1. Dance for Pure Joy

Let’s talk about dancing for joy! Whether you’re busting moves at a party or grooving to a classic jam, dancing is like a happiness magnet. It’s your ticket to escape the daily grind, letting loose and soaking up all those good vibes.

2. Dance It Out for Your Mental Health

Guess what? Dancing is a legit mood booster!

When you get your groove on, your brain releases these little things called endorphins—nature’s mood lifters. Say goodbye to stress, anxiety, and those gloomy days. Plus, dancing is like a mindfulness ninja move, keeping you zen and in the moment.

3. Fitness Fun for Your Mental Game

Time to connect the dots between a killer dance session and mental fitness. Dancing is not just about looking cool; it’s a workout in disguise. It amps up your heart health, boosts flexibility, and builds those muscles.

And you know what that means? A sharper mind, better focus, and a lower risk of mental health hiccups.

4. Dance Party for the Kiddos

If you’ve got little ones, listen up. Introducing your kids to the world of dance is like giving them a superpower for life. It’s not just about making them mini dance pros; it helps them with coordination, discipline, and feeling awesome about themselves. Plus, the social perks set them up for a future of cool friendships.

5. Let’s Get Social on the Dance Floor

Dance isn’t a solo act; it’s a team sport. Whether you’re in a dance class, a crew, or just throwing shapes with friends, the social side of dancing is like a happiness booster shot. Building connections, busting moves together—this is the stuff that makes you feel like you belong, waving goodbye to loneliness.

Dancing is more than just shaking it off—it’s a holistic wellness party. So, slide into those dancing shoes, hit the dance floor, and let the good times roll. Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Ready to let your passion for dance soar? Join our vibrant dance community here at Liberty Dance Center! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just taking your first steps, our experienced instructors are here to guide you on a journey of joy, fitness, and self-expression. Don’t miss out on the fun – let’s dance our way to a healthier, happier you together!

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No matter the pathway our teachers took, the “why” behind their decision to teach is what brought them to us. In this blog post, we’re excited to share more with you about why we LOVE teaching dance! Our faculty all agree that there are three top reasons, so we’re counting them down for you right here:

3. Teaching dance changes lives

This might seem like a big claim, but it’s no exaggeration. Every teacher at Liberty Dance Center has had their life changed through dance: From the skills they’ve developed, to the resilience they’ve gained, to the thoughtful way they solve problems, their lives were transformed. Now, through their personal experiences, they’re able to impart those lessons upon our students. As you know, having a positive impact on a young person’s life is an incredible responsibility and sometimes has its challenges! But that impact is also one of the most rewarding reasons to be a dance teacher.

2. Teaching dance instills tradition

Teaching dance is based on established practices of movement, codified techniques, and unique styles that were created generations before us. Because of that, our teachers have a sense of obligation to pass down their knowledge and skills to their own students. The history of dance is like a big family tree, with roots of the great influencers and branches grown from new interpretations. With respect and appreciation for tradition, our students are becoming a new part of this legacy. This is one of the top reasons why teaching dance is so meaningful to our faculty. We are all a part of this unique community!

1. Teaching dance brings joy

There’s simply no other way to put it: the number one reason why our teachers love what they do is because it brings such joy to others. When a student achieves a long-term goal, that joy is pure awesomeness. Seeing a class smiling and laughing as they learn how to chassé, that joy is contagious. When it’s performance time and a teacher sees her students’ hard work realized onstage, that joy is inspiring. Teaching dance is FULL of these addictive moments; there’s nothing else like it.

We teach dance to make an impact, to transform thinking, to develop artists, and to connect as humans. It is a gift to be a dancer and a gift to teach. It’s one of the best jobs there is, and that’s why we love having your children dancing with us at Liberty Dance Center!

(this post was republished from November 2019)

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We definitely think so!

Liberty Dance Center is the only dance studio in the area to be YPAD certified (and we have been since 2017). YPAD stands for Youth Protection Advocates in Dance. The core objective of a YPAD certified studio is to provide Happy, Healthy and Safe environments for their students and families.

