It's not too much of a surprise that jazz and hip-hop are still two of the most popular dance styles for kids on the North Shore.
It helps that both these types of dance use the latest popular songs for background music, explains Hayley Walker, principal and artistic director at RNB Dance in North Vancouver.
"For a lot of kids, jazz has really grown," she explains, adding that hip-hop and musical theatre have a lot of energy.
Those higher energy classes also tend to be less structured, and Walker says it's not a bad idea for kids to pair those lessons with something that has more structure and technique like ballet.
Whatever type of dance kids choose to do, Walker says the most important thing is that they enjoy doing it.
"It should be the one that they enjoy the most because that's obviously going to be something that they're going to then be enthusiastic about, and they're going to want to come (to class)."
This summer, RNB is offering a junior camp for kids ages six to 12 who have little to no experience in dance. Campers will be divided into two age groups, and will be introduced to a variety of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, acro (dance that includes gymnastic-type moves), tap and musical theatre.
"I think everybody can gain and enjoy something from dance," says Walker.
And dance has many things to offer besides just some cool moves, she notes. Dance may help kids improve their fitness, learn about rhythm, learn good posture, practise being disciplined, build strong friendships and just expend some energy, says Walker.
"Becoming positive, becoming confident, all those things that we feel there's so much more to dance that people don't always know," she adds.
The summer programs at RNB are meant to be fun and also to give kids a chance to explore some dance styles that they may want to pursue in the regular programs that start
in September. How long it takes to get really good at dance depends on each individual child's ability, explains Walker. But it helps to have some experience with movement or co-ordination through other sports or activities.
"If they have a little bit of coordination then that can cross over into the dance whereas if they've obviously done absolutely nothing then it's a little bit harder."
One of the hardest elements of dance for beginners to learn is commitment and "knowing that your body needs repetition to improve," says Walker.
But once they get the hang of it, it's not long before all the moves start coming together.
"Once you're learned some of the basic steps and moves and how to stretch (your) feet and have more flexibility, and the skill of being able to turn the right way, things start joining together and (kids) can have more fun with all the moves," says Walker.
This story originaly appeared in the North Shore News special section called Summer Camps, which highlights local summer camp programs.
