The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Dance Lesson Plans
Robert Howarth
April 22 2025
10 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Dance Lesson Plans
Robert Howarth
April 22 2025
10 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Dance Lesson Plans
Robert Howarth
April 22 2025
10 min read
Dance teachers and studio owners, realistically, how much time do you spend planning lessons? A good, well-thought-out dance lesson plan is the most effective way to ensure your students are progressing. But what does a good all-around lesson plan consist of?
At Class Manager, we are blessed to have lots of our dance studio owners and dance teachers on our team, and we spoke to them about what makes a good dance lesson. Read on to find out what they suggested. From planning objectives and goals to including the five components of dance.
Dance teachers and studio owners, realistically, how much time do you spend planning lessons? A good, well-thought-out dance lesson plan is the most effective way to ensure your students are progressing. But what does a good all-around lesson plan consist of?
At Class Manager, we are blessed to have lots of our dance studio owners and dance teachers on our team, and we spoke to them about what makes a good dance lesson. Read on to find out what they suggested. From planning objectives and goals to including the five components of dance.
Dance teachers and studio owners, realistically, how much time do you spend planning lessons? A good, well-thought-out dance lesson plan is the most effective way to ensure your students are progressing. But what does a good all-around lesson plan consist of?
At Class Manager, we are blessed to have lots of our dance studio owners and dance teachers on our team, and we spoke to them about what makes a good dance lesson. Read on to find out what they suggested. From planning objectives and goals to including the five components of dance.
Dance teachers and studio owners, realistically, how much time do you spend planning lessons? A good, well-thought-out dance lesson plan is the most effective way to ensure your students are progressing. But what does a good all-around lesson plan consist of?
At Class Manager, we are blessed to have lots of our dance studio owners and dance teachers on our team, and we spoke to them about what makes a good dance lesson. Read on to find out what they suggested. From planning objectives and goals to including the five components of dance.
Dance teachers and studio owners, realistically, how much time do you spend planning lessons? A good, well-thought-out dance lesson plan is the most effective way to ensure your students are progressing. But what does a good all-around lesson plan consist of?
At Class Manager, we are blessed to have lots of our dance studio owners and dance teachers on our team, and we spoke to them about what makes a good dance lesson. Read on to find out what they suggested. From planning objectives and goals to including the five components of dance.
What's covered in this blog post: (Click on the section be taken straight to it)
What's covered in this blog post: (Click on the section be taken straight to it)
What's covered in this blog post: (Click on the section be taken straight to it)
What's covered in this blog post: (Click on the section be taken straight to it)
What's covered in this blog post: (Click on the section be taken straight to it)
Dance Lessons: Objectives & Goals
Before you can plan your lessons, it’s important to first know and understand what your overall goals are for your students. Students will only continue to progress week on week throughout the dance season if the lessons follow a plan and work towards clear objectives.
So, before you can plan your weekly lessons, you need to determine what your goals are. Think ahead to key events within your dance season. Do you have competitions booked, upcoming exams, or recitals? Picture your students at these events:
What choreography are they performing?
What technical elements are featured?
How are they conducting themselves in these situations, either by themselves or with their peers?
Once you know your end-of-season goals, you can work backwards. Where are your students currently? What skills, habits, values, and techniques need to be developed, taught, or introduced to them? These will be the fundamental aspects that build up your curriculum and goals for your students.
Now you know your goals, we need to start planning your lessons…
Dance Lessons: Objectives & Goals
Before you can plan your lessons, it’s important to first know and understand what your overall goals are for your students. Students will only continue to progress week on week throughout the dance season if the lessons follow a plan and work towards clear objectives.
So, before you can plan your weekly lessons, you need to determine what your goals are. Think ahead to key events within your dance season. Do you have competitions booked, upcoming exams, or recitals? Picture your students at these events:
What choreography are they performing?
What technical elements are featured?
How are they conducting themselves in these situations, either by themselves or with their peers?
Once you know your end-of-season goals, you can work backwards. Where are your students currently? What skills, habits, values, and techniques need to be developed, taught, or introduced to them? These will be the fundamental aspects that build up your curriculum and goals for your students.
Now you know your goals, we need to start planning your lessons…
Dance Lessons: Objectives & Goals
Before you can plan your lessons, it’s important to first know and understand what your overall goals are for your students. Students will only continue to progress week on week throughout the dance season if the lessons follow a plan and work towards clear objectives.
