Dance Teachers Are Essential: The Power of Dance in Whole-Child Development

As dance educators, you are doing far more than teaching steps and routines. You are shaping brains, hearts, and bodies in ways that last a lifetime. Dance is a uniquely powerful tool for growth because it integrates movement, music, and social connection, making it a multi-sensory positive experience. Here’s how your role as a teacher fuels development across every dimension of a child’s life.

Brain Development and Dance: A Multi-Sensory Brain Boost

Every time your students dance, they are strengthening their brains.

• Neural Connections: Dance links movement, rhythm, and memory, creating strong neural pathways that support lifelong learning.

• Executive Function & Creativity: From following choreography to improvising, students sharpen planning, flexibility, and creative problem-solving.

• Theory of Mind: Performing and working in groups helps dancers understand perspectives outside their own building empathy through movement.

Dance isn’t just art, it’s cognitive training at its finest.

Character Development and Dance: A Shared Social Experience

The studio is a safe and vibrant space where children build essential character strengths:

• Perseverance: Every plié, pirouette, or leap is practice in trying again and again until mastery comes.

• Bravery: Stepping into the classroom, performing, or learning something new all require courage.

• Self-Regulation: Dance teaches listening, patience, and focus all key life skills.

• Kindness: From taking turns to encouraging peers, dancers learn cooperation and respect.

Your guidance nurtures not just skilled movers, but strong and compassionate human beings.

Physical Development and Dance: Building Strong Bodies

Dance uniquely supports whole-body development, giving children confidence in their physical abilities.

• Flexibility & Balance: Core elements of every class improve posture and agility.

• Muscle Development: Repetition builds strength while keeping movement fun and engaging.

• Body & Spatial Awareness: Dancers learn to move with control and confidence in any environment.

These skills support not only dance but also play and everyday movement.

Why Dance Teachers Are Essential

As a dance teacher, you are so much more than an instructor of steps. You are a brain builder, a character coach, a fitness leader, and a mentor. Each time you lead a class, you’re giving children an experience that supports their cognitive, emotional, and physical growth while sparking joy through the art of dance.

Never underestimate your impact. You are essential.

Why Continuing Education and Teacher Training Are Essential for Dance Studios and Educators

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of dance, staying current isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. For studio owners and dance educators, the commitment to ongoing education and teacher training is not just about refining technique. It's a powerful investment in the overall health and growth of your studio, your team, and your dancers.

Here’s why continuing education should be a core pillar of your studio’s culture—and how everyone benefits.

1. Elevating the Teacher: Confidence, Credibility, and Creativity

Great teachers never stop learning. Whether it's mastering new styles, understanding child development, or staying current with injury prevention practices, continuing education keeps instructors sharp and inspired.

Benefits for the teacher:

• Increased Confidence: With updated knowledge and tools, instructors feel more equipped to handle a wide range of student needs and classroom situations.

• Professional Credibility: Teachers who pursue certifications and attend workshops stand out as committed professionals, earning trust from students and parents alike.

• Renewed Creativity: Exposure to fresh techniques, music, and teaching methods reinvigorates lesson planning and choreography, helping prevent burnout.

2. Strengthening the Studio: Reputation, Retention, and Revenue

For studio owners, investing in teacher development sends a clear message: this is a place where mastery matters. It’s a smart strategy for building a strong, sustainable business.

Benefits for the studio:

• Enhanced Reputation: Studios known for highly trained, passionate instructors attract and retain more families.

• Staff Retention: Offering professional development shows your team that you value their growth, fostering loyalty and reducing turnover.

• Financial Growth: Better-trained teachers create more engaging classes, leading to higher student retention, increased enrollment, and greater word-of-mouth referrals.

3. Empowering the Dancer: Technique, Safety, and Inspiration

At the heart of every studio is the student. When teachers are well-trained and up-to-date, students benefit in every way—on and off the dance floor.

Benefits for dancers:

• Stronger Technique: Teachers with current training can better identify and correct weaknesses, leading to more technically sound dancers.

• Injury Prevention: Understanding anatomy, proper alignment, and safe progression is critical to keeping dancers healthy and in class.

• Deeper Motivation: Students thrive when taught by passionate, knowledgeable instructors who challenge and inspire them.

Creating a Culture of Growth

Making professional development a priority doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few simple ways to start:

• Offer stipends or reimbursements for workshops and certifications.

• Host in-studio training sessions or bring in guest educators.

• Encourage staff to attend conferences like Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat.

• Subscribe to reputable dance education platforms and journals.

• Set annual goals for team-wide training and personal development.

Discovering Your Character Strengths as a Studio Owner—and Using Them to Show Up Authentically

As a dance studio owner, you wear countless hats: teacher, leader, mentor, marketer, business strategist, and so much more. With so many responsibilities, it’s easy to lose sight of who you are at your core. But here's the truth, your greatest asset isn’t your curriculum, your branding, or your class schedule. It’s you.

More specifically, it’s your character strengths—the unique, positive traits that come most naturally to you. When you know and embrace them, they become powerful tools that help you lead with confidence, connect with your community, and show up authentically in everything you do.

What Are Character Strengths?

Character strengths are the positive parts of your personality that influence how you think, feel, and behave. Based on research in positive psychology, the VIA Institute on Character identifies 24 universal strengths—like creativity, leadership, perseverance, kindness, and humor—that each of us express in varying degrees.

As a studio owner, you likely use these strengths every day—whether you’re calming a nervous toddler before class, guiding your team through recital season, or launching a new program with bold creativity.

