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WAYS TO CELEBRATE GRATITUDE AT YOUR DANCE STUDIO

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The holidays are quickly approaching and it’s the perfect time to take pause with young dancers and give thanks for all that we are afforded. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how truly lucky we are when life gets busy, so… taking a moment to reflect and remember is important. What better way than to instill a tradition with students and spread kindness throughout your studio. Not only will it evoke the feeling of gratitude and joy, but it also serves as team building exercises, camaraderie and studio spirit. Below are some of my favorite ideas we have done in years past as a festive way to kick off the holiday season.

#1 Choreography Focus: “Giving Thanks”:  Create an informal choreography night for your studio families with works developed by your young choreographers. Give them the theme of “Giving Thanks,” “Thankful,” etc, and let them run with their creativity with solo works, duets and group numbers. Have the performance right before Thanksgiving or Holiday break and it’s a wonderful way to kick off the season with the innovations and interpretations of your students.

#2 The “Thankful Wall”: Create a large bulletin board at your studio. Give dancers different color post-it notes in class and ask them to write something they are thankful for. Post the notes on the lead up to Thanksgiving and the Holiday season and parents and peers can stop and read all the wonderful things each dancer is giving thanks for.

#3 Choose a charity: Have a studio vote on a different charity each holiday season. Work together on fundraising ideas and options to make collections and donations up until the New Year. This can be in the form of collecting money, sending cards and letters to our service men and women, collecting can goods and nonperishables, toiletry items, well preserved dance costumes, winter coats, hats and gloves drive, book drive, baby and new mother essentials, etc.

Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving & Holiday Season!

Jess & The Dance Teacher Web Family

 

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Author

Jess Stafford

Jess Stafford

Jess Stafford is a native New Yorker and has her MA in Dance Education from NYU. She also earned a BFA in dance performance from UMASS Amherst. Following a wonderful professional dance career, Jess now teaches and choreographs nationally and internationally, bringing her love of movement and creating to all her classes. Jess’ favorite performance credits include: The National Tour of Guys & Dolls, The European Tour of Grease, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Salute to Dudley Moore at Carnegie Hall, guest-dancer with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and IMPULSE Modern Dance Company. She has been on faculty for the Rutgers University Dance Department, Perichild Program at Peridance and was Company Director at Steffi Nossen School of Dance. Jess has also taught creative movement therapy in Uganda and was a featured instructor at the Queen's Kampala Dance School. She has conducted workshops for the cast of LA REVE at the Wynn, Las Vegas and has been on faculty at the IDS International Dance Teacher Conference at The Royal Ballet, MPower Summer Dance Intensives and annual Dance Teacher Web Conferences. Jess has also served as Master Teacher & adjudicator for various dance competitions. She is the Chief Editor and contributing writer for the DanceTeacherWeb.com blog and is also an original in-house Dance Teacher Web faculty member. Jess’ latest venture has called her to become a Board Certified Integrative Health Coach, 500HR RYT and RPYT. She is also the creator of her private practice, Rebel Wellness. Her latest passion project includes creating the “BE WELL” Yoga + Wellness School and Dance Studio Program, which fosters mental health & emotional wellness for today’s youth. www.rebelwellnessny.com

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