What It Really Means to Win
At The Dance Corner, our competition students know right from start that we don’t compete to win trophies. We compete to become better dancers than we were the day before.
Winning at a competition isn’t ultimately about which place we achieve. It isn’t about the prize or the praise. Winning is about going above and beyond by:
- Doing your best dancing
- Being a great teammate
- Encouraging others around you
We want each student to perform with their personal best in mind. There is a beautiful quote from the famous dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov that says, “I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” This quote is exactly the mindset we are aiming to instill in our students.
The real competition in our dancers’ lives is within themselves, not with others. A true “win” is when they know they gave it their all … and not at the expense of someone else. Part of a winning performance is the harmony achieved in the teamwork. Our dancers are learning that stepping on another dancer’s toes (literally or figuratively) isn’t an acceptable way to reach for a win. Instead, we need to remember to lift our teammates up, to cheer them on and support them. Because if each dancer does these things for each other, everyone’s potential rises. Everyone has the capability to win.
Now don’t get us wrong: being awarded a prize is still pretty cool! We do love celebrating those victories. The reason why we don’t focus our attention there is because we know it’s temporary. It is a reflection of that particular moment in time, not a snapshot of the future. It is an exciting, fleeting moment of well-earned recognition that will be cherished as a special memory—but we must not let it define a dancer’s worth.
Our competition dancers at The Dance Corner are measuring their value in personal growth, not trophies, plaques, medals, or money. We’re teaching them to understand that winning in life—succeeding as a human being—has much more to do with their inner self than outward praise. The results of a competition or the comments from a judge can be useful for learning, but those things are not labels for life.
Winning at a competition means that every dancer has their heart centered on doing the hard work. It means that their passion and technique come together as a team. And it means that when it’s all over, we see joy on their faces and celebrate it, no matter the score.
How We Define “Hard Work”
At The Dance Corner, we talk a lot about “hard work,” especially with regard to our competition team dancers. Hard work, to us, means ALL the things a dancer can do to show their commitment to better themselves, improve their skills, and lift up those around them.
Hard work is:
- Showing up for every class and every rehearsal
- Being prepared
- Having a positive attitude
- Giving 100% effort
- Trying over and over again
- Focusing on the big picture
- Putting the team first
- Doing what’s right
What’s NOT part of hard work? The answer may surprise you: it’s talent. Talent isn’t required to be a hard worker and build a strong work ethic. In fact, there’s a famous quote among athletes, from high school basketball coach Tim Notke, which states, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
We’re big believers in these words. Having talent can be an awesome attribute of course, but it doesn’t define someone’s future. What does define someone’s future is hard work put together with opportunity. And anyone can develop the skills and habits needed to put in the hard work!
When it comes to our competition team, we expect each dancer to strive for their personal best, not perfection. Excellence is the goal. And that is where the understanding of hard work comes into play … in order to succeed as a team and reach our full potential, everyone must be on the same page about what it means to work hard, how to apply that knowledge to their behavior, and how to hold one other accountable.
Doing the hard work helps each of our competition team members reach their full potential in dance. Together as a group, it’s what makes them unstoppable! As teachers, we are committed to fostering the traits of hard work in our students and offering encouragement in the moments where someone falters. Our mission to make hard work part of the daily dance life so that our students will carry it seamlessly into other parts of their lives too.
As you already know, part of our competition team philosophy at The Dance Corner is to make sure our dancers are developing the character qualities and life skills they’ll need as they approach adulthood. Hard work is the foundation on which this philosophy was built, and we’re proud to be passing on that legacy to our students!
Why Children Need Grit, and How Dance Makes a Difference
Gritty people have a growth mindset; they don’t give up.
This paraphrased quote is from author Angela Duckworth, who popularized the word “grit” with her famous TED Talkabout the power of passion and perseverance. She wasn’t talking specifically about dancers, but she could have been!
Children need to develop resilience in order to learn from their experiences and grow into their full potential. This is why we value determination and tenacity so highly here at The Dance Corner, because we know these are beneficial qualities to have in life, in or out of the dance classroom. But can you teach a child these qualities; to be more resilient, more gritty? We strongly believe the answer to that is YES.
In dance class, we want our students to know we care about them and want them to succeed. But we also want to hold them to age-appropriate, growth-driven standards—high standards that will require their hard work, practice, and focus for achievement.
Dance, like life, can present its challenges: the step might not look correct yet; your body might be sore or injured; the audition answer might be no; you might even fall down every now and then. Allowing a child to simply walk away from those challenges (or give up on them) only teaches the child that hard work need not apply. Persevering through those challenges, however, teaches them to bounce back; to build the work ethic they will need throughout their childhood and young adult life.
These lessons in dance will be hard at times, no doubt. As parents and teachers, we know there will sometimes be tears or frustrations. But that won’t stop us from encouraging these kids to push themselves. They are amazing kids who will go on to persevere through a tough exam at school, bounce back from a job they didn’t get, or work through a strained friendship. They are amazing kids who will become amazing adults because they have been challenged by failure and fueled by success.
At The Dance Corner, we want you to know that this message is very important to us and close to our hearts, and it helps us coach the best out of your child, day in and day out. Through dance we’re teaching them how to be grittier and in turn, empowering them for the future.
Congratulations! You’re Officially a Dance Parent
Welcome to the club, dance moms and dads! Now that you’ve formally started the dance season, you are officially a dance parent at The Dance Corner!