So, before you can plan your weekly lessons, you need to determine what your goals are. Think ahead to key events within your dance season. Do you have competitions booked, upcoming exams, or recitals? Picture your students at these events:
What choreography are they performing?
What technical elements are featured?
How are they conducting themselves in these situations, either by themselves or with their peers?
Once you know your end-of-season goals, you can work backwards. Where are your students currently? What skills, habits, values, and techniques need to be developed, taught, or introduced to them? These will be the fundamental aspects that build up your curriculum and goals for your students.
Now you know your goals, we need to start planning your lessons…
Dance Lessons: Objectives & Goals
Before you can plan your lessons, it’s important to first know and understand what your overall goals are for your students. Students will only continue to progress week on week throughout the dance season if the lessons follow a plan and work towards clear objectives.
So, before you can plan your weekly lessons, you need to determine what your goals are. Think ahead to key events within your dance season. Do you have competitions booked, upcoming exams, or recitals? Picture your students at these events:
What choreography are they performing?
What technical elements are featured?
How are they conducting themselves in these situations, either by themselves or with their peers?
Once you know your end-of-season goals, you can work backwards. Where are your students currently? What skills, habits, values, and techniques need to be developed, taught, or introduced to them? These will be the fundamental aspects that build up your curriculum and goals for your students.
Now you know your goals, we need to start planning your lessons…
Dance Lessons: Objectives & Goals
Before you can plan your lessons, it’s important to first know and understand what your overall goals are for your students. Students will only continue to progress week on week throughout the dance season if the lessons follow a plan and work towards clear objectives.
So, before you can plan your weekly lessons, you need to determine what your goals are. Think ahead to key events within your dance season. Do you have competitions booked, upcoming exams, or recitals? Picture your students at these events:
What choreography are they performing?
What technical elements are featured?
How are they conducting themselves in these situations, either by themselves or with their peers?
Once you know your end-of-season goals, you can work backwards. Where are your students currently? What skills, habits, values, and techniques need to be developed, taught, or introduced to them? These will be the fundamental aspects that build up your curriculum and goals for your students.
Now you know your goals, we need to start planning your lessons…
What Are The Five Elements Of Dance?
When planning your lessons, you need to keep your students' goals in mind, but your lessons should include more than just the movements and techniques needed to hit those goals.
Each dance lesson should always include the five main elements of dance, often referred to as BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy. Let’s break these down further and explore how you can incorporate each element into your weekly lesson plans.
What Are The Five Elements Of Dance?
When planning your lessons, you need to keep your students' goals in mind, but your lessons should include more than just the movements and techniques needed to hit those goals.
Each dance lesson should always include the five main elements of dance, often referred to as BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy. Let’s break these down further and explore how you can incorporate each element into your weekly lesson plans.
What Are The Five Elements Of Dance?
When planning your lessons, you need to keep your students' goals in mind, but your lessons should include more than just the movements and techniques needed to hit those goals.
Each dance lesson should always include the five main elements of dance, often referred to as BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy. Let’s break these down further and explore how you can incorporate each element into your weekly lesson plans.
What Are The Five Elements Of Dance?
When planning your lessons, you need to keep your students' goals in mind, but your lessons should include more than just the movements and techniques needed to hit those goals.
Each dance lesson should always include the five main elements of dance, often referred to as BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy. Let’s break these down further and explore how you can incorporate each element into your weekly lesson plans.
What Are The Five Elements Of Dance?
When planning your lessons, you need to keep your students' goals in mind, but your lessons should include more than just the movements and techniques needed to hit those goals.
Each dance lesson should always include the five main elements of dance, often referred to as BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy. Let’s break these down further and explore how you can incorporate each element into your weekly lesson plans.
Elements of Dance: The Body
While musicians have their instruments, actors have their scripts and props, and writers have their pens and words, dancers? Dancers have their bodies.
Their bodies are the only component involved in the creation of the art form, whether the body is moving as a whole or in isolated parts, in motion or still. The dancer’s body is the art form, and it’s through that body that the audience is taken on a journey, portrayed through the dancer's translation of inner emotions and themes.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students an emotion to express and ask them to experiment with conveying it solely through their body. Encourage them to explore different ways to show this emotion without the use of music, large movements, or travel.
Elements of Dance: The Body
While musicians have their instruments, actors have their scripts and props, and writers have their pens and words, dancers? Dancers have their bodies.
