During this season of gratitude, Fred Astaire Dance Studios is thankful for the ballet teachers who unleash the creative spirit in our nation’s youth and give children the life lessons they need to succeed as adults.

As our nation gathers around the table to give thanks this week, Fred Astaire Dance Studios would like to give a special shout out to all of the ballet teachers working diligently to give our children confidence and life skills as they grow. Dancing sets the stage for the future of the next generation by teaching our children invaluable life lessons. Here are just a few of the important life lessons taught in ballet class.

• Ballet teachers are dedicated to helping their young charges learn respect in a group setting. From wearing their proper dance gear to taking a bow at the end of the performance, ballet dancers learn to respect their instructors and audience.

• Practice Makes Perfect. Learning to dance requires following a list of instructions and spending time perfecting your technique. Ballet helps teach children the importance of taking small steps to grow and improve. The first try isn’t the charm when it comes to dancing. Dancing takes practice and perseverance. Dancers do not begin by learning fancy leaps and twirls; they start by mastering the basic steps and slowly add elements to their routine over time. Dancing helps people learn that any new challenge requires a learning curve, and patience is key.

• Ballet dancers have individual achievement goals, but ultimately the performance of the team can make or break a recital. Learning how to be a valuable member of a team is essential to navigating the workforce. By encouraging teamwork at an early age, ballet helps prepare people to cope with the challenges of future group projects and dealing with different personalities, such as a trying coworker or crotchety boss.

• Importance of Physical Health. Ballet classes are often one of the first experiences young children have with group exercise. Instructors teach children how to stretch and focus on the importance of taking care of their physical health. As we age, staying in shape and getting the right amount of exercise is key. Kids who participated in group sports between the ages of 9 and 13 years old were more likely to be physically active as adults, the National Academy of Athletics

Fred Astaire Dance Studios teaches a wide variety of dance classes at its local studios worldwide. We teach children the time-honored tradition of ballroom dancing, as well as line dancing, hip-hop, theatre arts, and much more. Our programs are designed to help young people get active, stay healthy, develop grace and poise, establish goal-setting behaviors, and build confidence. Dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios are also a great way to introduce your children to the arts and help make them comfortable meeting new people and improve social skills. Our Online Lesson Platform also has dance lessons the whole family can enjoy from the comfort of their home.

Take a walk down memory lane by checking out these videos of some young ballet dancers.

The three-year-olds at this dance recital were clearly a little overwhelmed being on stage.

To help cure his daughter’s stage fright, Marc Daniels decided to take matters into his own hands and stole the show.

The young dancer in this performance to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” has a commanding stage presence.

Dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios will help your youngster build confidence and learn a new skill in a fun, welcoming environment. To learn more about the benefits of dancing for children, contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios location.