QCFF August 2016

The Benefits of Dance for Children
Kimberly Munn
Artistic Director, Above the Barre Dance Academy
As parents, our job is a continuous research project
on how to nurture the best children possible. Balancing the
facets of that job can be overwhelming, but the rewards are
endless as we watch our children grow.
Some of the questions parents often ask include,
“At what age should my child become involved in
extracurricular activities?” “What activities do I choose?”
“Where do I even begin?”
Let me take a minute to tell you about one of the
greatest gifts you can give your little one. As young as age
2, your child can begin exploring the world of dance class.
They may get excited about shiny tap shoes or pink tutus,
but what they really get is a lifetime of lessons beyond
shuffles and plies.
For the past 12 years, I have operated a dance studio,
Above the Barre Dance Academy, here in the Quad Cities.
I have taught thousands of students, and one of my greatest
joys is hearing their appreciation for the things dancing did
for their lives. There are obvious benefits: health, flexibility,
self-awareness, strength, coordination, and grace that will
last long beyond your final bow on stage (my husband still
rolls his eyes when I reach for a fallen pen with one leg in a
full kick behind me).
And there are the more surprising benefits, like
when you watch your once-shy two-year-old shine on stage
in front of hundreds of people. For some, it’s seeing your
confident pre-teen manage his/her time effectively with a
project due, a friend’s birthday party, and a three-hour dance
class all in one day. Or when your teenager is struggling
with her first heartbreak and the pain is eased by the net of
sisters she’s created through her time training.
When you become a dancer with us, you become
part of a family, sharing the same passion. Moms become
lifelong friends, siblings look forward to events, and even
dads enjoy their time with the dance family.
Starting dance at an early age provides focus,
structure, socialization and emotional skills for your
child. It is important for each student to receive individual
attention, and for each to perform at his or her ability and
speed. At our studio, each class provides instruction based
on a researched curriculum, as well as fun activities.
We provide studios with professional flooring to
prevent injury and offer viewing windows in our dance
rooms. Each staff member is trained in an ongoing process,
to be sure they are teaching the original syllabus created
through decades of research and observation. This fall,
we will be opening a LeClaire location in addition to our
main studio in Davenport. It is our top goal to provide an
opportunity for dance to be available to as many people as
possible.
Please take a moment to check out our website,
abovethebarredanceacademy.com, and find a class that
works for you!
Above the Barre
Dance Academy
abovethebarredanceacademy.com
Grand opening of our NEW
LeClaire location is
Sunday, August 21st from 4-6pm!
12 August 2016 - QC Family Focus