Dancers, do you want to impress your teacher(s), make steady progress, or become the best you can be? Here's 5 ways you can make your teachers say WOW!
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1. Come prepared - Bring everything you need for class including shoes, a water bottle, and anything else your teacher requires. Make sure to be dressed appropriately or according to the dress code and leave distractions - like toys, games, and devices - at the door.
2. Listen - Teachers have so much knowledge that they want to pass on to students but you have to be listening to soak it all up! Aside from teaching you steps, your teachers will often point out life lessons or share personal experiences during classes that are valuable to each student’s dance education. Your teacher will give you corrections and feedback on how to make your dancing better, so listen to your own corrections as well as feedback given to others to maximize your potential.
3. Ask (relevant) questions - If you don’t understand something or need clarification, don’t be afraid to ask! Your teachers are here to help you become the best you can be and appreciate a student who takes the time to think about something deeply enough to have a question. It shows your teachers that you’re interested, engaged, and have initiative. Just make sure to ask your teacher by raising your hand at an appropriate time so you don’t disrupt their lesson or your class.
4. Set goals - Goal setting helps everyone take action steps towards achieving something big! Think of a long-term that you want to achieve - dancing in hard shoes, making a ceili team, or qualifying for a certain competition - and each week set smaller goals to help you get there! Get your friends and family involved to help keep you accountable or document your progress in a practice log or journal.
5. Practice, practice, practice - Think about how long you spend at school each day and how much homework you do each night in order to stay on track with your grade level. As a young dancer, you spend as little as an hour a week at dance class and go as long as a whole week before your next class. If you practiced for even 10 minutes each day you’re not at class, you’re already doubling your dance time and can improve so much faster! Practice can be anything from going over a step that’s been giving you trouble to pulling out the dress up closet and putting on a show for your family. The most important thing is that you’re dancing outside of class with a goal in mind.

Upon reading the title you're probably thinking one of three things:

• "Sounds like fun!"
• "I'm not so sure...."
• Or, "I can do that?!"

Adults CAN take up Irish dancing even as a 20, 30, 40, 50-something, or beyond! Even studios with competitive programs for children can have recreational programs for adults too! 

Irish dancing is such a great form of exercise (with adults burning up to 400 calories an hour!) that is also enjoyable and socialable. Why let the kids have all the fun?!

At SRL, our adult program is made up of students who are first time learners, "boomerangs" who danced as children, and even moms of former/current Irish dancers. These men and women range from 20 somethings to over 60, so there's room for anyone of any age to learn.

Classes consist of a mixture of styles including solo step dancing, ceili and set dancing (group dances), as well as old style sean-nos dancing so you're guaranteed to find something you love and never get bored. If you decide through your journey that you wish to pursue Irish dancing at a deeper or competitive level, we have programs for that too!

Ready to try it yet? Come along for a free trial class and see for yourself! Our adult classes are on Tuesdays in Farmington from 8-9pm and Thursdays in South Windsor from 8-9pm. Hope to see you soon!