For beginning parents. Sports ballroom dancing. Ballroom dancing for children where to start

Ballroom dancing classes will help your children acquire good manners. It is not for nothing that during the time of the nobility, noble families included ballroom dancing in the compulsory education and upbringing program of their children. And even now ballroom dancing does not lose its popularity - it is considered prestigious if a child dances.

What does ballroom dancing give a child?

• Sports ballroom dancing helps develop plasticity, coordination of movements, and posture.
• Ballroom dancing contribute to the development of the rhythm and aesthetic component of life.
• A child who dances develops the leg and core muscles and the plasticity of the arms. During classes, all muscle groups work, which contributes to the development of coordination, stability, and allows the child to be flexible, resilient and dexterous.
• When practicing ballroom dancing, a child receives proper physical development, and the functioning of his cardiovascular and respiratory systems improves. Dancing children have rhythm and flexibility, and they have proper breathing.
• A dancing child has the right beautiful posture and gait, athletic build and ability to move confidently and beautifully. If the child does not correct posture, then ballroom dancing classes will help correct it. Dancing children have a light and smooth gait, even if ballroom dancing is a hobby.
• By learning ballroom dancing, a child will have an excellent opportunity not only to dance, but to exquisitely express his emotions.
• Ballroom dancing classes are a tool for self-expression, and also promote composure and responsibility in the child.
• Ballroom dancing teaches children discipline, helps coordinate thoughts and actions, and contributes to the education of a gifted, hardworking, creative and physically strong personality.
• By practicing ballroom dancing, a child will learn to listen to music, acquire rhythm and learn to express impressions of music with meaningful movements in accordance with his age, i.e. everything that is so necessary for the upbringing and proper development of a child.
• Also, ballroom dancing is beautiful view sports that contribute to the formation of correct aesthetic taste for children due to: good choreography, bright dance costumes and good music.
• A dancing child will easily find his life path, will enjoy the performances and the flowers and applause received. Such a child will always look stylish, study well and love art.
• It is also worth noting that in addition to the development of physical fitness and aesthetic education, ballroom dancing will help shy children to relax and gain self-confidence, and will also help to overcome many complexes.
• The dance program includes not only European and Latin American programs. In class great attention is also given to teaching the basics of etiquette, the ability to present and behave. Within a few months of lessons, the child will develop noble manners.
• It is also important that dancing children improve their mood and are charged with positive energy. Such children will not spend all their time at the computer or lying on the sofa in front of the TV, you will not worry about where they are walking now because they will be practicing ballroom dancing during training.

So what age is most suitable for ballroom dancing?

• Some experts say that the most suitable age to start ballroom dancing is from 4 to 5 years. They argue that at this age the child already perceives the necessary information, he can be taught to listen to music and he can perform physical activity.
• And others are sure that children can perceive information from the age of 6. They argue that this is due to insufficient coordination of movements and the rapid fatigue of children from monotonous actions. Also, it is difficult for children to remember the names of dance figures.
• Most parents are also confident that a 4-year-old child should start with folk dances, gymnastics, etc., classes in which can prepare a child for ballroom dancing, to which he can be enrolled from the age of 6.
• But there are parents who bring their children to ballroom dancing from the age of 4. They talk about how children begin to dance well between the ages of 7 and 8, and until that moment they receive physical activity, attend ballroom dancing competitions and soak up the whole atmosphere.
• Most children's dance schools and studios accept children aged 4 years and older. Therefore, it would be useful for parents to know that when sending their child to dance, it is necessary to take into account the level of his development.
• Children under 4 years of age will have difficulty learning ballroom dancing. They will get tired quickly, and also such children have poorly developed coordination and cannot concentrate their attention. However, if you see that your child has sufficient development, perceives music, can listen to the coach and has a good memory, then you can send him to classes even at this age.
• But experts agree that the most optimal age for ballroom dancing is 6 years old.

European program.

If we consider the European program, the most beautiful and elegant dance in it is the slow waltz. This dance has the longest history.

He appeared in XII-XIII centuries and throughout its history it was supplemented with elements of various European folk and court dances. The slow waltz gained its greatest popularity in the 19th century. Our generation knows several types of slow waltz, which received its differences through the influence of the traditions of the countries where it was danced: Boston waltz, figure waltz, Viennese waltz and slow waltz.

Also worthy of mention is the tango dance. In the European program this is the most emotional and very effective dance. He has a pronounced rhythm and a clear step. The birthplace of dance is South America, from where it came to Europe in the 20th century. But the Europeans smoothed out the original dance a little, as they considered some of its elements indecent. Tango is distinguished from other dances in the European program by its imprinted decisive step; all other dances have a smooth step flowing from the heel to the toes. Tango is suitable for confident and decisive people.

