If your son or daughter loves to dance chances are they will want to keep working on their skills once the regular class season is over. While it can be tempting for parents to take two months off of classes and practice sessions, the fact is that this much time can cause your child to lose some of what they have worked so hard to achieve. If you want your child to continue to excel as a dancer, summer dance programs Ottawa may be just what they need.
While some programs can be fun and more recreational in nature others are much more involved and will devote more of the day to teaching and perfecting new skills. Some may even expect students to learn a set piece of choreography in order to be part of a performance. Only you will know whether or not your son or daughter would enjoy a more dedicated program. The last thing you want is to turn your child off of dance after they attend summer camp.
You may want to think about whether your son or daughter would prefer to focus on one style of movement or whether they will want to learn a little from multiple schools of dance. Younger students may like to switch things up and may get bored if all they are working on is ballet. A school that mixes play and musical movement with skill development may be a great choice for a budding ballerina or tap star.
If your child has their heart set on a career as a professional dancer you may want to look at one of the auditions that schools such as the National Ballet of Canada or Royal Winnipeg Ballet have in Ottawa. Usually dancers need to be recommended by their regular schools and may need to attend a master class the day before the audition but if your child does well at an Ottawa audition they may be able to attend one of the summer dance schools offered by these companies.
Even if there are no schools in Ottawa that you want to send your child to you can always look at Gatineau. This city is just across the Ottawa River and is home to many excellent dance teachers. Of course, you may want to look at the place where your child normally takes classes as they may offer lessons during the summer as well.
Some parents who work will like the idea of their child being entertained and educated during the day. Some schools only have lessons at specific times so this may not be the best choice if you need childcare. Look for extended care hours or camps where they dance for part of the day.
Remember to start looking for programs early. Popular ones may fill up quickly especially for certain age groups. If you are not sure where to look and your child's regular school is not offering summer sessions you may want to look online or ask other dance parents where they have enrolled their children.
As with any physical activity, dance requires some specialized equipment. If your artist already takes classes you may not need to buy them anything but if they are taking different forms than they normally would you may need to buy additional shoes or clothing. Asking the people running the school what your child needs will make sure that they are completely ready once summer rolls around.
While some programs can be fun and more recreational in nature others are much more involved and will devote more of the day to teaching and perfecting new skills. Some may even expect students to learn a set piece of choreography in order to be part of a performance. Only you will know whether or not your son or daughter would enjoy a more dedicated program. The last thing you want is to turn your child off of dance after they attend summer camp.
You may want to think about whether your son or daughter would prefer to focus on one style of movement or whether they will want to learn a little from multiple schools of dance. Younger students may like to switch things up and may get bored if all they are working on is ballet. A school that mixes play and musical movement with skill development may be a great choice for a budding ballerina or tap star.
If your child has their heart set on a career as a professional dancer you may want to look at one of the auditions that schools such as the National Ballet of Canada or Royal Winnipeg Ballet have in Ottawa. Usually dancers need to be recommended by their regular schools and may need to attend a master class the day before the audition but if your child does well at an Ottawa audition they may be able to attend one of the summer dance schools offered by these companies.
Even if there are no schools in Ottawa that you want to send your child to you can always look at Gatineau. This city is just across the Ottawa River and is home to many excellent dance teachers. Of course, you may want to look at the place where your child normally takes classes as they may offer lessons during the summer as well.
Some parents who work will like the idea of their child being entertained and educated during the day. Some schools only have lessons at specific times so this may not be the best choice if you need childcare. Look for extended care hours or camps where they dance for part of the day.
Remember to start looking for programs early. Popular ones may fill up quickly especially for certain age groups. If you are not sure where to look and your child's regular school is not offering summer sessions you may want to look online or ask other dance parents where they have enrolled their children.
As with any physical activity, dance requires some specialized equipment. If your artist already takes classes you may not need to buy them anything but if they are taking different forms than they normally would you may need to buy additional shoes or clothing. Asking the people running the school what your child needs will make sure that they are completely ready once summer rolls around.
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You can get fantastic tips for choosing summer dance programs Ottawa area and more information about a reputable dance school at http://www.jamiesondance.com/programs now.