Discovering Your Top Strengths

The first step is self-discovery. The VIA Character Strengths Survey is a free, science-backed assessment that ranks your 24 strengths in order. Your top five—your “signature strengths”—are the ones that come most naturally to you and energize you when used.

Take the assessment with curiosity, not judgment. There’s no “ideal” set of strengths for a studio owner. A leader with high humor and zest might create a studio culture that’s joyful and lighthearted. Another with strengths in prudence and perseverance may run a tight, efficient ship that thrives on consistency and long-term vision.

Using Your Strengths to Your Advantage

Once you’ve identified your top strengths, the magic lies in intentionally applying them in your daily work. Here’s how:

1. Lead with Authenticity

When you operate from your strengths, your leadership feels more natural and confident. If kindness is a top strength, use it to create a nurturing environment for your staff and students. If creativity ranks high, lean into innovative programming or imaginative recital themes. You’ll feel more aligned—and others will feel more connected to the real you.

2. Make Better Decisions

Your strengths can guide you through tough choices. For example, if you’re high in fairness, you may naturally seek equity when resolving staff conflicts. If bravery is a strength, you may be more willing to take bold business leaps others might shy away from.

3. Strengthen Relationships

Your character strengths aren’t just about how you lead—they shape how you relate. Recognizing your own strengths helps you appreciate and identify strengths in others. This builds mutual respect, deepens team trust, and creates a culture where everyone feels seen and valued.

4. Prevent Burnout

You’re most energized when using your signature strengths. If you feel drained, it might be a sign you’re spending too much time outside of them. For example, if social intelligence is a top strength but you’re isolated behind your desk all day, consider shifting tasks or schedules to allow more time for connection.

Showing Up Authentically

Authenticity isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real. When you know your strengths and lead from them, you naturally exude confidence, consistency, and trust. Parents notice. Dancers feel it. Your team rallies behind it.

You don’t have to copy the studio owner down the road. You just need to lean into what already makes you you.

Your character strengths are a compass, not a script. They won’t solve every challenge, but they’ll help you approach them with clarity and confidence. They remind you that your uniqueness is your power—and that by embracing your strengths, you can build a studio that’s not just successful, but soulfully aligned.

So go ahead—take the assessment, reflect on your results, and start showing up as the most authentic version of yourself. Your dancers—and your business—will thank you for it.

Connect at Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat

Learn more about living your signature strengths at Tiffany Henderson’s Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat July 18-20, 2025 at the Omni Royal Orleans in New Orleans, LA. Immerse yourself in three days of dance movement classes, business seminars from leaders in the industry, plus preview the all new Dance Positive courses within a like-minded community of dance educators. 

The Joy of Movement: Why Dance Is Essential for Children Ages 2–12

Dance offers age-appropriate benefits for children that build on each other year after year:

1. Physical Development

Dance improves coordination, strength, balance, and flexibility. Multiple classes per week reinforce muscle memory and support healthy posture and motor skills which is crucial for developing bodies.

2. Emotional Growth

Dance is a form of expression. It helps children process emotions, build confidence, and feel successful through positive reinforcement and goal-setting.

3. Cognitive Benefits

Children engaged in dance show improved focus, memory, and pattern recognition. Structured routines help develop discipline and the ability to follow complex instructions.

4. Social Skills

In group classes, children learn teamwork, listening skills, and how to support their peers helping foster empathy and collaboration from a young age.

Why More Dance Is Better

While one class per week is a great start, multiple classes offer exponential benefits:

• Faster Skill Progression
  Repetition builds mastery. With more time each week, students grow stronger technically and creatively.
  

• Cross-Training Opportunities
  Taking different styles (ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, etc.) helps develop versatility, agility, and a deeper love for movement.
  

• Consistency Builds Confidence
  More classes mean more opportunities to feel proud, prepared, and performance-ready. Kids feel the difference when they’re truly invested.
  

• Safe & Active Screen-Free Time
  Regular dance classes provide a healthy alternative to screens and sedentary activities, especially during critical growth periods.

With a new dance season upon us, now’s the perfect time to encourage your dancers to take multiple classes per week. Consider offering a discount on the second class and/or scheduling complimentary classes back to back.

We're Thrilled to Announce Our 2025 Pinnacle Keynote Speaker: Jasmine BRETT STRINGER

The countdown is on for the Pinnacle Dance Conference and Retreat, July 18–20, 2025 in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana—and we have some exciting news to share!

We are absolutely honored to welcome Jasmine Brett Stringer as our 2025 Pinnacle Keynote Speaker!

If you're not already familiar with Jasmine, she is a powerhouse speaker, author, and lifestyle strategist who brings heart, humor, and wisdom to every room she enters. As the founder of Carpe Diem with Jasmine, she’s made it her life’s mission to inspire others to seize the day and live with intention. Her message is deeply relevant for dance educators and studio owners navigating the ever-evolving demands of the industry—and life.

“Carpe Diem isn’t just a phrase for Jasmine, it’s a way of life. Her empowering energy and practical insight will leave you feeling refreshed, focused, and ready to rise.”
— Tiffany Henderson, Twinkle Star Dance Founder

Whether you're a returning attendee or joining us for the first time, the 2025 Pinnacle experience promises to be our most impactful yet—with time to grow, learn, connect, and dance together in one of the most culturally rich cities in the country.

It’s not too late to join us!

Dates: July 18–20, 2025
Location: New Orleans, LA
Learn more and RSVP here »

We can’t wait to reconnect with all of you and experience the magic of Jasmine’s keynote together. See you at Pinnacle!