Social Dancing – School Age

These conversation ideas can help you middle school child appreciate the social connection role of school dances. Being great at dancing is less important than enjoying your friends – to music.

All the world’s a stage. School dances can be like Olympic events for our kids. They want desperately to belong. To not be ridiculed or marginalized. To show (some) competence. And to celebrate true friendships. They feel like all eyes are on them – and they are. The purpose of these conversation ideas is to explore the social and emotional aspects of school dances.

• Help your child appreciate that school dances are less about performance and more about joining in the celebration with friends.
• Ask them what they think makes a good school dance? How can you tell if people are having fun?
• What kinds of things happen to make a dance uncomfortable for some people?
• Ask what they most enjoy about school dances. What about school dances make them nervous or uncomfortable?
• Sometimes people like to do ‘big’ dancing – taking up lots of room. Do you know anyone like that?
• While someone is dancing in a big way, do you think they are paying attention to their friends or partners? Is that important? Sometimes that can isolate them. Can you think why?
• Sometimes people like to do quieter dancing – enjoying the music but not taking up much space. They stay closer to their friends. Do you know anyone like that?
• Are there songs that everyone enjoys? Crowd favorites? Are there special moves? What do you think is the best way to learn them?
• Share stories and dances from when you were a teenager. Any favorite memories?