Students of High Peaks Twirlers have a Practice Check List that they can use each week to show what they've been practicing. Those who complete the check list can earn a sticker towards a prize.
Why Practice?
I encourage twirlers of all ages and levels to start practicing right from the beginning. Just 5-10 minutes a day makes a big difference in how quickly your student masters her twirling skills. It teaches your child how to develop the discipline that is required to improve a skill.
How Much Time?
Twirlers will see improvement with as little as 5-10 minutes a day. More advanced twirlers, or those who are in the competition class, may need additional time. It is helpful for them to focus on reaching certain goals with a trick or routine rather than just setting a certain amount of time aside. For example, trying to catch 5 one spins in a row without a drop. Or completing their rolls section 3 times without any breaks or drops.
What Should My Child Practice?
Tricks or dance movements from the practice sheets in the Twirler Notebook are a great place to start. The ones that are marked off are ones that she has been taught in class. Class routines for parades or performances should be added as those are learned in class.
Students who are competing individually should also add their competition routines. Either a specific section they need to work on or the entire routine.
How Does the Practice Check List Work?
Twirlers should write down the trick, dance step, or routine that they are practicing in the left hand column of the practice sheet. More advanced twirlers can also include how many times they plan to catch or try a trick. (A beginning student example is at the top of this post. A competition student example is at the end of this post.)
As the twirler completes each day/practice session, she should mark off everything that she completes. If she's trying to catch a trick a certain number of times, but can't get there, then she should write in the number of times it was caught.
In order to earn a sticker, twirlers in our weekly class should practice at least 7 tricks or routines (twirlers age 5 only need to do 5). Competition class students should do 10 tricks or routines.