The intention of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance® is to provide dance professionals with the skills, education and resources to protect and develop healthy, happy and safe dancers.

Through the use of online courses, YPAD courses educate dance studios and communities worldwide on the core elements in constructing an environment focused on the well-being of kids and a sustainable, safe future for dance.

SAFETY + WELLNESS COURSE

The YPAD Safety + Wellness Course empowers dance professionals with the necessary educational resources needed to teach and serve young dancers.

In the course, dance professionals learn about the following core areas: educational best practices including background checks and CPR/First Aid, abuse awareness & prevention, injury prevention & response, and safety & emergency preparedness. The course also covers: social media/media safety/today’s dance culture, developmentally appropriate artistry, body image/nutrition/disordered eating, and bullying/conflict resolution.

The teachers at Liberty Dance Center are currently working through their YPAD certification. Some of us with this as our third time through, as we get recertified every 2 years. Making sure we are well educated and best prepared for our dancers and dance community is very important to us. When you know better, you do better, and that is a key goal of ours at Liberty Dance Center.

(this is an updated post based on a previous YPAD series you can find here from 12/27/2019)

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I always like to look back and reflect on how far we’ve come and all of the fun, happy memories we have made together throughout the year. I’m an optimistic person by nature and tend to find the positive side of things, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that sometimes things were hard, and MANY times I didn’t know what I was doing. But sometimes you just need to have faith in yourself, take the leap, and figure it out in the air.

Let’s start with my business background. To put it simply, I don’t have one! But I wasn’t going to let that one tiny detail stop me from following my dreams of opening a business. I think too often, people think of all the things they “need to have” before they start or “wait for the perfect time” to begin.

While I firmly believe that preparation will in most cases help you succeed, sometimes you need to start and figure it out mid-leap. I knew that dance helped me in SO many ways in my life and I just wanted to give that opportunity to as many people in my community as possible. Thus, Liberty Dance Center was born…welcome to the world LDC!

I wish I could say it’s been all sunshine and rainbows, but there have been countless mistakes made along the way. So many. But you know what? As we teach our students at Liberty Dance Center, making mistakes and more importantly, LEARNING from those mistakes, is where the growth happens.

Have I sent an emotional email to 2 (or more) that I should have waited before sending? Absolutely. Could I have handled a situation with a student a tad better? Definitely. Have I miscommunicated with my staff before? For sure, just ask them!

But you know what? I get a little bit better every time one of those situations happens. And my biggest hope and wish is that the students at Liberty Dance Center SEE me (and others) mess up from time to time and also see that I KEEP GOING.

So whatever dream you have in your heart that you feel “you just aren’t ready for” or “aren’t qualified to do” or are “afraid you will mess up”(spoiler alert-you will definitely mess up!)… just go for it. Take the leap and figure it out in the air! What’s the worst that’s going to happen? You may not stick the landing, but then you simply need to get back up and try again.

~Kate Moody

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We have this quote displayed on our wall loud and proud in our large studio. It was also in our old location and on our brochures when we first opened Liberty Dance Center in 2008. This quote accurately describes our belief that dance is for EVERYONE. It doesn’t matter if you have the perfect ballet feet, super flexible hips, or the strongest legs. If your HEART is in your dancing, that’s truly all that matters.

We proudly have more than 500 dancers of all shapes and sizes dancing their hearts out each week in class at Liberty Dance Center. But some of our most passionate dancing is shown during our weekly special needs class. We have been a part of the national non-profit organization Darby’s Dancers since 2017 and it has been such a joy to see that program grow from a handful of dancers to 3 full weekly classes, and more on a waiting list.

The dancers in these classes always come to class excited to see their friends and volunteer big sisters, listen to the music, and move their bodies. They dance with a passion that makes you both smile and cry tears of joy. They overcome challenges that many might deem to be impossible. Dance in a wheelchair? You bet! Dance without being able to hear the music? Not a problem! Dance when you can’t see the teacher? Absolutely!

