Circle of Fun!

Circle dancing (literally – dancing with a group of people while standing in a circle) is not only fun, but it’s good for you and your child too!  We help build a community together when we are doing circle dances…..we’ve actually been doing that for centuries!  

A circle dance gives your child the opportunity to learn about the differences between “self-space” and “shared space” in an emotionally secure environment.  This type of dance is joyful, sociable, and simple, and yet it forms a ritual in the way that it is repeated over and over.

Did you know that when you dance that your body releases endomorphs (that chemical in our body that makes you feel good)?  Dancing is a great form of exercise that improves coordination and muscle tone.  Emotionally, dancing helps people to feel happy and confident and can even allow you to explore feelings that might be more difficult to express verbally.  Dancing can reduce stress and helps with both your circulatory and respiratory health.

In class we have been exploring a variety of movement concepts as we move to music.  This type of activity helps to develop your child’s vestibular system in several ways – teaching gravity, balance, and helping them gain a sense of where their body is in space.  A well-developed vestibular system provides emotional security, good muscle tone, develops auditory language and visual-spatial processing.  All this while you’re having fun dancing!!

So take some time to dance with your child.  You will be forming memories that will last well beyond the 2-4 minute song!!

-posted by Miss Beth, who likes to dance her way through cleaning her house!