You’ve planned the class. The music is on. Everyone is ready to start…
Except one child.
They’re sitting at the side.
You encourage them to come and join you. They shake their head. You try again. Still no.
As dance teachers, our natural instinct can be to think
“How do I get them to join in?”
But what if we changed the question?
“What might be making it difficult for them to join in right now?”
This small shift in thinking can completely change the way we respond. Becacuse sometimes, not joining in is communication.
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Look beyond what you can see
There are so many reasons a child might not participate in dance class.
Perhaps the music feels too loud today
Perhaps they’re worried they’ll get the choreography wrong
Perhaps something happened at school
Perhaps they don’t understand the instruction
Perhaps they’re anxious about working with a partner
Perhaps they’re tired
Perhaps they simply need a little longer to watch before they’re ready to try
We don’t always know, and we don’t need to immediately know.
We can get curious
Research into inclusive dance schools supports this wider view of participation: meaningful engagement can look different for different dancers, and flexible, individualised approaches can help dancers participate alongside their peers.
Watching can be participating
Imagine a child at the side of your ballet class.
They’re not doing the exercise, but they’re watching intently. Their eyes are following you. They’re watching the other children and listening to the music.
It could be tempting to repeatedly say
“Come on, you need to join in”
But perhaps watching is exactly what they need before they’re able to join in.
Could we allow them to watch the first time?
Could we invite them to mark the arms from where they’re sitting?
Could they stand next to us rather than in their usual place?
Could we simply say “You can watch for now, join in when you’re ready”
Give choices, not pressure
Sometimes we can be so focussed on getting the child back joining in that we accidentally increase the very pressure that’s making participation difficult.
Instead, try offering small manageable choices;
“Would you like to watch once or try with me?”
“Would you like to stand here or over there?”
“Would you just like to do the arms first?”
The aim isn’t to let a child avoid everything they find difficult forever, we’re creating a bridge back into participation.
Look for patterns
If a dancer regularly stops participating, that’s useful information.
Instead of noticing that they stop, start noticing when.
Do they always step away when you begin choreography?
During partner work?
When the music becomes louder?
Performing in small groups?
Towards the end of class?
Noiticing patterns can help with looking deeper into why.
Talk to Families
You don’t have to work it out alone. Parents and carers know their children in ways that we simply can’t from seeing them sometimes for just an hour a week.
Simply speaking to the parents and telling them what you’ve noticed is a great way to open the conversation.
“I’ve noticed that Sadie often steps out when we start our group dances. I wondered if you’ve noticed anything similar or if there’s something we can do that could help her?”
Listen. Share what you’ve noticed and work together.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child isn't joining in at dance class, should we stop?
Not necassarily. Not joining in doesn’t always mean a child doesn’t want to be there. Before deciding that dance isn’t right for them it’s worth looking a little deeper.
What does “not joining in” actually look like?
Watching intently at the side and doing parts of the class is very different to being completely disengaged.
Good communication between staff and parents would be the best way to approach this to help support the child/young person in their dance classes.
Final Thoughts
When a child isn’t joining in, we don’t always need to rush in and fix it.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pause, notice and get curious.
The child that starts by sitting at the side, could be the child dancing confidently in the next show, or taking their exam after we’ve given them time and support to get there.
Inclusion isn’t about forcing every child through the same door. It’s about making sure every child has a way in.
Looking for more practical inclusion support?
Explore our Inclusion Guides, Inclusion Support Calls and BELONG Accreditation to help create dance schools where every child belongs and every child can shine.
Because inclusion isn’t an extra — it’s essential.
Thanks for reading,
Katie x