Being a dance parent here is a little bit like being in a secret society; there’s this new lingo to learn and a whole culture that you are now a part of. Here’s the inside scoop on what you need to know for your new status as a TDC dance mom or dad:
Study up on your dancewear vocab. A leotard is the form-fitting bodysuit that dancers wear to class, and tights are worn underneath (kinda like pantyhose). Ballet shoes are usually pink and should fit snugly on your child’s feet; don’t buy them with too much room to grow! Tap shoes are the noisy ones, and jazz shoes look a little like slip-on bootie, with a small heel.
Practice how to do a bun. A bun is the hairstyle we recommend for most classes, as it allows students to move freely without getting hair in their face. A quick Google or YouTube search will give you oodles of tutorials to choose from—or just ask us! We can give you a demo right here in the lobby.
Pack a dance bag. Dance shoes, a water bottle, extra dancewear, and hair supplies … all of these things belong in your child’s dance bag. (Avoid allowing your child to wear their dance shoes outside; it’s damaging.) Be sure to label everything with your child’s name or initials!
Learn about the recital. At The Dance Corner, we offer an opportunity every year for our students to perform. The recital, as it’s commonly known, is when each class performs a routine onstage and in costume, and family and friends watch the show from the audience. Stay tuned all year to our emails and handouts for all the need-to-know recital info!
Introduce yourself to the other parents. We love building a community of like-minded moms and dads who understand our culture and enjoy having their children involved in dance. Our super-friendly dance parents are some of the best people we know, so we encourage you to introduce yourself in the lobby. Share stories, find carpools, plan playdates, or ask about their personal experiences at The Dance Corner.
Being a dance parent is pretty awesome but being a dance parent at The Dance Corner is even better! We hope this primer serves you well and helps you feel welcome at the studio. We’re glad you’re here!
Why is Ballet so Important
At The Dance Corner, you might hear us talk a lot about the importance of ballet in a dancer’s training! You’ve probably heard us mention how we recommend including ballet as part of your young dancer’s studies, particularly in first, second, and third grade.
But why is ballet such an essential dance style to learn? What distinguishes it from jazz or tap or lyrical? In this blog post, we explain ballet’s significance to your child’s education.
- Ballet builds a “technique toolkit”
Especially at a young age, dancers who take ballet are being taught the technique needed to master more complex movements in multiple styles of dance. You may have heard us describe ballet as “the foundation of dance” and this is why! The skills taught, the positions learned, and the repetition practiced in ballet all contribute to a dancer’s long-term advancement in other styles. Ballet technique is like the universal language that all types of dance speak. And the earlier a dancer is exposed to that language, the better (although it’s never too late!).
- Ballet increases strength and flexibility
Because ballet emphasizes good posture and alignment, young dancers are able to become more aware of their muscles at a young age. In our youngest ballet classes, after graduation from the combo class format, dancers begin working on age-appropriate core exercises. This type of classwork gradually strengthens the abdominal and back muscles for a strong “center” of the body. The amount of stretching exercises increases in ballet as well, so that dancers can begin to learn safe and correct methods for becoming more flexible, particularly in their legs and back.
- Ballet develops confidence in other styles
We believe that no matter what, studying dance boosts our students’ confidence! But ballet has a unique influence on just about every style that exists. As young dancers feel more confident in ballet, that feeling spills over into jazz, lyrical, tumbling and everything else! A dancer’s ballet technique is already helping them remember to stretch their feet, stand up tall, control their arms, extend their legs, and more. The ability to remember and practice these physical cues translates into self-confidence, resulting in an easier time adapting to other dance styles’ movements.
At The Dance Corner, we pride ourselves on teaching ballet classes that develop strong and healthy dancers and remain fun! Our teachers are skilled at engaging each dancer’s imagination to make learning ballet enjoyable and exciting.
Whether we are practicing how to balance in arabesque or how to spot in a pirouette (or anything in between!) we know that each student is experiencing the long-term benefits of a solid ballet foundation.
Beating the Back-to-School Blues
“But I’m too tired!”
It’s that time of year again! School is back in session and after-school activities abound, meaning “I’m too tired” can become a frequent refrain from the backseat of your car.
It’s not uncommon for us to hear about young dancers who fall asleep on the way to class during the first month or so of school. Getting used to a new schedule is not easy! Some children won’t be shy about stating how tired they are after school is out; others just feel a little grouchy by the time dance class rolls around.
What can you do to help turn this feeling around (and end your own exasperation)? In our experience at The Dance Corner, the suggestions included here have the potential to completely bust those back-to-school blues!
- Create a fun “going-to-dance” ritual. Whether it’s the music you jam out to on the way to class each week, or a family pizza night afterward, a special ritual can always perk up the day. The routine built around attending dance class can have a tremendous impact on your child’s ability to adapt to their new schedule.
- Offer gentle, consistent reassurance. While we all know that logic doesn’t always fly with children, sometimes they feel better just knowing you understand and are there for them. Remind them that feeling tired after school is normal, and that the feeling will get better over time. Let them know that you’re proud of them for making an effort.
- Be prepared with water and snacks! Children who are well-hydrated and who’ve had a light snack before dance class feel more refreshed and ready to move. They have the energy they need to enjoy the experience and retain what they’ve learned.
If there is a “best part” about the back-to-school blues, it’s that they are temporary. At The Dance Cornerwe know that this period of time will soon become a distant memory, one replaced with the refrain of “Is it time to go to dance class yet?” Consider yourself warned!