"It's an amazing thing to be able to perform and get a reaction from people that don't know you. They don't automatically think you're wonderful because they love you, they love you because of the story you're telling on stage." - Aviva Wolmen Werne
As a dancer something I love more than anything in the world is performing. The feeling of being on stage or in a gymnasium in front of a bunch of people with the hot lights hitting you, doing what you love. What could be better than sharing your love of dancing and performing with a huge audience?
Some of you may know that I am also a member of Kennedy High Schools Varsity Show Choir, Happiness Incorporated. Show choir and dance are very similar in how they are both subjective activities, their is no way to ensure the win because everything is based off of opinion. Well, something magical happened on the hot sweaty stage during the night round at Davenport North's show choir competition, The Big Dance, while Happiness Inc. was performing. This feeling I hope every performer gets to experience sometime in their life.
Happiness after day rounds was ranked in fifth place and no one understood why. However, the group of talented singers and dancers took this as a challenge. During the night rounds we fixed things like diction, movements, dynamics, etc. everyone remembered everything and the show just sort of clicked. It was the type of feeling that radiated off of one person into the next, the whole group was roaring with excitement. Not only did we make an emotional connection with ourselves and each other, but we made an emotional connection with the audience. We moved the audience to tears in our ballad and had them rolling with laughter in our novelty.
After the show we all knew we nailed it, the feeling we had as a group is a something that none of us will ever forget. We were all jacked up on energy and felt like we could go out there and do it all over again but at the same time we were so extremely exhausted. Now, that night the judges still had ranked them in fifth even after the super hype and emotional show. The placement didn't matter because we were our own judges and we knew we had a great show and moved people and ourselves and the feeling we got after we performed was a feeling that a first place trophy could never bring us. That feeling is the thing every dancer and performer lives for. That feeling is why I love what I do.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
Lessons not Mistakes
"A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker. A mistake is a lesson not a loss. It is a temporary, necessary detour, not a dead end." - anonymous
Any dancers biggest and worst fear is making a mistake, messing up on stage in front of judges and tons of people. However what if we looked at mistakes from a different point of view to bring positivity to the situation.
In the scheme of things mistakes can be a beautiful thing, they show that you are in fact human. No mortal is ever going to nail a performance perfectly every single time. Mistakes show there is room for improvement it makes a realization occur that there are things you can do to better yourself as a dancer. This realization is refreshing and a great reminder, hopefully you take it as motivation to work on what you messed up on and other things as well.
In the case that you do mess up on stage on accident here are some things to do.
1. Do not panic that might be the worst possible thing you can do
2. Keep your performance up on your face, if you do this chances are that most people will not even realize a mistake was made
3. Do not freeze, improv if you have to just feel the music and make something up
4. Forgive yourself and move on don't let your mistake ruin the rest of your performance.
5. Do not let is discourage you, a mistake doesn't make you any less of a dancer, however, how you handle it can make you a better dancer
These things can help turn your mistake into a positive who knows, maybe your mistake made your performance even better. Just know that every dancer makes them even principles in outstanding ballet companies. It's a normal thing but break the norm of a dancer being upset from mistakes and make sure you turn it into a positive thing. It is something to work on to make you better, who wouldn't be excited to know what they can work on to improve?
"You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed and you are still beautiful." -Amy Bloom
Any dancers biggest and worst fear is making a mistake, messing up on stage in front of judges and tons of people. However what if we looked at mistakes from a different point of view to bring positivity to the situation.
In the scheme of things mistakes can be a beautiful thing, they show that you are in fact human. No mortal is ever going to nail a performance perfectly every single time. Mistakes show there is room for improvement it makes a realization occur that there are things you can do to better yourself as a dancer. This realization is refreshing and a great reminder, hopefully you take it as motivation to work on what you messed up on and other things as well.
In the case that you do mess up on stage on accident here are some things to do.
