Dance Creations Dance Studio

Trying to decide between a few different dance studios?

Since 1991 thousands of students have taken dance classes  at Dance Creations Dance Studio.  We started as a very small school but have grown to become one of the biggest and most diverse dance schools in Springfield.
We do not believe we are the best because we’re the one of biggest. Instead, we believe we’re one of  the biggest because families think we are the best. Click here to see and hear what our students and parents are saying.
As a parent we realize you have a choice between several dance schools. All studios are not the same. We constantly renovate and improve our facilities and provide ongoing training to our staff to ensure we are always providing our students and parents with the best experience possible.
Today, as in 1991, there are several different studios to choose from. We invite you to compare all of the features and options to see why our studio has been chosen more by the Springfield community.
 To view a studio comparison checklist click here.

5 Things every parent should know before choosing a dance school.

Every parent wants the best for their children, and there are many different activities available for our children today. We are happy to see that one of the activities you are considering is dance. Dance is a rewarding discipline to pursue with many benefits extending well beyond the physical. Many necessary life skills, such as team work and self discipline, are a must and practiced routinely at DCDS. It is more than about dance, it is about developing qualities every child need to succeed!
Dance Creations Dance Studio offers the most diverse faculty in the Springfield area. We take pride in the diversity of our students, allowing each student to satisfy many aspects of their talents and personalities.

Here are just a few things a parent might consider before deciding on a dance school for their child.

What is the size of the class?

When choosing a dance program that is right for your child, you will want to know how many students are in a class, as well as what ages and levels are in the class. Some dance programs offer classes with a wide range of ages in one class. For example, all beginners—ages 5 through 11—can be in a class together. Other programs will offer classes for 3 to 6 year olds together. The number of students permitted to be registered for each class also varies from program to program. Some studios accept as many as 20+ students to a class while others have lower class sizes.

At DCDS we provide a low student teacher ratio for more individualized instruction. Following are the ratios for our class size…

2 yr. olds – 6 students to 1 teacher and 1 assistant with a maximum of 8 dancers accompanied by a parent.
3 –4 yr. olds – 8 students to 1 teacher and 2 assistants with a maximum of 12 students.
4-5 yr. olds – 10 students to 1 teacher and 2 assistant with a maximum of 14 students.
5-6 yr. olds – 10 students to 1 teacher and 2 assistant with a maximum of 15 students
7yr olds and up – 15 students to 1 teacher and 2 assistants with a maximum of 16 dancer

Our average class size is 10 students and our maximum class size is 16.

How is my child placed in the class?

Being placed in the proper class level and age group will give students the best possible educational environment. Current age, age of previous training, previous styles of dance studied, and maturity of student must be taken into consideration. Class placement should not be made by the office staff, but by an instructor.

DCDS offers many different age groups as well as levels. After enrollment, students are placed according to the information given to the instructor about previous experience. Students are routinely evaluated to make sure they are in the correct level class in addition to the appropriate age group.

What is being taught?

How classes are structured, and where is the emphasis is an important question. Some programs begin teaching the recital dance right at the beginning of the season, some teach only skills, and some a different dance each week. Classes for early childhood students are age appropriate and fun at Dance creations Dance Studio.

Some schools schools do not consider the age of the child when choosing music or choreography.  They may have the child dancing to music with inappropriate lyrics and meaning.  Although the dance world is sometimes influenced by the MTV generation, DCDS will not be influenced by inappropriate music or provocative costume choices.

Will your child be taught how to dance or just one dance?
Most dance studios put on a performance at the end of the season. In addition to developing self confidence, stage experience is an integral part of your child’s dance training. However, preparing for the year end show should not be the focus of the entire year’s lessons. Proper technique should be the main focus of the class. You want your child to learn something more than a routine that will be performed only once in the spring performance. Dancers should walk away from the dance class experience with some working tools, knowing real dance terminology, with a reasonable degree of real skill. Learning the correct way to execute any dance step is the only way for dancers to perform it safely and without injury.
At DCDS we begin the performance pieces half way into the season, well after establishing a strong technical base for the class.

Does the school practice good business and work ethics?
Look for ethical business practice. Ask for parent references, number of years in business, recital video, photos, etc. A school should be proud of its past performances and eager to provide references. A school with good business practices will have no problem providing parental references.

After 17 years in business Dance Creations Dance studio takes great pride in the accomplishments of our students.  Many DCDS students have received countless dance scholarships from nationally known dance conventions and Statewide Universities. Each year a great number of the alumni come back and perform in our annual Spring Production.