How Dance Helps Kids Come Out of Their Shell

For lots of kids, new ways of being can be intimidating… especially if they’re naturally shy. Entering a room of new faces, new music, and new movement can be a huge jump out of their comfort zone. But it is within this context that these same exposures into experience can become potent opportunities for growth.  Dance is one such movement that gently leads children to work up.

Academy 8:31 classes are planned with a specific structure, a welcome atmosphere, and a supportive environment. Teachers offer step-by-step instruction to students, developing a routine that allows dancers to feel safe and comfortable. And for shy children, this stability is a big help. Instead of a push to perform right out of the gate, they are given space to observe, to learn, to incrementally participate. What’s so special about dance is that kids don’t need to say a thing. Movement is a medium for communication. A dancer might begin by keeping up with the class that she is part of, but in due course, her body will take on a personality of its own in its movements and posture, and performance.

Small moments make confidence grow often. A shy dancer may start quietly in the back of the room. A few weeks later, they might show up for group practice. They may later volunteer to attempt a movement themselves or perform with greater strength and excitement. Each one of these moves signals a genuine confidence shift. Dances of some kind also help youngsters connect with other kids. Teamwork and friendship are encouraged by working together through exercises, learning choreography as a group, and getting ready for performances together.

When dancers start feeling established in the studio community, as we’ve seen, when they begin to feel at home, comfortable, their comfort level goes up. Families are often aware of these changes outside of the dance hall as well. Where a child once held back from being brave enough, he or she may begin to speak out at school in larger amounts, take part in other things, or even share their dancing at home at a higher level.

For us, helping dancers gain confidence is as important as teaching technique. All young people develop at a different pace. We strive to make them feel comfortable and supported, and feel good about and proud of themselves in what they are doing. For many shy kids, dance becomes far more than a class. There, they discover their voice and strength, the pleasure of expressing who they are.