As dance teachers, we often spend hours planning the perfect combo, fine-tuning transitions, and obsessing over musicality. But here's a truth that many teachers overlook: your energy shapes the entire experience of your class — more than the steps you teach.
Students Mirror You
Walk into your class stressed, distracted, or drained, and your students will feel it. They might not say anything, but energy is contagious. If you're passionate, present, and excited about the movement, they will be too — even if the choreography is simple.
You Set the Emotional Tone
Think about your favorite teachers growing up. Was it their syllabus that stood out, or how they made you feel? In dance, it's no different. Students often remember the emotional tone of class more than the steps they learned.
Did you celebrate effort over perfection?
Did you offer space for creativity?
Did you acknowledge their growth?
These moments matter.
Teaching is a Performance, Too
When you're in front of the room, you're not just a teacher — you're a performer, a motivator, a storyteller. Your tone of voice, your body language, and your presence create an atmosphere. Are you creating one that dancers want to come back to?
How to Reset When You're Off
We're human. Some days are tough. Here’s how to shift your energy fast:
Start class with music you love — it’ll boost your mood.
Take a minute of stillness before entering the room.
Fake it until you feel it — smile, move big, and your body chemistry will follow.
Your steps are important. Your counts, your cues, your corrections — they all matter. But at the core of every great class is a teacher whose energy invites dancers to feel free, challenged, and inspired.
So the next time you walk into the studio, ask yourself:
What kind of energy am I bringing in today?
Because that, more than any 8-count, is what they’ll take home with them.
See you in the dance studio,
Jess
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