The Benefits of Showcase: Beyond the Performance

That's right, it is time to start talking about Showcases again. We are organizing costumes and have made a four part COVID-plan for our Spring Showcases. Read more about that here.  
Why, during everything that we are living through right now are we still planning a performance in the spring? Because we believe that our dancers learn so much from the process, even if the performance ends up looking a bit different than normal. Read on for some of the benefits that we feel working on performances can bring to young dancers. 

New knowledge and skills abound when it comes to preparing for the showcase … and we’re not just talking about learning dance steps!  There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to all of the advantages of showcase participation.  Check out some of the unique benefits your child will acquire that go beyond the performance itself:

Memorization Skills
Not only is your child enhancing their gross motor skills by learning choreography and improving their technique, they are also building strong memorization skills.  Remembering a showcase dance requires lots of repetition with the correct movements so that the dancer’s brain and body can work together to recall the steps during the performance. 

Musicality 
Learning and practicing a showcase dance also helps a dancer develop his or her musicality.  Counting music and using rhythmic patterns are a part of every style of dance, at every age!  From a syncopated hip hop routine to a classical ballet waltz, showcase routines can highlight a range of musical skills and boost your child’s confidence with moving in time to the music.

Backstage Etiquette
Your child will also be taught proper backstage conduct, such as waiting respectfully for their turn onstage and applauding others after each routine.  In addition, they’ll begin understanding basic stage directions and terminology, such as “upstage,” “downstage,” and “wings.”  Participation in the dress rehearsal also helps acquaint them with all of the relevant cues they need to know for the big day.

Courage
Let’s be honest, being onstage can be daunting no matter how old you are!  The showcase offers your child the opportunity to build their courage in front of an audience, a skill that will continue to serve them throughout school and eventually, in the workforce.  Courageously persevering through fear, anxiety, or insecurity is something we want all of our students to learn … and something we know will continue to benefit them multiple times over!  

It’s pretty cool to see how the showcase positively affects our students, year after year.  It’s quite special for us to have a role in their lives introducing these benefits and helping them grow!  And while we know you expect to see your child’s progress as a dancer (and we love seeing that too) we also hope you will see their growth in unexpected ways, like the ones we’ve talked about here.

Have you noticed some of these qualities and skills in your child already?  Share your experience with us in the comments or at the studio!  We’d love to hear about the advantages your dancer is already experiencing as we move closer and closer to the showcase!

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