Which dance form is best suitable for my child?

The other day my cousin called to find out if I knew an Odissi teacher in his town (He lives in a different city than mine). His daughter, my niece, is just 4 years old. He mentioned her interest in dance. And he had a few other questions, mainly: “which dance form is good for my child?”

This is not the first time I was asked this question. Probably all my cousins, my close friends and many parents who approach me as a dance teacher for their child, ask me the same question. First of all, I sincerely think, 3-4 is not the age to start any kind of serious dance form, let alone Indian classical dance forms. Although children can be introduced to  basic, not too technical, simple  movements from the age of 3-4 or for some even earlier.

At this age, 

Body: Children are still growing, their bones are soft and muscles still forming. Motor skills and fine motor skills are still developing. Keeping balance is difficult.

Mind: Attention span  is very less which makes it difficult to engage in an activity that requires focus/concentration.

In my opinion, this is the best time to create interest through simple stories, movements/rhythms or  rather make them aware of their bodies, its strength and flexibility in a creative way. And this is also how I introduce the tiny tots that come to my class to the world of dance.

Since ancient times, in the tradition of Guru Shishya Parampara, the age to start any form of serious education including classical art forms was 7(as per my knowledge, everyone may not agree with me) . It seems like a very important age in the growth of any child. Of course, things may be different for each individual and situation- but this is more of a broad generalisation.

Talking from a dance teacher's perspective I have observed  that children are ready to learn the complex dance form around 6-7.

At this age,

Body: Bones and musculature is fairly developed and the whole body moves together which helps with stabilization and balance. The body is ready to take the rigor of the Indian classical dance forms.

Mind: Children are more attentive and focused. They are also able to comprehend complexities of various postures, movements, rhythm and speeds etc. Their will power is strong. They want to learn and do a lot and impress their parents, teachers and people around them. They appreciate positive attention and praise. They also have a strong sense of achievement and competition. All these factors keep them motivated too.

Now coming back to the question - “Which dance form is best suitable for my child?” 

It's practically not possible to answer this question in a word and point to one form of dance.

Although I have observed and realised that at an early stage, all that matters to a child (4-8 years) is a good teacher who can develop interest for the subject and  a good relationship with a child. One who is attentive, loving, caring, encouraging, compassionate, trustworthy, non judgmental and most importantly impartial. They should be able to trust their teacher and confront/express any of their difficulties without any fear. Once they like their teacher, they like anything that such a teacher has to offer.

They fall in love with what they are doing. Children thrive in an encouraging and secure environment. They stick to such an environment whether they deeply understand the form and their choices or not.

A good teacher will make them aware of passion and perseverance which will enable them to discover and pursue their passions.

To me, this is the most important and precious  thing I would like to offer a child.

So, to summarize, the form is not important initially, a good teacher is. Find your child a good teacher and let them learn any form under a good, knowledgeable teacher. Or give your child exposure to as many dance forms as you can. Watch them closely and let them arrive at their own choice.

Each child is unique and takes his/her own time and space to learn various skills/art etc. Some learn it much faster, some take longer and some are extraordinary. There isn't one dance form that is best suitable for all. To each their own.