5 tips on how to practise when you ‘have no time’

Kids today can be very busy. They dance, they swim, they play the piano, they have homework, and so on. Yet they are encouraged to practise their dancing at home?! How are they meant to fit more in? Isn't the class enough?

The answer to this is what you want for your child. Dance is a skill that is developed and built on. Once the students get older the skills become more complex and harder to maintain from simply walking in and out of the class each week.

Yes, it would be ideal to revise at home each afternoon, seven days a week... and for serious students, we want to aim for regular practise, however, for younger or less advanced students sometimes we need to think outside the box.

Remember, something is better than nothing and it all adds up. By encouraging some extra focus we are teaching these kids some great life skills.

5 tips on how to practise when you 'have no time'

One. Practise in the 10 minutes before class. Yes, it is last minute but this time can be used to refresh the student's mind ready for class. Once you have dropped off your child they should warm up (not sit and chat!) this warm up can easily be a run through of an exercise or routine.

Two. One night a week choose one dance routine to revise before going to bed. We know screen time before bed is a no-no, so a run through of a routine can be swapped in.

Three.  Does your kid wake up early on the weekends? Rather then them turning on the cartoons, they can run through one or two things from class.

Four. 'Brain breaks' are a great way to break up tasks involving great concentration. If your child works for a long period of time on one thing they will lose momentum and their mind will not focus as it should. Getting up and moving every 20min or so is great to give the brain a rest. Instead of wandering around aimlessly, you can use a routine run through as the 'brain break'.

Five. The car to and from dancing. Walking yourself through routines in your mind might sound like a lazy option, but it is a great way to remind yourself of what you have been working on and to ensure you are ready to progress.

Choose one, or try to do them all. Everything adds up and helps your child along.