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Folk Dance5 minutes

Family Folk Dance: When You Dance Together with Your Children

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In brief
  • At family folk dance events, children and adults dance together when the offering explicitly includes intergenerational dance sessions.
  • There is no general age limit for family folk dance; the age information for each offering is what matters.
  • As a parent dancing along, you are part of the group; as an accompanying adult, you are not automatically part of the dance session.
  • A family announcement alone does not guarantee that you will dance together or that childcare will be provided during the dancing.

Part of a larger topic

The formation shows what role adults have

Folk dancing for families can bring two generations together in the same formation. Three possible formations are a circle, a line, and couples. In a circle, adults and children are part of the same line, move together, and respond to the same changes of direction. You are a moving place in the circle, not a spectator behind your child.

In a line, two rows face each other. When a couple passes between them, the other participants keep the way clear. Adults can be a partner facing someone or part of a couple passing through. Whether families stay together or change places depends on the announced dance. A couple formation such as the Rheinländer couple sequence has different requirements for assigning partners than a large circle with everyone together.

That is why the two parental roles should be distinguished: accompanying means being present; dancing along means taking a place in the formation. A family celebration can offer group dances, children's sessions, and adults' dances one after another. Attending together does not mean dancing together throughout. Even a children's dance such as a ribbon dance around the ribbon tree does not make waiting parents dancers.

An age requirement describes who is allowed to take part, not automatically the formation: “ages six and up,” for example, says neither whether adults are needed nor whether younger siblings can join in. What matters for dancing together is the explicitly stated participation format.

The shared dance session starts as soon as you arrive, so no one is left behind between the cloakroom and the dance floor.
The shared dance session starts as soon as you arrive, so no one is left behind between the cloakroom and the dance floor.

How to think about dancing together

Generations dancing together
2
Formations: circle, line, pair
3
Parents' roles: accompany and dance along
2

From the announced offer to a shared dance

  1. Clarify age and parental role together

    Before attending, check which age group is allowed and whether adults can dance along or are only there to accompany. If this information is missing, ask about both in one message. Mention younger siblings too, so they don’t show up as additional participants at the venue.

  2. Arrive Together as a Dance Family

    If you dance along, put on suitable shoes too and go with your child to the dance floor for the greeting. A seat on the spectator bench signals a different role. This way, the instructor can include you both in the formation from the start.

  3. Taking the Announced Formation

    In a circle, first stand next to your child unless the instructor specifies a different arrangement. In a line formation, take your assigned places opposite each other. Keep pathways and entrances clear so other families can also get to their places without pushing.

  4. Adapt your movements to your child’s height

    Keep your joined hands relaxed and low enough that your child doesn’t have to raise their shoulder. Shorten your steps instead of pulling them along. You’re doing it right when you stay side by side and your child shifts their weight on their own without hanging on your arm.

  5. Join in partner changes together

    When a partner change is called, let go of the handhold before moving to new positions. Your child can decline an offered hand. If they want to stay next to you at first, stay together instead of pushing them toward someone they don’t know while the music is playing.

  6. Take breaks outside the formation

    If your child wants to sit out, go with them to the edge and keep the dancers’ path clear. Don’t pull them out in the middle of a moving chain. During a quiet pause, you can break the connection without pulling neighboring people along.

  7. Rejoin at the right time

    Rejoin at the next call or for a new dance, not in the middle of a progression through the set. Go with your child to the offered spot. You have successfully rejoined when you reach the starting formation before the group starts moving again.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Family folk dancing is suitable for toddlers only if the activity explicitly includes their age group. A child who is still being carried takes part differently from one who can walk independently in a moving chain. When you are carrying your child, you also have one hand less free for some holds. So an announcement for school-age children does not automatically include younger siblings.

Dance Classes for Children and Families

To dance folk dances together, you need an offering that explicitly includes adults as fellow dancers, not just as companions.

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Really dance along with your child

On udansa, you’ll find dance opportunities and groups where you can look for folk dancing together as a family. Describe your children’s ages and that you’d like to join in the dancing yourself.

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Really dance along with your child

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