Their bodies are the only component involved in the creation of the art form, whether the body is moving as a whole or in isolated parts, in motion or still. The dancer’s body is the art form, and it’s through that body that the audience is taken on a journey, portrayed through the dancer's translation of inner emotions and themes.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students an emotion to express and ask them to experiment with conveying it solely through their body. Encourage them to explore different ways to show this emotion without the use of music, large movements, or travel.
Elements of Dance: The Body
While musicians have their instruments, actors have their scripts and props, and writers have their pens and words, dancers? Dancers have their bodies.
Their bodies are the only component involved in the creation of the art form, whether the body is moving as a whole or in isolated parts, in motion or still. The dancer’s body is the art form, and it’s through that body that the audience is taken on a journey, portrayed through the dancer's translation of inner emotions and themes.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students an emotion to express and ask them to experiment with conveying it solely through their body. Encourage them to explore different ways to show this emotion without the use of music, large movements, or travel.
Elements of Dance: The Body
While musicians have their instruments, actors have their scripts and props, and writers have their pens and words, dancers? Dancers have their bodies.
Their bodies are the only component involved in the creation of the art form, whether the body is moving as a whole or in isolated parts, in motion or still. The dancer’s body is the art form, and it’s through that body that the audience is taken on a journey, portrayed through the dancer's translation of inner emotions and themes.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students an emotion to express and ask them to experiment with conveying it solely through their body. Encourage them to explore different ways to show this emotion without the use of music, large movements, or travel.
Elements of Dance: Action
Action encompasses any movement that the dancer performs, from small gestures to large, powerful movements. This element of dance can be categorized into two groups:
Non-locomotor or axial movement: Where the dancer’s location remains stationary, but their body still performs a movement. Examples include: bending, swinging, rising, falling, and stretching.
Locomotor movement: Movements that involve traveling through space. Examples include: running, jumping, walking, and rolling.
Regardless of which genre you're in, be it ballet, tap, or street dance, actions can be both non-locomotor and locomotor.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give each student a different movement. Encourage students to explore how these actions feel in different tempos and dynamics. This allows them to connect the movements to their body and develop greater control and creativity.
Action encompasses any movement that the dancer performs, from small gestures to large, powerful movements. This element of dance can be categorized into two groups:
Non-locomotor or axial movement: Where the dancer’s location remains stationary, but their body still performs a movement. Examples include: bending, swinging, rising, falling, and stretching.
Locomotor movement: Movements that involve traveling through space. Examples include: running, jumping, walking, and rolling.
Regardless of which genre you're in, be it ballet, tap, or street dance, actions can be both non-locomotor and locomotor.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give each student a different movement. Encourage students to explore how these actions feel in different tempos and dynamics. This allows them to connect the movements to their body and develop greater control and creativity.
Action encompasses any movement that the dancer performs, from small gestures to large, powerful movements. This element of dance can be categorized into two groups:
Non-locomotor or axial movement: Where the dancer’s location remains stationary, but their body still performs a movement. Examples include: bending, swinging, rising, falling, and stretching.
Locomotor movement: Movements that involve traveling through space. Examples include: running, jumping, walking, and rolling.
Regardless of which genre you're in, be it ballet, tap, or street dance, actions can be both non-locomotor and locomotor.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give each student a different movement. Encourage students to explore how these actions feel in different tempos and dynamics. This allows them to connect the movements to their body and develop greater control and creativity.
Action encompasses any movement that the dancer performs, from small gestures to large, powerful movements. This element of dance can be categorized into two groups:
Non-locomotor or axial movement: Where the dancer’s location remains stationary, but their body still performs a movement. Examples include: bending, swinging, rising, falling, and stretching.
Locomotor movement: Movements that involve traveling through space. Examples include: running, jumping, walking, and rolling.
Regardless of which genre you're in, be it ballet, tap, or street dance, actions can be both non-locomotor and locomotor.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give each student a different movement. Encourage students to explore how these actions feel in different tempos and dynamics. This allows them to connect the movements to their body and develop greater control and creativity.
Elements of Dance: Space
This is something all dance teachers and choreographers need to consider when planning lessons, especially if recitals and competitions are on the horizon.
