Dance Lessons are Life Lessons
Many parents don’t get it; well, many girls don’t get it (yet) either. There’s so much more to being a dancer than the physical act of dancing. As with any sport, especially competitive sports, there are inherent lessons learned along the way – commitment, team work, etc.
Other lessons have a personal effect and often must be realized by the individual rather than taught. For me, these lessons made the difference in growing as a person through my experience in dance.
1. Be motivated, not jealous.
Guilty! When I saw a girl that could get her leg up to her face, I resented her for it. When I saw a dancer do eight consecutive pirouettes, I was envious. It took many years as a dancer to learn that no amount of jealousy would make me better. Even today, I still catch myself falling into old habits.
But what I realized is that dancers who are better than me should be inspirational – I shouldn’t take it personally that someone is a stronger dancer than myself. I changed my mindset to that of a learner. What can I learn from this person? What tidbit can I take away from their performance to make me better? How much extra time can I spend working to achieve that element?
2. Age is only a number.
Despite age, there are many characteristics that vary from person to person - maturity level, emotional awareness, work ethic, social skills, etc. While the majority of dance skills are acquired over time through repetition, these characteristics grow at different speeds for everybody regardless of how often they are exercised. It’s important to recognize the development of these characteristics in dancers and set appropriate goals based on them. Age has very little to do with it, and setting expectations based on an objective number does a disservice to those dancers.
3. I am awesome.
But really, though, I am. :) And so are you! Throughout my many years of dance, it’s amazing how much negative speak went through my head on a daily basis.
These lessons I take with me to my place of work every day as well as to the studio each night when I teach. They’ve made me a stronger person, and therefore, a better worker and teacher. So while your students may not currently understand the impact each class has on them now, one day they will appreciate who they are because of their experiences in dance. They are still growing, and well, so are we.
Other lessons have a personal effect and often must be realized by the individual rather than taught. For me, these lessons made the difference in growing as a person through my experience in dance.
1. Be motivated, not jealous.
Guilty! When I saw a girl that could get her leg up to her face, I resented her for it. When I saw a dancer do eight consecutive pirouettes, I was envious. It took many years as a dancer to learn that no amount of jealousy would make me better. Even today, I still catch myself falling into old habits.
But what I realized is that dancers who are better than me should be inspirational – I shouldn’t take it personally that someone is a stronger dancer than myself. I changed my mindset to that of a learner. What can I learn from this person? What tidbit can I take away from their performance to make me better? How much extra time can I spend working to achieve that element?
2. Age is only a number.
Despite age, there are many characteristics that vary from person to person - maturity level, emotional awareness, work ethic, social skills, etc. While the majority of dance skills are acquired over time through repetition, these characteristics grow at different speeds for everybody regardless of how often they are exercised. It’s important to recognize the development of these characteristics in dancers and set appropriate goals based on them. Age has very little to do with it, and setting expectations based on an objective number does a disservice to those dancers.
3. I am awesome.
But really, though, I am. :) And so are you! Throughout my many years of dance, it’s amazing how much negative speak went through my head on a daily basis.
“My turn out isn’t good enough, my jumps should be higher, why are my arms so floppy?”In the end, it’s important to realize that what you're trying to do is very difficult, and the fact that you continue going to class every week means that you want to be better! That is awesome!
These lessons I take with me to my place of work every day as well as to the studio each night when I teach. They’ve made me a stronger person, and therefore, a better worker and teacher. So while your students may not currently understand the impact each class has on them now, one day they will appreciate who they are because of their experiences in dance. They are still growing, and well, so are we.
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