Happy New Year!

And, of course, Happy Dancing!                            
2013
A new year, new resolutions.  For dance instructors, new choreography, for students, new dance steps.
It always amazes me the excitement I feel with the start of the new year.  The inspiration that appears from nowhere sometimes for new routines, new music, new styles and even new students.

What inspires a student to start classes part way through the year?  Is it something they saw on TV or at the theatre or online.  I wonder what gives folks that spark to join in and begin dancing.

As teachers we sometimes worry that the new students will not catch on quickly and fit in with the rest of the class.  We want so much for each dancer to succeed and grow and enjoy what they are doing.  Our goal is to keep the flow of the current class moving along as well as integrating a new student into the group.

It's January and we plan our classes to introduce new steps, new technique, and new inspiration!  There are times we scramble to find new music that will catch the excitement of our intentions.  Then there are times when we revert back to the "oldies but goodies" for class warm ups and exercises.  Either way January is a time for new.  New and more new movement, music and mayhem once in a while.

Wonderful things happen in January!  Just the other day, as I was teaching a class of 10 year olds on the first official class back after the holiday break, I was amazed how they were dancing together; at the same time....

... On The Beat!