The European program ends with two foxtrots - slow and fast (from the English “quickstep” - quick step). Two varieties of the foxtrot appeared in the 20th century and instantly became popular among young people.

The slow type foxtrot in the modern variation is considered complex - it is based on fast and slow steps, and these movements are performed to smooth music. This dance is characterized by changing the intensity of movements and changing directions, which requires certain skills and good coordination. It is because of this that at the entry level in dance school this dance doesn't exist.

But another foxtrot - a fast one - begins to be learned at the very first lesson. This dance is sparkling, lively, it contains elements of jumping and jumping. And if a couple dances harmoniously, then from the outside the dance looks like “fluttering” on the floor.

Energetic program - Latin American dances.

Dances from the Latin American program are very emotional and energetic. They are characterized by a fast tempo, dizzying rotations and fiery melodies, which makes them more popular than the waltz or tango.

The most famous Latin American dance is samba. The birthplace of samba is Africa, from which the dance came to South America, and gained enormous popularity in Brazil and, out of general enthusiasm, ended up at the carnival. This dance is the most fiery of Latin American dances, playful and rhythmic. It consists of a springy step with a simultaneous rotation of the hip. Watching the dance, the audience begins to dance themselves.

The second, equally rhythmic, is the cha-cha-cha dance. It is based on elements of movements from rumba and mambo. This is a young dance, as it appeared in the mid-twentieth century. Thanks to the light and rhythmic music of the dance, a relaxed atmosphere is created, accompanied by expressive movements of the hips, which gives a certain zest to what is happening.

All Latin dances have one distinguishing feature- fast pace. The most unusual for Latin American dances is the rumba. This dance is very beautiful, it is permeated with feelings and has some elements of eroticism. Rumba is a fairly easy dance to learn - it is based on a simple basic movement and slow music. But you can dance it only by putting your soul into it. Every couple dancing the rumba seems to be telling their own love story.

This dance appeared in America in the sixteenth century and was already popular in those days, but was immediately banned because it was considered immodest. Now rumba has standard view, which, in principle, does not affect its popularity among dance fans.

Have you ever tried on the role of a cloak? Yes, you read that right, the role of the cloak. The paso doble dance is a bullfighter who performs in a bullfight with his constant attribute of a cape, the movements of which are conveyed by the dance. The main difference between this dance and other Latin American dances is that here the main partner is the main one, and the partner is assigned an auxiliary role.

And at the end of the Latin American program a jive performs. This bouncy and sparkling dance will appeal to fans of rock and roll. It is as energetic as the cha-cha or samba, has similar movements and tempos to rock and roll, and originated in Europe during World War II. As a result of its simplification, the output was not a single dance. These dances gained incredible popularity on dance floors in the mid-20th century, including rock and roll.

Sports ballroom dancing is an incredibly beautiful art, which, in addition to physical and creative development, allows you to gain experience in interpersonal interaction between partners and other dancers, which has a positive effect at an older age. Experience social interaction difficult to overestimate. Systematic ballroom dancing training teaches you to achieve your goals collectively. This helps a lot in life, in future work and in family life.

Ballroom dancing is an incredibly beautiful and very healthy hobby.

Dance classes:

• Increases the child’s physical endurance;
• Development of plasticity and coordination;
• Ability to move and dance beautifully
• Strengthens blood vessels and muscles;
• Increase self-esteem;
• Cheer up;
• Improves posture and flexibility;

What is included in the ballroom dance program?

Before you start training, you should familiarize yourself with the training program. Sports ballroom dancing consists of two programs: European and Latin American.

The European dance program or Standard consists of five main dances:

• Slow Waltz (Slow or English Waltz),
• Viennese Waltz,
• Tango,
• Slow Foxtrot and
• Quickstep or Quick Foxtrot (Quickstep)

program Latin American dances or Latin (Latin) make up five main dances:

• Samba
• Cha-cha-cha (Cha-Cha-Cha)
• Rumba,
• Paso Doble and
• Jive

At what age do you start dancing?

Children from 4 years old come to our club. Ballroom dancing for beginners is a warm-up, stretching, preparation basic movements. Is it worth sending your child to dance so early? Definitely yes, especially in the hands of professionals! The child begins to develop, he needs to realize his potential and splash out his energy. Masters the skills of being in a team where certain rules are present, the child learns to be attentive and collected. Develop and improve.

We believe that you can send your child to dance at any age, even start training when you are older (at 18 years old), but the age from 4 to 7 years is considered optimal. It is at this age that a child has more opportunities to achieve high results. At this age, children develop a sense of rhythm, they can easily stretch, correct posture and the ability to control their body are formed. In children in early age everything is laid out very quickly. Later, complexes and tightness appear, which we also successfully work with.

How to prepare a child for dancing?