The space, when talking in a dance sense, isn’t just about the square meterage of the stage. It’s about how the dancer travels through and utilizes the area available, how much room their movement occupies, and where that movement leads. It’s easier to break it down into key components:
Level – Is the dancer on a different level? Is the movement happening on the floor or reaching toward the ceiling? Are there transitions through levels, starting low and reaching up, or moving from high to low?
Direction – Where is the dancer moving? Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally, right, or left?
Orientation – Are the dancers facing the audience or turned away?
Pathway – If the dancer is traveling, are they moving in a straight line? Is their path curved, zig-zagged, or circular?
Size – How big is the movement? Is it a powerful action that takes up a lot of room, or is it small and contained?
Relationship – Is this a group dance? If so, what are the dancers’ positions in relation to one another?
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students a simple movement, like a spin. Get them to put that spin in each of these space combinations. See how the movement changes and is interrupted.
This is something all dance teachers and choreographers need to consider when planning lessons, especially if recitals and competitions are on the horizon.
The space, when talking in a dance sense, isn’t just about the square meterage of the stage. It’s about how the dancer travels through and utilizes the area available, how much room their movement occupies, and where that movement leads. It’s easier to break it down into key components:
Level – Is the dancer on a different level? Is the movement happening on the floor or reaching toward the ceiling? Are there transitions through levels, starting low and reaching up, or moving from high to low?
Direction – Where is the dancer moving? Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally, right, or left?
Orientation – Are the dancers facing the audience or turned away?
Pathway – If the dancer is traveling, are they moving in a straight line? Is their path curved, zig-zagged, or circular?
Size – How big is the movement? Is it a powerful action that takes up a lot of room, or is it small and contained?
Relationship – Is this a group dance? If so, what are the dancers’ positions in relation to one another?
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students a simple movement, like a spin. Get them to put that spin in each of these space combinations. See how the movement changes and is interrupted.
This is something all dance teachers and choreographers need to consider when planning lessons, especially if recitals and competitions are on the horizon.
The space, when talking in a dance sense, isn’t just about the square meterage of the stage. It’s about how the dancer travels through and utilizes the area available, how much room their movement occupies, and where that movement leads. It’s easier to break it down into key components:
Level – Is the dancer on a different level? Is the movement happening on the floor or reaching toward the ceiling? Are there transitions through levels, starting low and reaching up, or moving from high to low?
Direction – Where is the dancer moving? Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally, right, or left?
Orientation – Are the dancers facing the audience or turned away?
Pathway – If the dancer is traveling, are they moving in a straight line? Is their path curved, zig-zagged, or circular?
Size – How big is the movement? Is it a powerful action that takes up a lot of room, or is it small and contained?
Relationship – Is this a group dance? If so, what are the dancers’ positions in relation to one another?
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students a simple movement, like a spin. Get them to put that spin in each of these space combinations. See how the movement changes and is interrupted.
This is something all dance teachers and choreographers need to consider when planning lessons, especially if recitals and competitions are on the horizon.
The space, when talking in a dance sense, isn’t just about the square meterage of the stage. It’s about how the dancer travels through and utilizes the area available, how much room their movement occupies, and where that movement leads. It’s easier to break it down into key components:
Level – Is the dancer on a different level? Is the movement happening on the floor or reaching toward the ceiling? Are there transitions through levels, starting low and reaching up, or moving from high to low?
Direction – Where is the dancer moving? Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally, right, or left?
Orientation – Are the dancers facing the audience or turned away?
Pathway – If the dancer is traveling, are they moving in a straight line? Is their path curved, zig-zagged, or circular?
Size – How big is the movement? Is it a powerful action that takes up a lot of room, or is it small and contained?
Relationship – Is this a group dance? If so, what are the dancers’ positions in relation to one another?
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students a simple movement, like a spin. Get them to put that spin in each of these space combinations. See how the movement changes and is interrupted.
This is something all dance teachers and choreographers need to consider when planning lessons, especially if recitals and competitions are on the horizon.
The space, when talking in a dance sense, isn’t just about the square meterage of the stage. It’s about how the dancer travels through and utilizes the area available, how much room their movement occupies, and where that movement leads. It’s easier to break it down into key components:
Level – Is the dancer on a different level? Is the movement happening on the floor or reaching toward the ceiling? Are there transitions through levels, starting low and reaching up, or moving from high to low?
Direction – Where is the dancer moving? Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally, right, or left?
Orientation – Are the dancers facing the audience or turned away?
