We get it. Taking a dance class for the first time can come with a host of different emotions… excitement, nerves, curiosity, apprehension… You’re gunna feel all the things!
And in all of our years of teaching dance, we see new comers tend to make the same mistakes over and over again.
IMPORTANT! If you’ve ever made any of these “mistakes” as a new dancer, no judgment! This is a learning process and all you can do is continue to grow.
So as you get ready to take your first class, we want to help you steer clear of these 3 mistakes:
1. Stand in the far corner of the room
Yes, we can still see you! As much as you may try, you can’t “hide” in the back of the class. By trying to hide behind others or putting yourself in the corner where you can’t see yourself in the mirror, you’re already setting yourself up for a more challenging class (real talk).
→ Better option – Stand where you can clearly see the instructor through the mirror as well as yourself. This will allow you to not only see the movement the instructor is demonstrating, but also watch yourself at the same time so you can more easily see things you may be missing and make corrections as you learn.
2. Not go “all in”
Sometimes as humans, we think it’s better to just dip our toe in to first see if the water’s fine when approaching something new… Trust us, the water is a perfect 82°… Jump in!! Lol But in all sincerity, when you let the worries of not being perfect or looking silly get in the way of you fully immersing yourself in the learning process, you’re not giving your body the opportunity to feel the movement and get comfortable with it.
→ Better option – Get out of your head and trust the process! If the instructor tells your to count the rhythms out loud, do it… Loud and proud. If you’re instructed to hinge at at the waist and bend your knees, you should not only be changing your level by 2 inches… We wanns see you get low! Stop watching, start doing! Commit to the process.
3. Quit after one class
We understand that sinking feeling when you go to take a dance class, hoping for the best, but leave feeling like you failed because you didn’t get all the steps. It can be so easy to think that dance is not for you and to never try again.
→ Better option – Focus on why you wanted to try dance in the first place. Maybe you’ve always wanted to take in a class because you grew up watching music videos and wanted to dance just like those artists and their backup dancers. The reality is that those artists and backup dancers all started right where you are! They all had a first dance class experience where they struggled to learn the choreography. But they kept going in order to get to the level they’re at today. We know you might not want to be a professional dancer, but instead of viewing the challenges you experience in a first class as a failure, we encourage you to look at it as a huge success. That first class was literally the first step onto you becoming the dancer you truly want to be. But the only way you can become that dancer you visualize in your head is to take that second step by signing up for another class. Give yourself the opportunity to suck. It’s going to happen, and it will be okay, because your instructor is there to guide you through the process.
So what now?
If you’ve been thinking about taking your first dance class, be sure to:
- Stand where you can see the instructor and yourself
- Get out of your head and commit to the learning process
- Take at least a few classes before you decide if dance is for you or not
If you’ve already taken a class, and you made any or all of these mistakes, here’s what to do:
Give yourself some grace! There’s no need to beat yourself up. Try again. Sign up for another class and then see steps 1-3 above to help make sure that you walk out of your next class feeling accomplished.