Newsletter – February 2024

Welcome to 2024!

We have had the most wonderful two weeks welcoming all of our dancers for 2024! This year, we’ve welcomed almost 100 new dancers to our community, and now teach over 500 dancers across 120 classes each week. Whether your dancer joins us for 1 or a whopping 13(!) classes each week, we hope they are enjoying their first lessons and are excited for an incredible year ahead.

In addition to our annual concerts, exams, eisteddfods, and the musical, in 2024 we are also celebrating our 10th birthday! In July, Bayside Dance officially turns 10 and we’ll be celebrating all year with a Party in the Park, a Mid-Year Showcase, and our 10th Birthday Ball!

This newsletter is a great way to share information with dancers, parents and our entire community, so we encourage you to take a few minutes to read them through each month. In each newsletter, you’ll find important notices, upcoming dates, and see some of the highlights of what’s been happening around the studio.

From Miss Kaitlin
Boys in Dance

I am so excited to be a second-time dance mum with my son starting Itty Bitty Ballet this year! Unlike my daughter, he is very into diggers, trucks, cranes, planes and especially mowers (cheers to our neighbours who let us come watch their lawns being mowed! Hours of fun!). I am the first to argue that there’s no such thing as “girls interests” or “boys interests”, but my two children have naturally gravitated in very different directions with their early interests. However, I had no hesitation in signing him up for dance classes! Why? Dance classes offer numerous benefits for boys, both physical and mental.

Firstly, dance is a great form of exercise, and it’s a fun way to stay active. For an active boy, I want him to experience all types of movement, PLUS the added bonus of moving to music will keep him actively engaged for the thirty minute class. Dancing helps boys develop their coordination, balance, and flexibility, which can translate to improved performance in other sports – if you’ll allow me to “nerd out” on you for a minute, dance shares what we call an affordance landscape with some sports which means it will help develop skills and movement patterns associated with both. A great example of this is boxer Harry Garside, who made headlines for taking ballet classes to help his agility, footwork and speed in the ring! Additionally, dance can help boys improve their posture and build core strength, which can reduce the risk of injury.

Dance classes also provide a creative outlet for boys. Dancing allows us to express ourselves through movement, and it can help develop their artistic abilities. Furthermore, dance can help us build confidence and improve our self-esteem. Boys who dance learn to move with grace and precision, which can help them feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Finally, dance classes can help boys develop social skills. Dancing is often a group activity, and boys (and girls!) who dance learn to work together as a team. Dancers  often form close friendships with their fellow dancers, and they learn to communicate effectively with others. In particular, I’m interested in the listening skills my son will develop by participating in a class environment – hello, turn-taking and sharing!

Growing up, I was lucky enough to dance at a studio with lots of wonderful young men, some of whom I’m still friends with, and I am so excited to see lots of young men growing up dancing with us here at Bayside Dance!