If you are hurting in any way, be candid! Your health and safety are the number one priority in every situation, though sometimes it may be nerve-wracking to speak up. Be conscious of your value and take care of your body, both on and off of the dance floor. Being sensitive to students' needs and concerns is very important for teachers. Effective communication can be used to communicate the needs of students and teachers alike so that everyone can feel more comfortable and safe at the end of the day!
Read MoreThere is a saying that always rang true for me in my early career: “there will always be someone better than you.” When I moved on to professional training schools, I found out that I was not always going to be the most flexible. I wasn’t always going to have the best extensions. In fact, I found that depending on where I was, my extensions were just average. Once I began to place an emphasis on the other qualities a dancer possesses, ballet became so much more enjoyable to me. Musicality, port de bras, and dynamics of movement are all things that anyone can make beautiful and exciting regardless of ability, age, or gender. This is what makes ballet a beautiful art form. If you're struggling with technical perfectionism in dance, I encourage you to focus on these other attributes of dance that can help elevate your artistry without pushing your body to extreme limits.
Read MoreToday, Emmy has carved spaces for herself and others that have been long overdue in the dance industry, specifically through the creation of the Best of My Abilities (BOMA) program. The BOMA program, offered at Issaquah Dance Theater and The Dance School, introduces students with disabilities to dance and provides a space for dancers of all abilities to learn and build relationships. “I know that there are lots of people who are afraid to step into a dance studio because they feel like you have to be a certain way...My entire dance life has been [dedicated to] figuring out ways to use dance to show people how loved they are,” she shares.
Read MoreWhile there is still so much social progress that needs to be made in the dance world, it’s exciting to see studios and companies taking steps to celebrate inclusivity and diversity in ways that didn’t exist years ago. Celebrating inclusivity in the dance world involves inviting dancers with all kinds of backgrounds and identities into the industry, and making them feel welcomed as they are. This also includes celebrating dancers with autoimmune diseases. DWC Ambassador Grace Pilo is passionate about advocating for dancers with autoimmune diseases, particularly those with type 1 diabetes, like herself. Read on to learn more about Grace’s dance journey and advocation efforts!
Read MoreThere are more ways to be involved in the dance industry than just being a professional dancer. Community members like DWC Ambassador Emily Borders are proving this to be the case by partaking in community classes and studying physical therapy in hopes of making dance more accessible to a wider array of individuals. Read on to learn more about Emily’s personal dance journey, hopes for the larger dance community, and plans as a DWC ambassador!
Read MoreBe empathetic and respectful to your teacher. We also have bad days, we also experience pain, and we have a non-work life that affects our jobs.
Read MoreIn talking with the older dancers, they all say that LYBW has really shaped their perspective of themselves and dance. It’s also found its way into their life outside dance. They’ve been quick to point out when a friend at school was being unkind to their body, and look at social media with less self-judgment. I’m so excited and proud that I’m able to work at a studio that holds this week with high regard. And we continue the ideas of LYBW throughout the year. It’s become so embedded in ATD’s culture, there’s a different feeling just walking into the building.
Read MoreIn ballet, I have struggled with confidence. I always felt unworthy and inferior to everyone. Being considered a late starter, I always had the feeling that I was constantly playing “catch-up” when it came to my peers. I spent too many years at my first ballet studio, receiving bad training and abuse from my teacher who always made me feel like I would never amount to anything as a dancer. These feelings of inadequacy negatively impacted my attitude towards dance and also contributed to my low self-esteem. I always felt something was holding me back from dancing my best. It wasn’t until I underwent a major surgery that I came back to professional ballet with a newfound confidence and a greater passion for the art form.
Read MoreWe have all been there as dancers. We’ve all had that class where nothing seems to be going our way. We mess up every combination, we can’t balance longer than a couple of seconds, we fall out of every turn, or completely botch a petite allegro. It’s so easy to let self doubt and negativity completely destroy us. It’s easy to let those feelings of failure take over. Sometimes it feels like every combination gets worse and worse to the point you want to give up and run out crying. As teachers, we’ve also been there when we can see students starting to struggle and then it causes us to doubt ourselves as valuable educators.
Read MoreMany dancers experience common challenges that aren’t often brought into conversation in class settings, including feelings of physical and technical insecurity. DWC Ambassador Claire Kaskel is an advocate for fostering open communication across dancers, instructors, and studio owners to ensure dancers know they are valued for their uniqueness. Read on to learn more about Claire’s dance journey, the changes she wants to see made in the dance industry, and her plans as an ambassador.
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