A dance education does not simply teach you how to dance. Dance education throws a bunch of other life lessons at you- kind of like how parents sneak vegetables into your dinner! You think you’re eating lasagna, but there's probably some chopped-up zucchini in there! Here are just a few life lessons you learn through dancing.
Talent is spelled H-A-R-D W-O-R-K. My ballet teacher constantly said that and it really resonated with me. Regardless of what your passion is, or career will be, hard work will always pay off.
Dance teaches you how to dedicate yourself to something. Dedication and responsibility will always come in handy. When you dedicate yourself to something, you grow as a person. Working hard to achieve a goal will translate to everything else you do in life.
Have you ever been walking down the street and someone bumps into you? Well it probably wasn’t a dancer. Dancers from early on learn the importance of spatial awareness. We keep our spaces and “windows” so we can be seen!
Dance teaches you to use your brain, as well as your body. Although it may appear to the observer that students are just copying the instructor’s moves, from the age of 5 on, dancers are taught to remember combinations and think for themselves. This kind of continued focus and sequential learning carries over and greatly helps dance students in their academic pursuits.
Teamwork! From learning to make a circle in pre-ballet, to achieving a complicated lift in contemporary, working closely with a group teaches you how important it is to listen to everyone's needs to achieve a common goal.
Dance teaches that you need to hold yourself accountable and take responsibility for your actions. Did you forget a step? Did you accidentally move spots and take someone else’s? Take accountability and fix the mistake!
Have you ever gone into the studio feeling tired, low energy, out of sorts — and then by the end of class felt the same way? Never! Dance teaches you consistency, and that you can get out of your head and change your mood with movement.
Need some more confidence? Head into a dance class. See you there!