Pathway – If the dancer is traveling, are they moving in a straight line? Is their path curved, zig-zagged, or circular?
Size – How big is the movement? Is it a powerful action that takes up a lot of room, or is it small and contained?
Relationship – Is this a group dance? If so, what are the dancers’ positions in relation to one another?
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give your students a simple movement, like a spin. Get them to put that spin in each of these space combinations. See how the movement changes and is interrupted.
Elements of Dance: Time
We all know that timing is everything when it comes to dancing. We’ve all been in lessons when we’ve repeatedly counted the beats and steps for our students, probably falling asleep going “And, 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…” So it’s probably no surprise that one of the core elements of dance is time.
Time refers to how long a movement takes, the timing differences between dancers moving before, after, in unison, or in contrast to one another. It includes moving in rhythmic patterns and responding to musical cues.
Timing in dance is a powerful way to shape the overall energy of a piece, it guides the audience through the journey by shifting tempos, speeds, and the intensity of movements.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give the students a set of movements, and ask them to portray varying emotions through those movements, by just playing with the time of the movements.
We all know that timing is everything when it comes to dancing. We’ve all been in lessons when we’ve repeatedly counted the beats and steps for our students, probably falling asleep going “And, 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…” So it’s probably no surprise that one of the core elements of dance is time.
Time refers to how long a movement takes, the timing differences between dancers moving before, after, in unison, or in contrast to one another. It includes moving in rhythmic patterns and responding to musical cues.
Timing in dance is a powerful way to shape the overall energy of a piece, it guides the audience through the journey by shifting tempos, speeds, and the intensity of movements.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give the students a set of movements, and ask them to portray varying emotions through those movements, by just playing with the time of the movements.
We all know that timing is everything when it comes to dancing. We’ve all been in lessons when we’ve repeatedly counted the beats and steps for our students, probably falling asleep going “And, 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…” So it’s probably no surprise that one of the core elements of dance is time.
Time refers to how long a movement takes, the timing differences between dancers moving before, after, in unison, or in contrast to one another. It includes moving in rhythmic patterns and responding to musical cues.
Timing in dance is a powerful way to shape the overall energy of a piece, it guides the audience through the journey by shifting tempos, speeds, and the intensity of movements.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give the students a set of movements, and ask them to portray varying emotions through those movements, by just playing with the time of the movements.
We all know that timing is everything when it comes to dancing. We’ve all been in lessons when we’ve repeatedly counted the beats and steps for our students, probably falling asleep going “And, 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…” So it’s probably no surprise that one of the core elements of dance is time.
Time refers to how long a movement takes, the timing differences between dancers moving before, after, in unison, or in contrast to one another. It includes moving in rhythmic patterns and responding to musical cues.
Timing in dance is a powerful way to shape the overall energy of a piece, it guides the audience through the journey by shifting tempos, speeds, and the intensity of movements.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give the students a set of movements, and ask them to portray varying emotions through those movements, by just playing with the time of the movements.
We all know that timing is everything when it comes to dancing. We’ve all been in lessons when we’ve repeatedly counted the beats and steps for our students, probably falling asleep going “And, 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…” So it’s probably no surprise that one of the core elements of dance is time.
Time refers to how long a movement takes, the timing differences between dancers moving before, after, in unison, or in contrast to one another. It includes moving in rhythmic patterns and responding to musical cues.
Timing in dance is a powerful way to shape the overall energy of a piece, it guides the audience through the journey by shifting tempos, speeds, and the intensity of movements.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Give the students a set of movements, and ask them to portray varying emotions through those movements, by just playing with the time of the movements.
Elements of Dance: Energy
Last, but by no means least, is energy. The energy behind a movement or sequence plays a crucial role in shaping the overall performance. And no, we’re not just talking about how much effort a dancer appears to be putting in.
We're talking about how the dancer moves their body. Are the movements slow and intentional? Or are they bold, explosive, and dynamic? Are they light and free-flowing, or sharp and forceful? These choices help communicate the emotions and mood the dancer is trying to express.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Ask each of your students to choose a movement for one another and an emotion. Get them to practice portraying that emotion by changing the energy of the movement only.
Last, but by no means least, is energy. The energy behind a movement or sequence plays a crucial role in shaping the overall performance. And no, we’re not just talking about how much effort a dancer appears to be putting in.