1. Do not panic that might be the worst possible thing you can do
2. Keep your performance up on your face, if you do this chances are that most people will not even realize a mistake was made
3. Do not freeze, improv if you have to just feel the music and make something up
4. Forgive yourself and move on don't let your mistake ruin the rest of your performance.
5. Do not let is discourage you, a mistake doesn't make you any less of a dancer, however, how you handle it can make you a better dancer
These things can help turn your mistake into a positive who knows, maybe your mistake made your performance even better. Just know that every dancer makes them even principles in outstanding ballet companies. It's a normal thing but break the norm of a dancer being upset from mistakes and make sure you turn it into a positive thing. It is something to work on to make you better, who wouldn't be excited to know what they can work on to improve?
"You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed and you are still beautiful." -Amy Bloom
Your biggest Critic
"The only dancer that you should compare yourself to is the one that you used to be." -anonymous
Every dancer wants to get better because who wouldn't want to be the best? However, what most dancers don't realize is that they are the ones holding their own self back. This may sound weird but just step back and think about it. When is the last time you have compared yourself to another dancer? When was the last time you envied someone because of their outstanding talent? When was the last time you looked back on all of your hard work and congratulated yourself for how far you have come? If you answered these questions like I did then maybe you will realize just like me that you are the one holding yourself back.
The first way to stop being your own obstacle is to get out of your head. Stop worrying about what other people will think, or if you look weird. Who cares? You are doing what you love and the only way you are going to get better and improve is if you just go for it and don't let other people intimidate you and scare you out of getting better at what you love.
The next step is to use other people's talent and maybe even your own jealousy as fuel. Let watching other people light a fire in you to get better. Tell yourself that one day you will be able to do exactly what they are doing too. Don't be afraid to try new things, that is your worst enemy. You must try new things to get better it's a fact. Make sure you aren't afraid to ask for help. There are so many people out there that are very willing to help so don't be afraid to use outside resources.
Lastly don't forget to reward yourself, look back on old videos and laugh at how clumsy you used to be and then watch new videos and congratulate yourself on your improvement. Don't be too easy on yourself though, make sure while watching resent videos that you wrote down corrections and things that you would like to work on.
By doing these things you can turn yourself from being your worst enemy and biggest obstacle to your best friend and biggest helper. It's easy. Just believe that you have what it takes to be the best and it will get you that much closer to it. Looking at things with a positive outlook and open mind will never fail either.
Every dancer wants to get better because who wouldn't want to be the best? However, what most dancers don't realize is that they are the ones holding their own self back. This may sound weird but just step back and think about it. When is the last time you have compared yourself to another dancer? When was the last time you envied someone because of their outstanding talent? When was the last time you looked back on all of your hard work and congratulated yourself for how far you have come? If you answered these questions like I did then maybe you will realize just like me that you are the one holding yourself back.
The first way to stop being your own obstacle is to get out of your head. Stop worrying about what other people will think, or if you look weird. Who cares? You are doing what you love and the only way you are going to get better and improve is if you just go for it and don't let other people intimidate you and scare you out of getting better at what you love.
The next step is to use other people's talent and maybe even your own jealousy as fuel. Let watching other people light a fire in you to get better. Tell yourself that one day you will be able to do exactly what they are doing too. Don't be afraid to try new things, that is your worst enemy. You must try new things to get better it's a fact. Make sure you aren't afraid to ask for help. There are so many people out there that are very willing to help so don't be afraid to use outside resources.
Lastly don't forget to reward yourself, look back on old videos and laugh at how clumsy you used to be and then watch new videos and congratulate yourself on your improvement. Don't be too easy on yourself though, make sure while watching resent videos that you wrote down corrections and things that you would like to work on.
By doing these things you can turn yourself from being your worst enemy and biggest obstacle to your best friend and biggest helper. It's easy. Just believe that you have what it takes to be the best and it will get you that much closer to it. Looking at things with a positive outlook and open mind will never fail either.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Cardio for Dancers
"It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer." - anonymous
It is very important for dancers to be fit because while doing this art form you contract and release every single muscle in your body. One struggle of many dancers is what cardio to do, obviously do core workouts and stuff like that but specifically what for cardio is a big debate.
