"Dance is about the journey, not the destination." -Maniya Barredo
Introduction
My teacher, Maniya Barredo, used to compare our dance careers to climbing a mountain. We all had the same goal-to get to the summit, but we would not all take the same route to get there. Some of us would more or less go straight up one side of the mountain, while others would have to go around. In the end, she said, it did not matter how you got there, as long as you made it to the top. I think this is a very good analogy to use to keep things in perspective when you get frustrated with your dance progress. Read on for some good things to do to help you stay positive and on the right track to the mountain summit!
Never Compare Yourself to Others
Never compare yourself to other dancers. Usually, this leads to people getting frustrated or feeling badly if they feel they are not on the same level as the other people in their class. Avoiding this comparison can be one of the most difficult things to do, especially in an activity like dance, where there can be a lot of competition. My best advise is to, instead, compare yourself now to yourself before. What steps do you know now that you didn't know before? What have you improved on since you started ballet? Can you do more pirouettes than you could before? Have you started pointe (if you wanted to)? These are the kinds of questions that will help you realize how far you have already come!
If you MUST look at others, instead of comparing yourself to them, try to pick out the things about their dancing that you like, and apply them to yourself. Use it as a tool to see where you would like to go! In addition, it is okay to be a bit critical and notice what they can improve upon. This can help you realize that everyone has different strengths, and it can help you notice if you are making the same mistake.
If you MUST look at others, instead of comparing yourself to them, try to pick out the things about their dancing that you like, and apply them to yourself. Use it as a tool to see where you would like to go! In addition, it is okay to be a bit critical and notice what they can improve upon. This can help you realize that everyone has different strengths, and it can help you notice if you are making the same mistake.
Videos
If just reflecting doesn't cut it for you, then consider taking some videos of yourself dancing. Film a combination that is pretty standard, such as pirouettes, where it will be easy to compare your "before" video and your "after" video. Actually seeing how you have improved will put things into perspective. Just be sure to give yourself at least a month or two between shootings.
Another video option is to watch a video of an old performance, and then watch the video of a recent one. Because so much time goes by between shows normally, this will give you lots of time to continue working on your technique, so that you can really notice how much you have improved.
Another video option is to watch a video of an old performance, and then watch the video of a recent one. Because so much time goes by between shows normally, this will give you lots of time to continue working on your technique, so that you can really notice how much you have improved.
Set Specific Goals
Another great way to check your progress is to set specific goals for yourself. This can be something small, like balancing in a position for a certain amount of time, or something big, like mastering a new step. Be sure to set goals from both kinds of categories. If you need help with this, ask me (or any other teacher) and I can help you figure out what would be appropriate based on your skill level and my plans for the class and curriculum. For a beginning/intermediate dancer, here are some goals I would suggest:
Setting goals will give you something specific to work on in class, and it will also give you an "aha!" moment when you realize that you have finally reached your goal!
- Balance in retiré for at least 4 counts, without touching the barre
- Be able to hold your developpé at 90 degrees for at least 4 counts, in every direction
- Master every element of a single pirouette
- Learn tour jeté
- Master port de bras
- Feel confident in your vocabulary
Setting goals will give you something specific to work on in class, and it will also give you an "aha!" moment when you realize that you have finally reached your goal!