When it comes to learning new skills, it typically follows that the younger you are, the quicker you pick things up. When it involves teens, it might take a bit more commitment to excel in the age group if they start later, but it is never too late for someone to start taking dance lessons. In fact, dance classes for teens are an excellent tool to help them through some tough and confusing times for many reasons.
Having an Outlet
It is hard to remember as far back as your teens, but most of us remember them as a time of great turmoil and change! Teenage years are not for the faint of heart, but somehow most of us manage to make it through them unscathed. The best thing you can do to help your teen through times of trouble is by giving them an outlet to escape. Dance lessons are a great way to keep those busy brains active and focused. Having something to focus on rather than social issues or emotional ups and downs is great for people of all ages, but especially for teens looking to regulate how they feel.
Discipline
During the teen years, most parents see their children begin to lose focus and attention. Their once-neat (or semi-neat) room is suddenly a mess, their homework is never done, and they seem to always be tired and unmotivated. If you get them into dance and they enjoy it, it should be enough to keep them on the straight and narrow and focus their energies on reaching benchmarks and meeting goals.
Activity
From the ages of about 11 to 17, kids go through multiple growth spurts and they can start to feel uncomfortable in their own skin. Often, they put on weight that helps the body to fuel through the next several years, but that can worry them. Being active is not only necessary for their physical health, but also for their emotional and mental health as well. Unfortunately, body images can be shaped very early on, and if they don’t feel good in their own skin, it can affect them forever.
Coordination
When kids go through growth spurts, they can start to feel like they have no control over their balance and coordination. A couple of extra inches in height, longer legs and arms, and just the overall difference in their relative size can throw even the most agile younger kid off. Dance lessons are a great way to gain strength, agility, and to work on coordination that extends far past the dance studio. The best part is that they don’t even know they are “working” on it – they just enjoy what they are doing.
There is never an age or time when you are too old to put your body in motion, and dance is one of those things you can do at any age. If your teen is looking for a new activity and you are wondering whether dance classes for teens are a good idea, the answer is definitely “yes.” At Tapio School of Dance, we believe there is never a time when you are too old to love and find a passion for creative expression. We teach toddlers to young adults, and have a passion for it all. Come in today and check out our fall schedule!