As a kid, I used to take dance classes. In fact, I still remember that in the 6th grade, when my parents told me I had to choose between dance, cheerleading, and basketball (a totally reasonable ask), I picked cheerleading and basketball. But, I regretted that. I didn’t end up liking basketball that much and I missed dance.
But I was curious what my kids would say when I asked them if they would like to try learning dance. I knew that they liked to dance and they love music, but I wasn’t sure if they would want to learn more formally, beyond just making up our own moves dancing in the kitchen.
So I was excited when they said yes, they were curious about trying because I was excited to share something I really enjoyed with them.
I received access to YouDance.com for free in order to write a review. I was compensated for my time in writing this review. As always, my opinions here are my own and reflect my experiences. Thanks for your support and for reading this post!
YouDance.com offered an excellent way for my kids to try dance. The variety of styles and low commitment offered an easy gateway to try something new.
Short Videos That Build Dance Skills for Kids
My kids have never done any formal dance before – well, okay, they have had one formal lesson in Irish Dance, but that’s it. One thing we really appreciate about YouDance.com is how they break down the skills into bite size videos, which they then work their way up to making into combos.
Isolating and focusing on just one skill at a time really allows you to master it before moving onto the next skill. Plus, as you continue with the course, the fact that the dance moves have separate teaching and practice videos means that if there’s a skill your child continues to struggle with, they can return to the teaching and practicing videos and focus in on that. My son said YouDance.com helps him even though sometimes he feels like he has two left feet!
Another major plus is that they have their own platform. This means there are no ads and no worries that an inappropriate video might play after the one you’re watching. We can get right to the video we’re watching and spend our time there, rather than waiting until the ads are done.
YouDance.com Membership is a Unique Physical Education Option
I have to admit that sometimes physical education is a hard subject for me to teach. It sounds silly to type that, but it’s true. There are many great opportunities to move our bodies, but sometimes it’s a struggle to know what we can do at home – especially during the winter or when the weather is bad. We live in a small house with what I affectionately refer to as a postage stamp sized backyard. We do have lots of amazing opportunities outside of the house, but it’s not always possible to coordinate leaving the house for physical education every day. So, I’ve searched for creative options we can do at home!
YouDance.com is another tool in my toolbox of a physical fitness option that we can do at home, with minimal set up (usually just picking things up off the floor, if you know you know), and at any time. Plus, I appreciate the way that dance engages both their bodies and their brains!
Another nice thing about learning dance at home is that if you have kids that may not want to be the center of attention, they are able to still learn it without the pressure of a recital or having to dance in front of others. Of course, if they are very excited by the idea of a recital, you can certainly host your own for family and friends!
YouDance.com Offers Dance for Kids in Many Different Styles
Another great feature of YouDance.com is that they have several dance styles to choose from. Currently they offer contemporary dance, hip hop dance, jazz dance, clogging, ballet, and even preschool classes. (I don’t have preschoolers anymore, but I scrolled through them and they look super fun – I mean, there is one called Learning Ballet Positions with Pizza! So that one has to be fun).
My kids picked to start with Jazz dance. I was excited about that because that was my favorite when I was a kid too. Jazz has several different courses starting from beginner and working your way up.
Homeschool Dance Your Own Way
For some kids, just following along with an instructor on a video may not be enough. After all, an instructor can’t come through the screen and adjust your kids’ form. I feel comfortable helping my kids adjust because of my own dance background, but not everyone may feel that way. YouDance.com is a good fit for your family if you are confident in following video instructions, but again, not everyone learns that way.
Another feature I liked is the little quizzes that it has. I feel like these help my kids to think about what they are actually doing and what they are learning in a different way then just following along with moving their bodies.
My kids are also very motivated by monthly challenges, so it’s fun that YouDance.com offers monthly challenges and that kids can enter to win prizes!
If you’re unsure about whether or not YouDance.com is right for you, they offer free dance sample classes, which is an excellent way to try it out for yourself! Dance may be an excellent fit for your kids and queueing up a sample lesson is a low pressure way to try it out.
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