We're talking about how the dancer moves their body. Are the movements slow and intentional? Or are they bold, explosive, and dynamic? Are they light and free-flowing, or sharp and forceful? These choices help communicate the emotions and mood the dancer is trying to express.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Ask each of your students to choose a movement for one another and an emotion. Get them to practice portraying that emotion by changing the energy of the movement only.
Last, but by no means least, is energy. The energy behind a movement or sequence plays a crucial role in shaping the overall performance. And no, we’re not just talking about how much effort a dancer appears to be putting in.
We're talking about how the dancer moves their body. Are the movements slow and intentional? Or are they bold, explosive, and dynamic? Are they light and free-flowing, or sharp and forceful? These choices help communicate the emotions and mood the dancer is trying to express.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Ask each of your students to choose a movement for one another and an emotion. Get them to practice portraying that emotion by changing the energy of the movement only.
Last, but by no means least, is energy. The energy behind a movement or sequence plays a crucial role in shaping the overall performance. And no, we’re not just talking about how much effort a dancer appears to be putting in.
We're talking about how the dancer moves their body. Are the movements slow and intentional? Or are they bold, explosive, and dynamic? Are they light and free-flowing, or sharp and forceful? These choices help communicate the emotions and mood the dancer is trying to express.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Ask each of your students to choose a movement for one another and an emotion. Get them to practice portraying that emotion by changing the energy of the movement only.
Last, but by no means least, is energy. The energy behind a movement or sequence plays a crucial role in shaping the overall performance. And no, we’re not just talking about how much effort a dancer appears to be putting in.
We're talking about how the dancer moves their body. Are the movements slow and intentional? Or are they bold, explosive, and dynamic? Are they light and free-flowing, or sharp and forceful? These choices help communicate the emotions and mood the dancer is trying to express.
How to Include in a Lesson:
Ask each of your students to choose a movement for one another and an emotion. Get them to practice portraying that emotion by changing the energy of the movement only.
How To Bring BASTE Into Your Dance Lesson Plans?
So, you know what elements to include in all of your dance lesson plans. But how do you do that? As we mentioned previously, when planning a successful lesson that supports your dancers’ progress, each class must be designed with clear goals in mind and aligned with your overall timeline for the season.
Whether you're teaching dance, music, drama, or even a traditional classroom subject, people learn best by making connections and summarizing information. Dance is no different.
So, you know what elements to include in all of your dance lesson plans. But how do you do that? As we mentioned previously, when planning a successful lesson that supports your dancers’ progress, each class must be designed with clear goals in mind and aligned with your overall timeline for the season.
Whether you're teaching dance, music, drama, or even a traditional classroom subject, people learn best by making connections and summarizing information. Dance is no different.
So, you know what elements to include in all of your dance lesson plans. But how do you do that? As we mentioned previously, when planning a successful lesson that supports your dancers’ progress, each class must be designed with clear goals in mind and aligned with your overall timeline for the season.
Whether you're teaching dance, music, drama, or even a traditional classroom subject, people learn best by making connections and summarizing information. Dance is no different.
So, you know what elements to include in all of your dance lesson plans. But how do you do that? As we mentioned previously, when planning a successful lesson that supports your dancers’ progress, each class must be designed with clear goals in mind and aligned with your overall timeline for the season.
Whether you're teaching dance, music, drama, or even a traditional classroom subject, people learn best by making connections and summarizing information. Dance is no different.
So, you know what elements to include in all of your dance lesson plans. But how do you do that? As we mentioned previously, when planning a successful lesson that supports your dancers’ progress, each class must be designed with clear goals in mind and aligned with your overall timeline for the season.
Whether you're teaching dance, music, drama, or even a traditional classroom subject, people learn best by making connections and summarizing information. Dance is no different.
1. Set a Theme or Objective
You’ve got an overall goal for your season. To get to that point, each of your lessons should start with a clear goal and objective. These can vary depending on the week or where your students are.
But thinking about what you want your dancers to achieve. Is the focus on performance quality, mastering a specific technique, or exploring emotion through movement? A strong theme gives your lesson structure and purpose and helps your student to make better connections between each lesson and, over time, summarize the information and put it all together.
You’ve got an overall goal for your season. To get to that point, each of your lessons should start with a clear goal and objective. These can vary depending on the week or where your students are.
But thinking about what you want your dancers to achieve. Is the focus on performance quality, mastering a specific technique, or exploring emotion through movement? A strong theme gives your lesson structure and purpose and helps your student to make better connections between each lesson and, over time, summarize the information and put it all together.