To say that our Liberty Dance Center Darby’s Dancers have touched a few lives would be an understatement. They have inspired countless dancers, families, audience members and more! I think anyone will agree that they steal the show when they take the stage and there usually isn’t a dry eye in the house.

Dancing with passion is what it’s all about. That is something that cannot be taught, but comes from inside. It’s an aspect of the art form that is dancing that makes it unique and special. Bravo to our Darby’s Dancers and thank you for inspiring us all! Keep doing what you are doing as we couldn’t be prouder of you.

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Similarly, when a student achieves a goal—however big or small—we want to celebrate their success and encourage their classmates to do the same. A dancer’s goal might have been accomplishing that clean double pirouette in jazz class or earning their pointe shoes. Or it might have been achieving acceptance to a particular summer intensive or being cast in a specific role in the school musical. We love to promote cheering them on!

Sometimes, however, we notice that when a student reaches a goal, there are other students who feel as though they’ll never get there themselves; that their own potential to succeed is limited because of someone else’s success. But when it comes to achievement, nothing could be further from the truth! Everyone’s light shines brighter if they choose to see someone else’s achievement as a possibility for themselves. Science actually tells us that more success happens when we encourage each other and celebrate those wins.

Celebration Increases Success

Shawn Achor, researcher and author of the book Big Potential, writes:

“Simply celebrating a person or a team for their companionship, their strengths, their everyday contributions—no matter how small or seemingly insignificant—reinforces a more empowered self-image and helps them see a vivid image of themselves as someone who is worthy of happiness and success.”

This empowered self-image is what we’re all about at Liberty Dance Center. We want dance to be the catalyst that propels our students forward in life—but it takes more than just the steps to make that happen, of course. Dance can serve this mission only when combined with an ecosystem of positive culture, resilient kids, supportive teachers, and accountability.

We want to help our students understand that lifting each other up is beneficial for everyone, not just the person who is in the spotlight at that moment. Everyone’s potential rises when we choose to celebrate each other’s success! Through dance, and through each other’s wins, our students can see that each one of them has the power to achieve new goals.

It’s affirming to see the scientific proof that being interconnected with each other, within our studio ecosystem, allows our students to thrive in dance and in life. And we will continue to encourage this interconnectivity with the way our dancers complement each other’s strengths and work as a team during class. As Achor says in his book, pursuing greater potential and achieving success must not be a solo journey: “The conclusion of a decade of research is clear: It’s not faster alone; it’s better together.”

We couldn’t agree more, and we’re proud to raise up our dancers with this mindset!

(this post was republished from October 2019)

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Feeling the excitement and seeing sparkling eyes backstage brought joy to our hearts. These dancers worked so hard this past year and getting back on stage to perform in front of a live audience was a very important step to bring some “normalcy” to our students. Parents and family members couldn’t wait to watch and cheer on their dancers, both in person and via our livestream, to celebrate all of the hard work and challenges the dancers (and families) faced this past year.

There were a few obstacles that we had to overcome to be able to produce a live show. We went from having 4 longer shows in the past to producing 7 shorter shows this year. Theater audience capacity was only able to be 1/3 of our usual number, but that didn’t matter because the excitement in the building was never more evident. Seeing the dancers in their beautiful, colorful costumes and posing for pictures with their classmates and family members was incredible. It was truly a memorable experience for everyone involved. There were many happy tears shed in the audience and many new memories made backstage.

The studio theme this past year was, “Stay Strong. There is always a rainbow after every storm.” Our show weekend was truly that rainbow after the storm of last year. The dancers learned many life lessons over the past 15 months from adapting to change, to overcoming challenges and making new friends. Getting to put on a show in front of a live audience made it all worth it and we know these kids are stronger today than a year ago.

The post Back on Stage After a Global Pandemic appeared first on Liberty Dance Center.

