Why Competitive Dance Helps Kids

To some parents, "competition" is a dirty word. Not only does it place too much pressure on kids to be their best, they argue, but it can also cause unnecessary stress and leave children feeling disappointed if they don't measure up. To shield kids from disappointment, many well-meaning moms and dads either declare everyone a winner or avoid competitive situations altogether.

I have been taking students to competitions for over 20 years. I have had the pleasure of seeing how much students benefit and grow from the experience. And while it can be stressful on parents to organize their schedules, pack their costumes and accessories, and reassure their kids, it's the goals reached and memories made that really stand out.

A competitive program like ours, is so important because it offers a structured opportunity for children to grow. Competition is a unique opportunity for your child to go beyond their current potential. They get to reach new goals with their teammates, allowing your child to become more independent and self-confident, make new friends, and learn new possibilities.

When done right, competition can help your children learn skills they'll use throughout their lives.

1. Competition sets your child up for wins and losses later in life

Competitive activities help your child develop important skills they'll use well into adulthood, like taking turns, developing empathy, and tenacity. Competition helps kids learn that it is not always the best or the brightest who are successful, but rather those that work hard and stick with it.

2. Competition helps your child earn critical social skills

One of the greatest gifts of competition is that your child can learn critical social skills through interacting with other children, while also learning the value of hardwork and developing self-esteem and self-efficacy. The social relationships they develop with their team are more than fun; they are important tools that help build confidence and provide a wider network of support. The friendships they make and the trust they establish builds a bridge to success in many other social activities in their lives.

3. Competition teaches your child how to be a team player

Many competitions teach children to problem solve as a team and help them learn the lifelong skills of working for the common good of the group. Teamwork allows children a chance to truly understand the accountability needed to reach a goal collectively. The team environment helps children understand that they can lean on peers for support. They also learn that providing support strengthens their confidence in themselves and others.

4. Dance competition gives an opportunity for parents to learn how their child reacts to competitive situations

If your child is involved in competition and they start to resist, fake an illness or injury to avoid the activity, say they don't want to participate, or show signs of depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, or loss of appetite then parents need to take notice. These are all red flags of unhealthy competitive behaviors. Parents need to take this as an opportunity to teach their child that they never "Win or Lose", but rather they always "Win or Learn". Some anxiety before a competition is normal, it means they really care about what they are doing. But the outcome is not as important as what they learn through the experience.

5. Competition helps your child set goals and achieve them

Falling short of winning the top prize isn't easy for anyone, but you have the power to help your child think positively about competition. For starters, it helps to define accomplishment not just as winning the activity, but as setting a goal for something they put their minds to and accomplishing it. Be there as a support to your child through their challenges and regularly reinforce the message that it's okay to fall short as long as they are putting forth effort and learning from the experience.

6. Give your child a different perspective on competition

Never miss an opportunity to shape your child's perspective. The most beneficial part of developing healthy competitive behavior is when a child learns that their biggest competitor is themself. Rather than concentrating on other dancers, your child can focus on improving their last score. Teach your child to not worry about the tricks or choreography of the other competitors, but to just focus on what they know to improve their overall performance. Set aside time for your child to reflect on what they need to do for themself and their perspective will change from competing against the other kids to competing against their own performance. As a result, your child will go from experiencing failure to experiencing success, and will continue to enjoy dancing and competing, no matter what the judges' results reflect.

Remember your child's learning years are short. Don't let the opportunity for your child to grow in a healthy competitive program pass them by! Our South Coast Conservatory motto is "Changing Lives Through Dance". We want all of our dancers to have the confidence and strength to do great things in life. The benefits they gain through competitive dance at South Coast Conservatory will last a lifetime. Enroll your child today and experience the many benefits of our competitive programs in ballet, commercial dance, aerial arts, and/or musical theatre.

At South Coast Conservatory we CHANGE LIVES THROUGH DANCE!

Laguna Niguel, CA