You’ve got an overall goal for your season. To get to that point, each of your lessons should start with a clear goal and objective. These can vary depending on the week or where your students are.
But thinking about what you want your dancers to achieve. Is the focus on performance quality, mastering a specific technique, or exploring emotion through movement? A strong theme gives your lesson structure and purpose and helps your student to make better connections between each lesson and, over time, summarize the information and put it all together.
You’ve got an overall goal for your season. To get to that point, each of your lessons should start with a clear goal and objective. These can vary depending on the week or where your students are.
But thinking about what you want your dancers to achieve. Is the focus on performance quality, mastering a specific technique, or exploring emotion through movement? A strong theme gives your lesson structure and purpose and helps your student to make better connections between each lesson and, over time, summarize the information and put it all together.
You’ve got an overall goal for your season. To get to that point, each of your lessons should start with a clear goal and objective. These can vary depending on the week or where your students are.
But thinking about what you want your dancers to achieve. Is the focus on performance quality, mastering a specific technique, or exploring emotion through movement? A strong theme gives your lesson structure and purpose and helps your student to make better connections between each lesson and, over time, summarize the information and put it all together.
2. Thought-Out Warm Ups & Lesson Sequences
Start each class with an opening moment—something simple that signals a mental and physical shift into "dance mode." Whether it’s a breathing exercise, a set phrase, or a grounding stretch, this small ritual helps students transition from their day into the studio.
By integrating aspects such as Body, Energy, and Space into your warm-up, you can also encourage students to think about the connection between muscles, movement, and spatial awareness. Incorporating these elements early on helps activate the part of the brain that processes movement with intention, making it easier for students to carry those habits into the more technical parts of the lesson.
Moving between the different parts of your lesson in a clear and well-thought-out way is key to keeping your students engaged and progressing. Want to dive deeper into structuring your sessions? Check out our blog post: ‘Dance Lesson Planning Tips.’
Start each class with an opening moment—something simple that signals a mental and physical shift into "dance mode." Whether it’s a breathing exercise, a set phrase, or a grounding stretch, this small ritual helps students transition from their day into the studio.
By integrating aspects such as Body, Energy, and Space into your warm-up, you can also encourage students to think about the connection between muscles, movement, and spatial awareness. Incorporating these elements early on helps activate the part of the brain that processes movement with intention, making it easier for students to carry those habits into the more technical parts of the lesson.
Moving between the different parts of your lesson in a clear and well-thought-out way is key to keeping your students engaged and progressing. Want to dive deeper into structuring your sessions? Check out our blog post: ‘Dance Lesson Planning Tips.’
Start each class with an opening moment—something simple that signals a mental and physical shift into "dance mode." Whether it’s a breathing exercise, a set phrase, or a grounding stretch, this small ritual helps students transition from their day into the studio.
By integrating aspects such as Body, Energy, and Space into your warm-up, you can also encourage students to think about the connection between muscles, movement, and spatial awareness. Incorporating these elements early on helps activate the part of the brain that processes movement with intention, making it easier for students to carry those habits into the more technical parts of the lesson.
Moving between the different parts of your lesson in a clear and well-thought-out way is key to keeping your students engaged and progressing. Want to dive deeper into structuring your sessions? Check out our blog post: ‘Dance Lesson Planning Tips.’
Start each class with an opening moment—something simple that signals a mental and physical shift into "dance mode." Whether it’s a breathing exercise, a set phrase, or a grounding stretch, this small ritual helps students transition from their day into the studio.
By integrating aspects such as Body, Energy, and Space into your warm-up, you can also encourage students to think about the connection between muscles, movement, and spatial awareness. Incorporating these elements early on helps activate the part of the brain that processes movement with intention, making it easier for students to carry those habits into the more technical parts of the lesson.
Moving between the different parts of your lesson in a clear and well-thought-out way is key to keeping your students engaged and progressing. Want to dive deeper into structuring your sessions? Check out our blog post: ‘Dance Lesson Planning Tips.’
Start each class with an opening moment—something simple that signals a mental and physical shift into "dance mode." Whether it’s a breathing exercise, a set phrase, or a grounding stretch, this small ritual helps students transition from their day into the studio.