Arousing interest in sports ballroom dancing is the foundation and key to success. It is not worth forcing and going against the will of a child and taking him to dance; it is much more important to awaken your own interest, to show the child the advantages and beauty of this activity. Watch the competition performances together, ask his opinion, offer to try. Let your child take a trial lesson and decide for himself. It happens that after 3-4 lessons there is no interest, in this case there is no need to insist.

How is the training going?

All dance training usually takes place in group classes. During training, children look at each other and learn much faster, in the process they interact with each other in dance, they develop healthy mind competition and mutual assistance.

When dance couples have formed, it makes sense to think about organizing individual lessons with a coach for more detailed work and creating own style and practice every movement and technique. In such classes, dancers will learn to feel and understand each other.

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Sports ballroom dancing for children: answers to popular questions from parents

In the past, ballroom dancing was a noble entertainment reserved for high society, and learning this art was considered a sign of refined taste and good upbringing. Why was the ability to dance so valued? One has only to look at the grace, aristocratic posture and demeanor of professional dancers - and everything becomes clear. Today, dancing is no less popular; it not only decorates social events, but is also included in the program of international sporting competitions.

Do you want your child to be a successful professional dancer? Sports ballroom dancing is what you need. However, first, let's look at the pros and cons of this activity, evaluate the training program and learn some secrets of success. As the saying goes: “forewarned is forearmed.”

Is it worth it?

Any activity has its pros and cons. Choosing certain type sports, it is worth carefully analyzing all the positive and negative arguments.

Benefits of sports ballroom dancing for children:

• development of the child’s respiratory system, increased immunity and general health;
• uniform development of all muscle groups;
• excellent physical shape and well-developed muscle corset of dancers;
• development of musical ear;
• increasing stress resistance;
• prevention of complexes in children;
• development of willpower, confidence, self-control;
• improvement of posture and flexibility.

Disadvantages of sports ballroom dancing:

• high probability of injuries, unsuccessful falls;
• large monetary costs for costumes, participation in competitions, trips, etc.;
• Ballroom dancing takes a lot of physical effort and time from both children and parents;
• There may be difficulties in relationships in a couple (grievances and disagreements between dance partners can accumulate for years and negatively affect the child’s morale and the quality of classes).

So, you have made the final decision in favor of dancing. What about the child? Don't forget about his desires and capabilities. Pay attention to how your baby reacts to music, how he moves, and how artistic he is. If a child's behavior does not change when he hears rousing music, dancing is obviously not suitable for him.

When to start?

It's never too late to take up dancing, but in sports it's important not to miss the right age to start. However, there is also no need to rush when bringing a three-year-old child to dance. Excessive stress at an early age can harm the growing body. Classes for 3-4 years old can take the form of casual play, but for serious studies it is important to have a formed psyche and endurance. The most suitable age to start learning sports ballroom dancing is 6-7 years old.

How to prepare a child for dancing?

Awakening interest in sports is the first step towards success. You should not force your child to dance; it is important to interest the child and show him the advantages and beauty of this activity. Watch competitive performances with your child, ask his opinion, offer to try. Don't set the bar too high for your child when trying to satisfy your ambitions. Let the child go to a few training sessions and decide. If after 3-4 lessons there is no interest in sports, do not insist.

What is included in the ballroom dance program?

Before starting classes, it is important to learn as much as possible about sports ballroom dancing in order to compare the level of future loads with the child’s capabilities. Sports ballroom dancing is divided into two programs: European and Latin American. All dances of these programs together make up the so-called “competitive top ten”, presented at all competitions. Each dance has its own unique charm, its own history and style. Find the most interesting information about this sport and tell it to your future dancer.

European Ballroom Dance Program

Our article will talk about the pros and cons of ballroom dancing for children, the psychological aspect, the cost of classes and medical contraindications.

In the past, ballroom dancing was considered noble entertainment and an indicator of refined taste. Today dancing is no less popular. Parents send their children to dance studios for various reasons. Some want to see their child on the podium of international competitions, others take care of their child’s health in this way.

Pediatricians all over the world claim that moderate dancing is beneficial for physical development: posture is formed correctly, coordination and fine motor skills. In addition, dancing is less dangerous than some sports. And research in the field of psychology shows that children who dance are much more active and cheerful than their “non-dancing” peers.

From what age?

Some dance studios enroll children in groups aged 3 to 4 years. Part of this early start is due to pursuit goals.

If the goal is to compete in competitions and receive trophies, then the following factors are taken into account: children from 5 years old are allowed to participate, and to perform well, they need at least a year of preparation. In addition, it is believed that what earlier child starts dancing, the more opportunities he will have to reveal his potential. It must be remembered that before demonstration performances, training will be more intense and classes will take place more often, so you need to calculate the child’s physical readiness, his performance and general endurance.

