How to Mentally Navigate Returning to Dance After a Summer Break
Tips For Getting Into Dance After a Break
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Returning to dance in the fall is always a challenge. Many of us spend the summer either taking a break from dancing or dancing significantly less than usual. Don’t get me wrong, rest is incredibly useful for dancers. It’s also important to spend time with friends and family and engage in other activities that bring dancers joy. Some may be fearful that they’ve lost a significant amount of their dance technique over the break or that their focus will be out of shape. No matter what type of nerves you’re feeling, there are small steps to take to ensure you’re mentally prepared to return to studio dancing.
Something that I find crucial when returning to dance is accepting the fact that my body will move differently after a break. It can be mentally challenging to reconcile with the fact that we’re not quite moving in the same way we were a few months ago. Our extensions might be a bit lower and our turn out may not be the same as it was before, and that’s okay! Accept the fact that your mobility is going to change slightly depending on your different levels of activity and inactivity. Feel free to cut yourself a little bit of slack for not quite meeting the expectations you set for yourself. Just because you find yourself in a different place than you were a few months ago, or even a year ago, doesn’t mean you won’t get back to where you were before. In fact, following a break from dance, I often find that my mind is more open and ready to absorb information. I can pick up choreography faster and learn how to do new moves more efficiently after my body and mind have taken time to heal and rest. Keeping this in mind can be helpful when transitioning back into dancing more regularly and rigorously.
Photo By Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash
A useful way I mentally adjust to getting back into dance, or starting any new routine, is journaling about my thoughts and feelings. According to the University of Rochester’s Medical Center, journaling is a helpful way to manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression. For me, journaling holds all of these benefits because it helps me understand the root causes of my fears, identify unhelpful thought patterns, and give myself positive affirmations about moving forward. When I notice that I’m not quite meeting my performance goals in dance, it can feel quite discouraging. I begin to feel like I’m being lazy, a slacker, or just downright losing my skills and won’t be able to get them back. When I journal about how I’m feeling, I’m able to realize that while I may be feeling these emotions in the moment, they aren’t necessarily true. Through writing, I can see that I’m feeling the way I’m feeling because I took a break from dancing and am getting into the rhythm of a new routine. By coming to this realization, I can reassure myself that I will be able to get back on track with some time and effort. Suddenly, my situation doesn’t seem like an utter catastrophe, but rather a natural symptom of taking time off.
Another helpful way to use journaling to prepare yourself for getting back into dance is to set realistic goals for yourself. A significant part of goal setting that people often neglect is setting attainable goals or those that you’re capable of achieving. For example, if I were to return to dance after a three-month break, setting a goal for myself to perfectly execute triple pirouettes my first week of class isn’t attainable. Instead, I need to be honest with myself about what I am capable of achieving.
“Finally, one of the most useful things to remember when getting back into dance is that you aren’t alone.”
To create some structure in my life, before I get started on my day, I like to set three goals about what I hope to accomplish, big or small. This is a simple practice that dancers can do before each dance class. These goals can be anything from paying more attention to your épaulement during barre exercises to asking questions about certain steps you want more assistance with. Setting these goals allows me to have a more systematic approach to getting back into dance, which can make me feel like I’m making more of an effort to progress back to where I once was.
Photo By Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash
Finally, one of the most useful things to remember when getting back into dance is that you aren’t alone. Chances are most of your peers have also taken time off and may also be feeling insecure about getting back into dancing. The past year and a half of dancing through Zoom and/or taking time off is a universal experience for dancers, whether they’re beginners or professionals. Reach out to other dancers in your classes and connect with them about the challenges of returning to studio dancing. You can even create a plan to set goals together about what you hope to accomplish in the coming year and check in with each other regularly to see how you’re feeling.
Breaks are necessary for any field, they help us recharge and come back stronger. Regardless of how important they are, ending the break and returning to “regularly scheduled programming” can seem intimidating. But through journaling about your emotions, goal setting, and connecting with peers, getting back into dance can be a far less daunting feat than it seems on the surface.
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