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Groningen | 1 November 2024

Dance teacher Milou: 'Let's Dance makes the transition to dance school easier'

"Dancing is good for your development," says Milou Drent-Middendorp. She's a dance instructor at the Groningen dance school Dance Division Dijkmansport and taught dance classes at the Let's Dance Youth Fund. Milou is thrilled that dancing is so popular. "Kids imitate TikTok videos and think, 'I can do this, I want to take dance lessons!'" 

"Dancing makes me really happy," says Milou. "I can express my creativity through it, and it makes me happy." More and more children are discovering this too. Milou: "Dancing is very popular. We're getting more and more students."  

Children imitate TikTok videos and think: I can do this!

Most of the students are between 8 and 14 years old, the age when children become addicted to their phones. Milou is definitely not a fan of excessive phone use. But she notices that the videos on social media do encourage children to start dancing. "A lot of children come to dance classes because they see a lot of dance on TikTok and Instagram. They start imitating it, enjoy it, and think: I can do this, I want to take dance classes!" It's great that children whose parents can't afford dance classes can still participate thanks to the Youth Sports & Culture Fund. "There are a few children in every group who can take dance classes because of this." 

Dancing is fun, social and sporty

Some children come purely for the dancing. Milou: "They want to continue. I notice there are also children who come more for the social aspect. They don't follow the dance steps as precisely, but that's okay. As long as they enjoy it." Besides fun, dancing offers other benefits, says Milou. "Dancing is social and sporty. It connects you, because you're really engaged with each other in a group. And you're using your body, you're moving. It's good for your development."  

Urban Dance Grounds: 'It's great that they're here'

Milou is one of the dance teachers who gave free dance lessons for six weeks in Groningen through the Jeugdfonds Let's Dance. These lessons took place at Urban Dance Grounds: public dance spaces throughout the Netherlands. The goal was to encourage children to start dancing. "It's really cool that there are Urban Dance Grounds. The one in Groningen isn't in our neighborhood, but I'd love to have one here for the dance school. It would be packed, because after dance lessons, the children often continue practicing outside or in the cafeteria, and film their dances." 

Let's Dance is a good initiative to get children in the neighborhood to do sports

"It was really fun to participate in Let's Dance," says Milou. "It's a great initiative to get local kids involved in sports. The kids had a blast, they participated well, and the weather was usually nice. I would definitely do it again. Another great result is that several children are eager to come dance with us. Parents who weren't aware of the Youth Fund now know their child can still go to a dance school. Let's Dance has made the decision to go to a dance school easier."  

>> Read more about the Youth Fund Let's Dance