Check Your Ego

“We all admire the athletes, artists, actors, and dancers because they know what is it that “lights them up”, and they keep digging deeper and deeper to explore and perfect it, so much that everyone comes from miles around to experience their light, their gift.”

For some of us, teaching dance becomes an extension of who we are as a dancer.

We want to share our light with others, to pass the torch, so to speak. 

When crafting my Twinkle Star Dance preschool and school-aged curriculum, I balance periods of sustained focus followed by free moving exercises. I do this so even my youngest dancers can feel the joy of moving to music. 

I want them to connect with why I love dance. 

As I have more teaching years under my belt, I shifted my focus from creating dancers to helping shape kind and compassionate humans through dance. 

So how do we continue to nurture our light and become the very best dance educators we can be?

Check your EGO

1. Artistry and compassion over results and competitiveness. 

2. Sometimes in order to grow each dancer, you must give them all equal chances at the Spotlight. The “reach” is the only way to make it an equal experience.  

3. I always tell my staff, “For as long as it took you to become a great dancer, that is how long it will take to become a great teacher.” 

Rediscover your light at Spark Mini-Conference Series.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Connect to the Joy

If you are teaching dance or doing dance for a living then you are one of the lucky ones. 

You were born with the natural gift of light, that you recognized from an early age.  

Most people spend their whole lives searching for that thing that “lights them up” and in turn gives them purpose. For dancers and dance educators, that light found us.  

It is a gift that must be shared, so that it can be carried on in those we teach.

So how do we continue to nurture our light and become the very best dance educators we can be?

Connect to the Joy and reason you were drawn to dance.

• Discover your authentic “dance self.”

• Think about your Favorite teacher. How did they inspire or affect you?

• Take dance classes for yourself. Remember what it is like to be a student. 

• Explore your own movement. 

Rediscover your light at Spark Mini-Conference Series.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

LEARNING STYLES

We all learn things in different ways. Here are some things to keep in mind while training preschool dancers. 

Dance is typically taught verbally as well as the “follow me” method. That works for the majority of dancers, however, some dancers learn in a more “hands-on” way.  

While teachers need to be careful when touching dancers, sometimes it is necessary to physically move the dancer through the movement. 

The use of analogies, and rhythmic exercises such as clapping the rhythm, etc. are good alternate ways of getting the material across to the students.  

It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine the learning styles of her students and use the necessary techniques to ensure the students learn the material to the best of their ability.  

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Use of Voice in a Preschool Dance Class

Children thrive on verbal feedback and are inspired by the teacher’s energy and enthusiasm for the material. Here are some tips to engage your students with your voice: 

• Try to slow down and lower your voice if the class is getting loud and wiggly or raise your voice and speed up if they are staring off into space. 

• Cue them ahead of the choreography or exercise with your voice, for example “Ready to Shuffle Step.” Say it like you want them to dance it.  

• Continue leading them with your voice during the entire class even as you are tending to the music, etc.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.

Need more expression from your dancers? Perform for them

Preschool dance teachers need to do more than “pretending to be a butterfly” in order to engage their dancers and make them fall in love with dance.

Here are some tips on how  to “perform” the class for your dancers.  

1.  Make sure to elongate port de bras and stretch beyond your range.

2. If you want 100% of energy and execution, you must give them 200%.

3. Expression and Performance is not just achieved through facial expressions. Your whole body should exude energy as you are dancing and leading the class. Most of your energy should initiate in your core.

4. Sing the song loudly with the dancers as you move, no matter how well you sound!

5. Exaggerate your movement and highlight rhythmic phrases in the music.

Meet Tiffany Henderson 

Tiffany Henderson is an industry leader and dance business expert. Tiffany owns and operates multiple Tiffany's Dance Academy locations in Northern California. Her video-based teacher training system and curriculum, Twinkle Star Dance, is currently implemented in 300+ dance studios worldwide.