At Southern Dance Connection & Southern Cheer Elite, we believe that learning how to dance and cheer should be an encouraging and positive experience for children at any age! And while the movements themselves are an important element to every class, the benefits go far beyond pliés, pirouettes, handstands and back handsprings.

Here are our five favorite benefits of dance and cheer:

1)    It requires perseverance

In today’s world of instant gratification, dance and cheer are different because they teach children how to work hard over days, weeks, months, and years! Consistent, developmentally-appropriate practice is the way to achieve progress.

2)    There are opportunities everywhere

Every class is a chance to learn something new or grow in a new way. Whether it’s getting better at a step you already know or trying a new skill, the chance to try and try again is always there!

3)    Forever friendships are formed

There’s something pretty special about the friends you dance and cheer with … you share laughs, work together as a team, push each other to do your best, and support each other’s dreams.

4)    Dance and cheer prepare kids for life in the “real world”

The classroom is full of life lessons: from our preschoolers learning how to take turns with each other to our teenagers understanding how to prepare for an audition, everyone is developing the discipline and patience they’ll need in life outside the classroom.

5)    The “comfort zone” is challenged

Trying new skills. Performing in front of an audience. Reaching for a goal. All of these things help children grow outside their comfort zones! A shy student can learn how to love the stage; an enthusiastic one can learn how to harness her energy.

As you may already have observed in your child, the immediate joy of being in class comes from the thrill of movement and music! What follows is another type of joy; one that comes from the long-term, deeply-rooted character qualities instilled during class.

These five benefits aren’t the only positives of course, but they are certainly some of the best! We hope you see them develop in your child as they discover their love for dance and cheer.