especially for young kids. Ballet gives you structure and a solid grasp of the basics of dance, while hip-hop lets you be more creative and expressive with different moves and music.
Most importantly, trying out a variety of dance styles allows you to become more versatile in how your body interprets choreography and movement. You’ll build up a wider vocabulary and have a better understanding of dance, taking more ownership over your own learning. Here is more about the importance of different dance techniques.
Becoming a New Dance Teacher! 
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