Ask any dance teacher about the benefits of dance, and they will tell you it is all about discovery — discovery of self, discovery of accomplishment and discovery of discipline.
For Linda Jamieson of Linda Jamieson School of Dance, the benefits of dance have come full circle.
She danced as a child, and spent 30 years at Earl of March High School teaching English and dance. Her own dance school grew out of the dance club she’d started at the high school.
“Dance is my passion,” says Jamieson. “It’s also my anchor.”
She says that taught properly, dance can be an anchor for students. “It is about discipline and commitment,” she says, “and it also teaches focus.
“I firmly believe that muscle memory transfers to brain memory.”
Jamieson says many of her students learn how to balance and manage their time around their dance classes. And that leads to a good work ethic and dedication that really helps, not just with school, but with life in general.
Hélène Tassie at Extrava Danse Académie in Rockland would agree. She also says her dance students
benefit by being creative, physical and gaining self-confidence.
“I find it hugely rewarding when I see a student persevere and challenge themselves,” says Tassie. “It does instill in them a different sense of discipline, patience and concentration. Those are attributes that come in really handy in the real world.”
Just ask Rose-Anne Constantineau, whose daughter Serina has been taking dance lessons for the last 10 years. “My daughter has learned valuable life skills through her dance lessons,” she says.
“Sure, it’s great when you win a competition, but Serina has also learned that you don’t always win but you keep going anyway.”
Even Serina says the discipline of dance helps keep her brain organized and sharpens her mathematical abilities and creative skills.
Photo: depositphotos.com © Margarita Borodina