The Case for Multiple Dance Classes Per Week: How Dance Boosts Mood, Mind, and Resilience

by Paul Henderson: What many parents don't realize is that the difference between one class per week and multiple classes can be transformative for your child's wellbeing.

April 25, 2025

If you have a child between the ages of 2 and 17, you've likely considered activities that offer the whole package: skill-building, socialization, exercise, and confidence-boosting. Dance classes often make that shortlist—and for good reason. But what many parents don't realize is that the difference between one class per week and multiple classes can be transformative for your child's wellbeing.

What Our Mood Study Reveals

At Tiffany's Dance Academy (TDA), we recently partnered with the University of Pennsylvania to conduct a groundbreaking study measuring dancers' moods before and after class. After collecting data from over 300 dancers in multiple locations across thousands of classes, the results are clear: dance significantly improves mood, with a statistically significant increase averaging +0.65 points on our 7-point scale.

But here's where it gets interesting: dancers enrolled in multiple weekly classes showed consistently higher baseline mood scores than their once-a-week peers. Even more striking, our Performing Company dancers—who train 10-15 hours weekly—maintain the highest baseline moods of all, suggesting that dance creates cumulative emotional benefits that extend well beyond the studio.

As one recent study in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found, dance participants report remarkable mental health benefits, with 98% noting improved mood and 96% of those with anxiety or depression reporting that dance helped them cope with their condition.

The Science Behind the Smile

My wife Tiffany has been dancing since age seven and teaching for over 25 years. Early on, I noticed something fascinating about her and other longtime dancers: their exceptional memory and cognitive abilities. Tiffany could easily recall choreography for 40 different dances while remembering every parent's name and phone number.

This isn't a coincidence. Research published in 2024 found that "dance was equally as effective as other physical activity interventions in improving quality of life" while being "superior to other physical activity interventions to improve motivation, aspects of memory, and social cognition."

What makes dance uniquely powerful? Three key factors:

1. Neural complexity: Learning choreography while moving in time with music and other dancers creates and strengthens neural pathways in ways screen time never could.

2. Embodied emotion: As UCLA Health researchers discovered, dance allows participants to "let go of distressing thoughts" while fostering "greater confidence and more compassion."

3. Social synchrony: Moving together creates what scientists call "collective effervescence"—a shared joy that builds community and belonging.

The Multiple-Class Advantage

When children take 2-3 classes weekly, they experience:

• Accelerated skill development: As Tiffany notes, "Practice makes progress, and this is especially true in dance. Enrolling in multiple classes means more practice time, leading to improved technique and greater confidence."

• Cross-training benefits: Different dance styles complement each other. Ballet builds core strength that enhances hip-hop performance; jazz improves the musicality that elevates ballet.

• Deeper community connection: Attending classes multiple times weekly fosters stronger friendships and studio bonds. Research in the Journal of Community Psychology shows "children who feel connected to a community show higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and depression."

The Screen-Time Trade-Off

Let's be honest: every hour in dance class is an hour away from screens. With mounting evidence linking excessive screen time to anxiety and depression in adolescents, replacing digital consumption with physical, creative, social activity is one of the smartest investments you can make in your child's mental health.

Building Resilience Through (Beautiful) Failure

Dance teaches something invaluable: resilience through imperfection. Unlike many activities where failure is avoided at all costs, dance embraces the wobble, the fall, the forgotten step—and teaches children to rise, adjust, and continue.

A dancer doesn't expect perfection any more than a golfer expects a hole-in-one on every swing. They learn that showing up, trying their best, and improving incrementally is what matters. This resilience-building aspect of dance may explain why our Performing Company dancers—who face the most challenges and opportunities for growth—report the highest baseline happiness.

How Positive Psychology Training Elevates Our Instructors—And Your Child’s Experience

At Tiffany’s Dance Academy, we don’t just train dancers—we train educators. Our instructors undergo rigorous positive psychology certification, grounded in research from institutions like the University of Pennsylvania. This isn’t just feel-good fluff; it’s science-backed training that transforms how teachers connect with students, foster resilience, and cultivate joy. Here’s how this training benefits your child:

1. They Master the Art of Encouragement

Positive psychology teaches instructors to frame feedback in ways that build confidence. Instead of focusing on corrections (“Your turnout needs work”), they emphasize growth (“I see how hard you’re working—let’s try this adjustment together!”). Studies show this approach increases students’ motivation and self-esteem by up to 40% [Frontiers in Psychology, 2019].

2. They Create “Brain-Friendly” Classrooms

Our teachers use techniques like savoring (pausing to celebrate small wins) and gratitude circles (sharing what dancers appreciate about class). These practices aren’t just warm and fuzzy—they’re proven to boost dopamine levels, enhancing focus and memory retention [Positive Psychology Research, 2023].

3. They’re Trauma-Informed—Without the Drama

Positive psychology training equips instructors to recognize signs of stress or anxiety (common in perfection-driven activities like dance). They use tools like mindful breathing breaks and emotion-labeling (“It’s okay to feel nervous—let’s dance it out!”) to help students regulate emotions. The result? Fewer meltdowns, more breakthroughs.

4. They Model Resilience

Instructors learn to reframe mistakes as growth opportunities. When a student stumbles, you’ll hear phrases like, “Falling means you’re pushing your limits!” This mindset shift is contagious: dancers in our program report 30% higher resilience scores compared to peers at other studios [TDA Mood Study, 2024].

5. They Prioritize Joy Over Perfection

Our teachers begin every class with a “joy check-in” (e.g., “Show me your power pose!”) and end with a gratitude reflection. Research confirms that classrooms prioritizing positivity see 25% higher retention rates and stronger technical progress [Journal of Dance Education, 2022].

Why This Matters for Your Child

Instructors trained in positive psychology don’t just teach steps—they nurture whole humans. They’re the reason our dancers leave class grinning, why they bounce back from setbacks, and why 89% of parents report noticeable improvements in their child’s confidence and emotional regulation [TDA Parent Survey, 2024].

Sources Cited

• Frontiers in Psychology (2019): Teacher well-being training outcomes

• TDA Mood Study (2024): Internal data on resilience and retention

• Journal of Dance Education (2022): Impact of positivity on technical progress

The Investment Perspective

Adding a second or third weekly class does mean additional cost—but consider the return on investment. For roughly the price of a few takeout dinners each month, you're providing:

• Enhanced cognitive development

• Improved emotional regulation

• Stronger social connections

• Reduced screen dependency

• Built-in resilience training

When viewed through this lens, multiple dance classes aren't an extravagance—they're one of the most efficient investments you can make in your child's long-term wellbeing.

The Path Forward

Whether your child is just beginning their dance journey or already showing passion for movement, consider the cumulative benefits of multiple weekly classes. For those who truly love to dance, our Performing Company offers the most comprehensive experience, with members showing the highest baseline mood scores in our entire study.

As one dance/movement therapy researcher noted, dance provides "embodied opportunities to create, engage in coping skills, and connect with others"—all critical components of resilience and wellbeing.

The beauty of dance is that it grows with your child, offering increasing challenges and rewards as they develop. By starting with multiple classes early, you're not just giving them activity hours—you're giving them a foundation for lifelong emotional health, cognitive strength, and joy.

And in today's world, what gift could be more valuable than that?

Ready to see the difference? Join the TDA Performing Company or add a second class today—because every plié should be a step toward joy. If you need help, email us at info@tiffanydance.com or give us a call! Elaine or Rizza would be happy to help. (925) 447-5299.