For all ADULTS who have always wanted to dance

Marnie asked us to write about how to make non-dancer adults comfortable in dance classes. This is a big question as we've had adults come to our dance classes of a wide variety of backgrounds. As such, we've found that the best thing to do is to be open and accepting of ALL of these backgrounds. Below are 5 ways that Pegasus and the Pegasus teachers try to make Adult Dance Classes as inviting as possible to adults who have never danced before.

P.S. September is Try-A-Class Month for our Adult Classes. Drop in for $10 a class or use up your class cards from last season! Check out our schedule here.

1. Wear anything you want - we do not expect everyone to be comfortable in ballet
   slippers and a bodysuit, in fact very rarely do our adult dancers wear that to
   class. We encourage and invite any clothing that makes you feel comfortable to
   move in. Maybe that is a fabulous bodysuit but it might also be your favourite
   sweat pants and concert t-shirt. We really want you to be the most confident you
   can be!
2. No performances - our classes are designed to be a time for you to connect with yourself. As such we do not have performances for our adults and try to keep the classes in our studios with smaller observation windows.
3. Various levels in one class - our teachers are experts at teaching dance and they understand how to break down exercises and steps into manageable pieces. Our classes are for all levels because teachers are able to give variations on exercises to suit the needs of all levels. So, you can take the class at your own pace and work for yourself.
4. A non-competitive environment - as in all our classes at Pegasus, we attempt to create a non-competitive atmosphere. We focus on the individual journey rather then how your dancing fits into a certain expectation.
5. Small class sizes - we keep the classes small so that the teacher is able to give a lot of personal attention to everyone. This helps with all of the above points as well!

That is how we do it at Pegasus but we would love to hear from other dance teachers, adult dance students, or potential adult dance students. How do you make new dancers feel comfortable? Or, what would you want a teacher to do if you were a beginner adult dancer? Comment below and help us keep the conversation flowing!!VarVNo No p