If parents send their children to dance not to receive awards, but are concerned about strengthening their health and developing aesthetic taste, they can send them to dance at any age if the child has a desire.

Some experts believe that starting classes earlier can harm the child, and besides, at 3-4 years old, not all children easily grasp dance moves. It is better if classes for the little ones take the form of a game. To get the maximum benefit from training, you need sufficiently developed endurance, so the optimal age for training is sports dancing considered 6 - 7 years.

Medical contraindications

Almost all children who do not have injuries, exacerbations of chronic and colds, as well as disorders of the cardiovascular, respiratory systems and musculoskeletal system. This is important, since during training the load falls on these areas of the body.

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Boys and girls

It is believed that dancing, despite sometimes quite a bit of physical activity, is not exactly a masculine sport. However, it is dancing that will help raise a gentleman who, thanks to partner dancing, will be able to easily communicate with the opposite sex in the future.

For dreamy girls, ballroom dancing is the perfect setting. Whirling couples, rhythmic music, beautiful outfits- all this will help develop discriminating taste and feel like a young lady.

pros

Ballroom dancing is a combination of art and sport. The child learns to work for results and acquires good physical fitness for many years.

Thanks to ballroom dancing, a child develops correct posture, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, strengthens muscles, and improves immunity. The child learns to perceive music, his hearing, coordination of movements and plasticity develop. Dancing is less dangerous than some sports. The child’s performance and endurance to physical activity improves.

Young dancers grow up to be confident people. Dancing helps you get rid of complexes and relax. Children involved in choreography from childhood develop willpower, perseverance, learn to complete assigned tasks, and also become active and self-organized. Dancing is a discipline. Achieving a visible result makes you rejoice at your success and be proud of yourself.

The child learns to competently organize his time - go to school and train productively. Participation in competitions makes children stress-resistant, teaches them to cope with failures correctly and set new goals. And pair dancing develops a culture of interpersonal communication.

Minuses

• In sports dancing there is a risk of injury from an unsuccessful fall or movement. During competitions, when dancing on the court a large number of steam, collisions may occur. This happens with less experienced dancers who have not yet learned to control the situation well enough.
• Another minus - psychological nature. IN dance groups, as in any sports team, an atmosphere of competition and envy of more successful dancers is often created. For a fragile child's psyche, this is a test. Not all children are fighters by nature. It is difficult for children who are gentle and do not strive to win at any cost to be in such an environment.
• If you practice sports dancing professionally, sometimes difficulties may arise. Intensive training, especially before competitions, takes a lot of time and effort.
• Not everyone is understanding if a boy is dancing. Some people express the opinion that dancing is an activity exclusively for girls. You need to be prepared for this.
• Ballroom dancing is an expensive activity. You need to regularly pay for training, participate in competitions, buy or have custom-made clothes and shoes for classes and performances.
• Over time, the dance couple may break up, the partner may stop practicing and it will be difficult to replace him. In addition, it happens that there are not enough boys-partners, and the girl has to dance alone.

How much do classes cost?

Sports ballroom dancing is not a cheap pleasure. You need to pay for training. This is approximately 2000 - 5000 rubles per month, depending on the region and the trainer. Sometimes may be required individual sessions. You also need to pay a fee to participate in competitions.

At the beginning, a child can practice in a leotard and Czech shoes, which are not expensive - from 500 rubles, then you need to purchase a dance dress for girls, dance trousers for boys, and special shoes for ballroom dancing. Such equipment can cost an average of 5,000 - 7,000 rubles.

Sometimes photography or video shooting may be required. These services are paid separately.

How to choose a section?

Every city now has children's sports ballroom dancing groups. Go to trial classes at different studios and ask to be present at the training. Pay attention first of all to the coaches, to their attitude towards the students: do they pay enough attention to each child, do they correct them, do they give advice. It is also good if the studio has a choreography or stretching section so that the child can develop skills that will be useful to him in ballroom dancing.

1. Find good coach and establish contact with him. Regularly inquire about your child’s progress, stay up to date with news and upcoming events.
2. Take part in the child’s development, practice complex elements at home.
3. Be prepared to work, don't expect instant results. Develop not only the child’s willpower, but also your own.
4. Support your child, react calmly to failures, create a friendly atmosphere.
5. Take an interest in dancing with him.

Let's sum it up

Whatever your goals, remember that your child should go to training with enthusiasm. It will be great if you immediately discover a sense of rhythm, ear for music and artistry. But even if this is not the case, and you only have the desire to dance, it’s worth a try. Good teachers will “extract” everything they can from the most incapable child at first glance. Sports ballroom dancing is an excellent educational measure that teaches you to overcome difficulties, go towards your goals and improve your capabilities.