Dance is an experience enjoyed by many. It is great exercise as well as a great way to express yourself to classmates, parents, and audiences. Dancers put in many hours perfecting their craft and making themselves the best dancer they can be. But no matter what your experience level is, or how talented a dancer you are, participating in dance will teach you great life lessons.
Responsibility – Dance is an art that requires you to be responsible to yourself, your teacher, and your cast or class members. By making sure you arrive to class on time, keep your body and mind fit, and giving it your best effort every time on the dance floor is how you can live up to that responsibility.
Boldness – Dance is an experience that allows you to “go for it”. Start working on this by going up to the front of the class in your next lesson, take a class from a teacher you don’t normally take classes with, and push yourself (safely) to master a technique or a move that you have been having trouble with.
Humility – No matter how great a dancer you are, how many other dancers at the studio look up to you, or how many trophies you have won, just let your dancing speak for itself. You don’t always need to be the center of attention. Try helping another dancer that is not “quite there” yet, and you will become not just a great dancer, but also a great person.
Confidence – You’ve worked hard to hone your craft and dance abilities. Take that hard work and display your confidence in the classroom and on the stage. Work every time to do your best, and always exude confidence in what you are doing. This is a character trait, when combined with humility, will take you far in life.
Enjoy yourself – In dance, every time you get the chance to enter the class room or perform on stage is an opportunity to truly enjoy what you are doing. Forget about everything else going on in life, and enjoy yourself in the moment. Take all the hard work, practices and time on the dance floor and just have fun.
Kindness – You can choose to make someone’s day better whether it is by inspiring another dancer who watches you, or by being a good friend and by not making judgements on others. Every time you do something nice to another dancer or person you are making the world a better place.
Just be yourself – Nobody has your unique set of skills and gifts. Embrace them and always do the “best you can be”. Don’t compare yourself to others as each person has their own unique gifts and place in life.
Some of the lessons you can learn from the experiences you have while dancing will serve you well as you move on in life. Be mindful of some of the attributes listed above and figure out how you might be able to apply those better in your life as a dancer and in life in general.