By integrating aspects such as Body, Energy, and Space into your warm-up, you can also encourage students to think about the connection between muscles, movement, and spatial awareness. Incorporating these elements early on helps activate the part of the brain that processes movement with intention, making it easier for students to carry those habits into the more technical parts of the lesson.
Moving between the different parts of your lesson in a clear and well-thought-out way is key to keeping your students engaged and progressing. Want to dive deeper into structuring your sessions? Check out our blog post: ‘Dance Lesson Planning Tips.’
3. Introduce or Reinforce Technique
This is where you focus on teaching or reviewing specific Actions, whether they’re non-locomotor or locomotor. Break down steps, demonstrate quality of movement, and offer individual corrections. Repetition is key for building retention and confidence.
Then, bring in the element of timing, but let your students have a bit of fun with this part. Encourage them to experiment and explore the different actions their bodies can do, how much space they take up, and how timing affects it all. By allowing them to use their own imagination to develop aspects of their performance, they’ll not only retain movement and information better, but also create something they feel proud of.
So, when recital season, competitions, or examinations arrive, they’ll be performing something they've built week by week, something they know like the back of their hand. A win–win.
This is where you focus on teaching or reviewing specific Actions, whether they’re non-locomotor or locomotor. Break down steps, demonstrate quality of movement, and offer individual corrections. Repetition is key for building retention and confidence.
Then, bring in the element of timing, but let your students have a bit of fun with this part. Encourage them to experiment and explore the different actions their bodies can do, how much space they take up, and how timing affects it all. By allowing them to use their own imagination to develop aspects of their performance, they’ll not only retain movement and information better, but also create something they feel proud of.
So, when recital season, competitions, or examinations arrive, they’ll be performing something they've built week by week, something they know like the back of their hand. A win–win.
This is where you focus on teaching or reviewing specific Actions, whether they’re non-locomotor or locomotor. Break down steps, demonstrate quality of movement, and offer individual corrections. Repetition is key for building retention and confidence.
Then, bring in the element of timing, but let your students have a bit of fun with this part. Encourage them to experiment and explore the different actions their bodies can do, how much space they take up, and how timing affects it all. By allowing them to use their own imagination to develop aspects of their performance, they’ll not only retain movement and information better, but also create something they feel proud of.
So, when recital season, competitions, or examinations arrive, they’ll be performing something they've built week by week, something they know like the back of their hand. A win–win.
This is where you focus on teaching or reviewing specific Actions, whether they’re non-locomotor or locomotor. Break down steps, demonstrate quality of movement, and offer individual corrections. Repetition is key for building retention and confidence.
Then, bring in the element of timing, but let your students have a bit of fun with this part. Encourage them to experiment and explore the different actions their bodies can do, how much space they take up, and how timing affects it all. By allowing them to use their own imagination to develop aspects of their performance, they’ll not only retain movement and information better, but also create something they feel proud of.
So, when recital season, competitions, or examinations arrive, they’ll be performing something they've built week by week, something they know like the back of their hand. A win–win.
This is where you focus on teaching or reviewing specific Actions, whether they’re non-locomotor or locomotor. Break down steps, demonstrate quality of movement, and offer individual corrections. Repetition is key for building retention and confidence.
Then, bring in the element of timing, but let your students have a bit of fun with this part. Encourage them to experiment and explore the different actions their bodies can do, how much space they take up, and how timing affects it all. By allowing them to use their own imagination to develop aspects of their performance, they’ll not only retain movement and information better, but also create something they feel proud of.
So, when recital season, competitions, or examinations arrive, they’ll be performing something they've built week by week, something they know like the back of their hand. A win–win.
In Summary
Choosing a name is hard and important part of creating your new dance studio. With these tips, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choices.
For more information about starting your own dance studios, see our blog posts:
Choosing a name is hard and important part of creating your new dance studio. With these tips, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choices.
For more information about starting your own dance studios, see our blog posts:
Choosing a name is hard and important part of creating your new dance studio. With these tips, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choices.
For more information about starting your own dance studios, see our blog posts:
Choosing a name is hard and important part of creating your new dance studio. With these tips, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choices.
For more information about starting your own dance studios, see our blog posts:
Choosing a name is hard and important part of creating your new dance studio. With these tips, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choices.
For more information about starting your own dance studios, see our blog posts:
© Class Manager 2025, All Rights Reserved
© Class Manager 2025, All Rights Reserved
© Class Manager 2025, All Rights Reserved
© Class Manager 2025, All Rights Reserved