dance lessons?

[sportyfam5]

Does your gym require or offer dance lessons for the gymnasts? Ours has tossed the idea around, mostly due to some parental requests, mine included, but have not yet set up anything.

 

[kikimars]

My DD's gym includes an hour of dance per week at the gym. They have it on Mondays during the first hour of gym.

 

[Linsul]

Our gym requires some dance for team. I'm not sure how much exactly, but I see them at the barre about 2 hours a week when I'm there. It's usually broken up with floor stations centered on body shaping. The coach that does it with them also has a ballet background, she's pretty awesome. They have a dance photo album on the website even! It's really easy to throw a ballet barre up against a wall and get some good body awareness and shaping skills done, just make sure if there's turn out involved that the coach knows what to look for to avoid injury.

 

[sportyfam5]

We do have a barre. There used to be a coach with a ballet background but that was when my gilrs were preteam. I just didn't know how helpful the dance may be.

 

[kikimom]

We have a dance instructor that comes in for an hour each week. She happens to come on a day that my daughter is unable to be at practice but she is at dance company that day so she gets 5 hours of dance a week anyway.

 

[Linsul]

We need a definitive 'yes, dance is awesome for gymnastics' thread stickied methinks. It develops fast twitch muscle action, toe point, extension, flexibility, balance, arm movement, adds to body awareness, and artistry among other things but that's just off the top of my head. In my world, all gymnasts would consider dance the magical 'x' factor that cements their ability to impress judges and captivate an audience.

Edit: I've been told by some hard core dance despising gymnasts that performing is fun, but impressing the judges is what matters. They were a group of Level 7's a few years back. I told them that at level 9 or 10 when possible college recruiters are in the audience, they will not feel the same way.

 

[gracefulone]

We offered/strongly encouraged a course 'dance for gymnasts'. It was with one of the main dance instructors.

 

[MdGymMom01]

I agree that dance is really important to gymnasts. Our gym doesn't offer dance classes, but a few of the gymnasts (mine included) take dance at other dance studios. Right now Dani does ballet and really loves! She told me that on this past Wednesday her ballet class danced "ballet style" to Michael Jackson's Thriller! She showed me some of the steps and it is amazing how modern dance such as MJ's really does have a ballet foundation. I also like the idea of Dani trying new things, so that it will widen her interests and she will be more of a well-rounded gymnast and person.

 

[mariposa]

Not sure if the optional girls do dance, but the compulsory girls do about 45 minutes of dance a week. They work on leaps and turns, pointed toes, some basic ballet, etc. My daughter enjoys it and I think it is beneficial to her.

 

[NotAMom]

Our gym requires 1 hour a week for all team gymnasts. The optionals and compulsories have separate days and the classes are both held in the middle of practice. That way gymnasts are trapped and cannot (easily) excuse themselves from skipping dance lessons.

 

[Flippers Mom]

Dance was required at Flippers old gym for compulsary levels. The new gym doesn't require any dance, but does have a coach with extensive dance experience that works on body positions, etc., as part of every event. Flipper loves dance and took extra classes until we switched gyms - and there just isn't time for it anymore. There is no doubt in my mind that the body awareness learned in dance is rewarded in gymnastics scores.