3 Tips to Bring Back the FUN in Your Dance Training

Remember when dance was FUN? Remember that swelling feeling in your chest when you stepped inside of the studio? The smell of the marley, the gleam of the mirrors, the promise of movement and music?

What happened to it? Somewhere along the line, all dancers loose it, find it, loose it, find it. I would iike to help you have one of those “find it” moments. I humbly offer to you 3 tips to bring the FUN back into your dance training.

1) Let go of comparison

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” - Theodore Roosevelt

We are looking to tap into joy in this blogpost. One thing that will absolutely steal your joy away is that dirty old thief, comparison. Looking longingly at the dancer in front of you at barre (“HOW is their leg that high, turnout that perfect, effort that effortless?”) will most certainly NOT help your situation. When we compare ourselves to other dancers - to the gifts and abilities they have - we are essentially making ourselves feel inadequate and not enough.

I know, I know. How do we NOT compare in the age of social media??? Welp. I have no quick and easy answer there. I do know, however, that awareness is the first step toward change. Can you catch the moments where you start to compare? The moment where inspiration from another dancer in class (or someone’s IG post with their leg up to their ear) turns into comparison? If you can catch that moment, you have a much greater chance of hanging on to your joy.

2) Embrace your uniqueness

“When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you.” - Paulo Coelho

On the opposite of comparison (which steals your joy) is embracing your uniqueness (which will help foster it.) I always looked up the classmates around me who were unapologetically themselves. There’s something magical about the combination of unique qualities plus an inherent love of said unique qualities. And, Dancers, it is pure magic in the studio. The dancer who embraces their gifts and gives freely of them is a dancer who is joy-filled.

3) Dance for YOU (not your teacher, parent, pet, etc.)

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” - Lao Tzu

I’m not saying that if you want to make your parent or teacher proud of you that you are their prisoner. What I AM saying is that when your focus is on pleasing them OVER dancing for YOU, it can put a drain on the fun you once experienced in class and on stage.