Let Your Students Lead: Create-Your-Own Warm-Up Worksheets for Dance Class

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 your students a chance to step into leadership, think critically about their bodies, and take ownership of class.

Why Student-Led Warm-Ups Are Worth It

When students help design and lead warm-ups, something powerful happens:

• They learn why we warm up (not just how)

• They begin to recognize what their bodies need

• They practice sequencing, safety, and communication

• And you get a few precious minutes to observe instead of direct

The worksheets guide students through the process step by step, using clear principles like:

✔ We warm up before stretching✔ We start slow and gentle✔ We use quiet feet✔ We warm up our whole body✔ Nothing should hurt

These ideas are built directly into the page—so you don’t have to reteach them every time.

How to Use These Worksheets in Class

Here are a few easy, low-stress ways to incorporate them:

1. Leadership DaysOnce a month (or once a unit), have 1–2 students create and teach the warm-up using the worksheet. Everyone else follows along while you supervise and cue as needed.

2. Early Finisher or Sub PlansKeep printed copies in your studio. If you’re absent or running short on prep time, students already know the structure and expectations.

3. Technique ReinforcementFor older dancers, the worksheet helps connect warm-up choices to the skills you’re working on that day—jumps, balances, turns, or articulation.

4. Confidence Building for Younger DancersThe younger version uses simple language, checkboxes, and clear rules so even early elementary dancers can feel successful leading movement.

Why Teachers Love These Worksheets

• They eliminate the “What should we warm up with today?” stress

• They reinforce safe habits without extra lecturing

• They turn warm-up into a learning activity, not just a routine

• They give you back mental energy during class

Instead of pulling ideas from thin air, you can step back, observe alignment and effort, and offer corrections while students take charge.

A Win for You and Your Dancers

These worksheets aren’t about giving up control—they’re about sharing responsibility in a way that supports learning, safety, and confidence.

Your dancers feel proud.You feel supported.And class still starts exactly the way it should: calm, intentional, and ready to move.

If you’ve been looking for a simple way to save time and deepen your students’ understanding of their bodies, this might be your new favorite class tool 💛

Happy Dancing Friend!

-Whitney