Dance Plan Depot Blog

If you’re heading into this week wondering, “What am I going to teach?” —this lesson has you covered. Instead of piecing something together last minute, you can walk into class with a ready-to-go, engaging lesson  that blends creativity, literacy, and movement—all in one. Inspired by The Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith, this activity helps your dancers explore movement in a meaningful (and memorable) way—while saving you valuable prep time. Start Class Strong (No Ex

If you’ve ever reminded your students (again and again) to practice at home… only to wonder if it’s actually happening—you’re not alone. Home practice is so important , but without structure, it can feel inconsistent, unmotivating, and hard to track. That’s exactly where this free printable practice sheet comes in. It’s a simple, ready-to-use tool that helps your dancers stay accountable, while saving you time, energy, and constant reminders . Take the Guesswork Out of Home P

If you’ve ever dug through bins five minutes before class trying to find that one costume —you already know how quickly a costume closet can turn into chaos. The good news? It doesn’t have to stay that way. This free editable costume inventory template is designed to help dance teachers save time, reduce stress, and finally feel in control of their costume collection —without spending hours building a system from scratch. Turn Costume Chaos Into a Simple System Instead of rel

If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling to come up with an engaging, standards-based lesson that actually works —you’re not alone. Dance teachers juggle a lot, and planning creative, meaningful activities can take hours. That’s exactly why this ANIMALIA -inspired lesson is such a game-changer. Using Animalia by Graeme Base, you can deliver a rich, cross-curricular dance experience without starting from scratch . This ready-to-use structure helps you guide students through cr

In the last post, we talked about the importance of giving dance students time to reflect on the choreography they create . When students pause to think about their inspiration, their intention, and the feeling behind their movement, they begin to see themselves as artists—not just dancers learning steps. But reflection shouldn’t stop once the choreography is finished. The next powerful step in the process is inviting students to respond to the work of their peers . When danc

When dance students create choreography, they’re doing much more than arranging steps. They are making artistic choices, communicating ideas, and learning how movement can express thoughts and emotions. Because of this, one of the most valuable things we can offer our students during the choreography process is time to reflect and respond to their own work . Reflection transforms choreography from a series of movements into a meaningful creative experience. When students paus

St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect excuse to bring a little extra joy and creativity into your dance classroom. With its bright colors, playful spirit, and hint of magic, it’s a wonderful opportunity to get dancers moving in a way that feels festive and imaginative. If you’re looking for a quick way to energize your students, the “Dance the Rainbow” warm-up  is a simple activity that combines movement, creativity, and a splash of color. It’s easy to set up, highly engaging, and

Dance teachers often face the challenge of explaining complex movements clearly while managing lesson preparation time. One step that can be tricky to teach is the glissade. To support dance educators, we offer a free printable set of glissade visual aids designed to simplify your teaching process and help your students master this fundamental step faster. Understanding the Glissade The glissade is a smooth, gliding step that connects movements in ballet and other dance style

When it comes to dance, beautiful extensions can take a performance from nice  to wow . And while flexibility gets a lot of attention, we know the real secret is strength, control, and consistency . If you’re looking for practical ways to help your dancers improve their extensions, these four exercises are studio favorites for a reason. Each one targets key muscle groups needed for strong, supported extensions—and to make your life easier, they’re also available as printable

Let’s talk about basic dance positions for a minute. 👀 Because if we’re being honest… they feel so  second nature to us that it’s easy to forget many of our students are seeing them for the very first time. I know for me, it’s incredibly helpful to have visual reminders of the basic dance positions displayed in the studio—especially near the mirror. When students can quickly glance up and see what first, second, or fifth position actually  looks like, everything runs more sm

When I’m teaching dance class, I’ll be honest—I don’t always  use perfect ballet terminology every single moment. I try to as much as I can, but sometimes things slip into shorthand. And often, that’s because these words feel so natural to us as teachers that we forget they’re basically a foreign language to our students. What feels automatic in our brains can feel confusing (or overwhelming) to dancers who are still learning. That’s why intentionally teaching ballet vocabula

One of the hardest parts of teaching dance—especially week after week—is simply deciding how to start class . You know warm-ups matter.You know they need to be safe, gradual, and intentional.But some days? You’re tired, short on planning time, or juggling a million other things. That’s exactly why I created the Create Your Own Warm-Up Worksheets —one version for younger dancers  and one for older dancers . These worksheets are completely done for you , but they also give you

Rehearsal season means one thing: running the same dance again… and again… and again. While repetition is essential for clean spacing, confident dancers, and polished performances, it can also lead to boredom and low energy in class. When students feel like they’re doing the exact same thing over and over, focus starts to fade — and that’s where Magic Modifier Cards  come in. What Are Magic Modifier Cards? Our Magic Modifier Cards  are a set of 30 playful, purposeful rehearsa

The beginning of ballet class sets the tone for everything that follows. When dancers come in excited, chatty, and full of energy (especially at the start of a new year or new session), it’s easy for those first few minutes to spiral into chaos. That’s exactly why having clear, consistent class rules in place can be such a game changer. To help ballet teachers start class with confidence and calm, I created a free Ballet Class Rules poster  that’s simple, positive, and easy f

If your dancers have ever struggled with rolling through their spine or understanding what “sequential articulation”  actually means, you're going to love this week’s freebie. We put together a set of six printable spinal articulation visualization posters—each one designed to give dancers a super clear, kid-friendly mental image they can actually  feel in their bodies. These posters are perfect for hanging near your barre, keeping in your across-the-floor rotation, or using

If you’ve ever wished for a quick, easy, and meaningful way to celebrate your dancers while keeping parents in the loop, our Happy Dance Mail  printable might become your new favorite classroom tool. It’s simple, adorable, and designed to brighten everyone’s day—from your tiniest ballerinas to your most dedicated older dancers. Happy Dance Mail is a one-page printable filled with ready-to-check praise statements and a space for a personalized note. It’s perfect for those mome

We are so grateful to have you as part of the Dance Plan Depot Community. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your students, friends, and family. As our gift to you this season we would love for you to download our coupon code for $8.00 off of any purchase from our shop. That in one free lesson plan! We hope to gift you a little more time and a little less prep work in the new year! Happy Holidays Dancing Friend! -Whitney

Looking for a simple, cheerful way to boost behavior, focus, and effort in your dance classes this December? Say hello to the Deck the Dance Tree —a free, printable classroom management game that turns good dancing and positive behavior into a fun holiday challenge your dancers will love . This activity works beautifully with preschool dancers all the way through early elementary, and it adds just the right amount of seasonal magic to keep your classes motivated during a busy

If you’re anything like me, you love having quick, clear visuals in the studio—especially for those core ballet concepts we repeat every single week . That’s why I created a free 8.5"x11" classroom poster called “Key Reminders for Tendu.”  It’s bright, simple, and designed to make your life as a dance teacher just a little easier. Tendu is one of those foundational skills we constantly circle back to, no matter the level. But let’s be real—young dancers (and sometimes older o

Have you ever looked at a painting and felt  it moving? Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night  is one of those magical works that seems to dance on its own—the swirling sky, glowing stars, and deep blue tones almost vibrate with motion and feeling. This makes it the perfect inspiration for a dance lesson that brings art and movement together! In this lesson, dancers explore how to create, perform, respond, and connect—using the National Core Arts Standards as our guide. It’s an ima