After the show, costumes become special mementos, photos become scrapbook centerpieces, and DVDs often become your household’s most-watched entertainment! The time may have passed, but the souvenirs remain … along with the personal growth each student has achieved.

One comment we often hear from parents after the show is how their child won’t stop talking about it! The excitement lifts them up long after the curtain has come down. We love hearing about this kind of enthusiasm, and we hope you’ll keep the dance conversation going at home. This is an excellent time to listen to what your child has to say about what they liked best or what was challenging. Being able to reflect on the experience and communicate that to others is another awesome skill to develop!

Sometimes the memories made at the show aren’t the ones you’d expect. Maybe your dancer became distracted at one point onstage and made a silly face that made everyone laugh, or maybe they forgot a step during the dance and seemed discouraged. Live performances can be a little unpredictable like this, but with a growth mindset, you and your child can still choose to see the positive outcome. Like how that silly face was sweet and entertaining, and grandma loved it. Or that forgotten step? What a way to show perseverance!

The lifetime memories made at the show enrich our students’ knowledge and understanding of what a performance encompasses. They create context for other performing opportunities, such as in theater or music, and they build the kind of confidence only experience can deliver.

Performing onstage is an incredible opportunity for dancers to share what they have been learning in class, and to showcase their progress from the beginning of the year to the end. Learning how to dance is a gradual process, and some skills take years to fully master—but however big or small the steps are, it is a major accomplishment for anyone to perform in front of hundreds of people! All the hard work is worthwhile when a dancer experiences the high fives and smiles and congratulations that the show brings from classmates, family, and friends.

Whether it’s a young dancer performing for their first time or a teen dancer performing at the end of her senior year, each achievement is incredibly special to celebrate. Lifelong memories are made from those achievements—and for many dancers, a true passion for dance is ignited!

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So, what’s it going to be like when the big day rolls around? What’s reasonable for you to expect from your child? We’ve put together some of our best advice for a rewarding recital experience with your little one!

Remember that ….

Dancing on stage in front of hundreds of people is a pretty big deal! Some dancers are shy and others ham it up. However they react, all of our young dancers are gaining a tremendous amount of confidence by performing in front of a crowd. Through this process, they are learning about self-expression, demonstrating their skills, and gaining a sense of accomplishment.

Strong emotions might occur, and that’s totally OK! We’ve seen dancers who are so excited to perform they can hardly stand still, and others who suddenly become worried that they can’t see mom and dad way out there in the audience. Don’t worry, we do have a few special tactics to calm and comfort our littlest performers when needed, so rest assured they are always in good hands!

Live performances can be unpredictable—and often in positive ways. But you may wonder whether your little one will forget the dance routine or if they’ll have a case of stage fright. Though those things do happen sometimes, they don’t mean your child’s future in dance is over. (In fact, far from it!) We know we can’t predict exactly what will happen, but we can guarantee that we are as proactive and prepared as possible.

Our curricula are designed to focus on gross motor skills and dance fundamentals. Our students are being taught age-appropriate movements that align with their physical development. Don’t expect your little one to perform with the same knowledge and skills of a dancer who is older or more experienced! Technical progress comes over time as each dancer moves through our class levels at just the right pace.

Success comes in many forms, and we do not promote perfection as one of them! Instead, we talk in class about the dancers trying their best and having fun while they perform. Success is both the child who comes off stage beaming with joy AND the one who shyly admits she enjoyed it; it is both the child who remembered every step AND the one who forgot a few but worked super hard. We want to celebrate every version of recital success!

We hope you enjoy watching your dancer onstage at the show and seeing how far they’ve come this year.

All of us at Liberty Dance Center are super proud of our young dancers’ progress!

(this post was updated and republished from 05-10-2019)

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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 an entire 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 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, recital routines can showcase a range of musical skills and boost your child’s confidence with moving in time to the music.

Backstage & Theater 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.”

Courage

Let’s be honest, being onstage can be daunting no matter how old you are! The spring show 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 show 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 big show!

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