Written by Shanna Kirkpatrick, Chara Founder
1.15.2024
The Impact of Parent Participation
Last month our dancers welcomed parents or guardians into their dance classes as a part of our Studio Showcase Week prior to the Christmas holiday. Parents stretched, chasse-d, and pas de bourrée-d their way through class. Some enthusiastically….some mustering up that enthusiasm!
As I participated myself over the course of the week, there were three observations I made.
My first observation was the joy a child had seeing their parents PLAY. I will be the first to admit that, as a parent, this is an area that I am not strong in: being silly with my kids. Every once in a while, I will “wow” them with my cartwheel or triple pirouette that, somehow, I’ve still got! But the fact of the matter is that I turn down their invitation to jump on the trampoline more times than I care to admit. During Showcase Week, the connection I saw made between parent and child because they played together was a shared experience that will build valuable trust as they grow up.
My second observation during Studio Showcase Week was the respect that grew within parents for their dancers. As parents we frequently see the Point A (first day of class) and the Point Z (recital or another performance), but we do not have a full grasp on the many points between those two and what it has taken our dancer to get there. Experiencing a day in the life of our dancer gives us the insight needed to better support them at home.
My third observation was the connection that was built between parents and teachers. Not only was every parent’s eye glued to the teacher in order to fully understand what they were asking them to do (perhaps in hopes to avoid injury or embarrassment!), but parents also walked away understanding each teacher’s heart and goals for their class. Anytime individuals can have face-to-face communication, progress can be accelerated.
Progress for Chara dancers can mean different things for different dancers. For our tiny dancers, it can be walking independently into class week after week. For the recreational dancer, it can be reaching their goal of progressing to the next level of ballet after working at their current level for multiple seasons. For the competitive dancer, progress can be improving a score or consistently applying a correction given by their director.
Regardless of the type of dancer at Chara, we believe that progress is more richly made with parent involvement and support! Our team was so grateful for your wholehearted involvement during Studio Showcase Week. Even moreso, your dancers were grateful! The parent/teacher connection, admiration for what dancers do, and willingness to look a little ridiculous and play with your child have put deposits into your children’s emotional bank account that will reap dividends this year. Chara Christian Dance Academy is grateful to journey with you as you raise your family.