Many professionals believe that running is terrible for dancers. This is because running uses muscles in different ways than dancers do and this creates a great amount of muscle in your quadriceps group. However muscle is great and dancers need a lot of it, it is not good when your quadriceps over power your hamstrings. This is because the hamstrings help straighten your legs and those are the muscles you are supposed to use to lift your legs in a dance to make it look more effortless and cause less strain. Another issue with dancers running and overdeveloped quadriceps is that it makes it look as if the dancers legs are not fully straightened because of how the muscle builds and looks. This is a problem, and I would know since I am a dancer who also runs a lot. Judges mistake your runners legs for softened knees and will doc you points, this seems unfair but while you are dancing they are unable to tell if your legs aren't straightening because of your muscle curvature or just out of pure laziness.
Don't worry there are many other ways to get in your cardio, my favorite way by far is definitely Zumba. Not only is this type of cardio fun but it is perfect for dancers because it is dancing. You can make up your own routines to hit songs, go to a Zumba class, watch a video and follow along, or there is even Xbox and Wii Zumba games so you can play and compete with friends for points while also getting a cardio work out in. While this isn't the only cardio workout to get you to stay away from running it is a great alternative.
Also don't be discouraged if you love to run, you can still continue to do that and be a phenomenal dancer just make sure to stretch out your hamstrings really good after you run, this will keep your ability to straighten your legs. The worst thing that you could do though is not do any cardio at all.
It is very important for dancers to be fit because while doing this art form you contract and release every single muscle in your body. One struggle of many dancers is what cardio to do, obviously do core workouts and stuff like that but specifically what for cardio is a big debate.
Many professionals believe that running is terrible for dancers. This is because running uses muscles in different ways than dancers do and this creates a great amount of muscle in your quadriceps group. However muscle is great and dancers need a lot of it, it is not good when your quadriceps over power your hamstrings. This is because the hamstrings help straighten your legs and those are the muscles you are supposed to use to lift your legs in a dance to make it look more effortless and cause less strain. Another issue with dancers running and overdeveloped quadriceps is that it makes it look as if the dancers legs are not fully straightened because of how the muscle builds and looks. This is a problem, and I would know since I am a dancer who also runs a lot. Judges mistake your runners legs for softened knees and will doc you points, this seems unfair but while you are dancing they are unable to tell if your legs aren't straightening because of your muscle curvature or just out of pure laziness.
Don't worry there are many other ways to get in your cardio, my favorite way by far is definitely Zumba. Not only is this type of cardio fun but it is perfect for dancers because it is dancing. You can make up your own routines to hit songs, go to a Zumba class, watch a video and follow along, or there is even Xbox and Wii Zumba games so you can play and compete with friends for points while also getting a cardio work out in. While this isn't the only cardio workout to get you to stay away from running it is a great alternative.
Also don't be discouraged if you love to run, you can still continue to do that and be a phenomenal dancer just make sure to stretch out your hamstrings really good after you run, this will keep your ability to straighten your legs. The worst thing that you could do though is not do any cardio at all.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Corrections
"Surround yourself with those who challenge you push you and motivate you." - anonymous
As a dancer one of the best traits you can have is the ability to take corrections. This can transform a good dancer in to a beyond comparable dancer. However, taking corrections isn't always the easiest thing to do, it can make you feel bad about yourself, or turn you into a monster that you normally are not.
To be a good teammate it is crucial that you give the people on your team corrections to push them and make not just the person improve as a dancer but the team as a whole will improve. There are some things you must keep in mind while giving corrections though. You must give corrections with a positive tone because corrections can be taken very harshly. Another thing to keep in mind is what mood is the person in at the moment if they are having a bad day make sure you take it a little easier, but still point out the correction. In most cases the correction will not be applied right away every time and you need to realize that that is perfectly ok. Lastly make sure you explain your correction thoroughly so they understand, and that you give them a positive as well and congratulate them on their accomplishments.
Some things to keep in mind while taking a correction are that corrections aren't personal, the person is correcting you because they know you have the potential to do better and they want you to get better. Take corrections with a positive mindset, always thank them because they are giving you corrections to make you better. Lastly make sure you attempt to apply them right away and ask if you do not understand the correction.
These things can improve a team tremendously, just remember that corrections are supposed to be positive things not negative things.
As a dancer one of the best traits you can have is the ability to take corrections. This can transform a good dancer in to a beyond comparable dancer. However, taking corrections isn't always the easiest thing to do, it can make you feel bad about yourself, or turn you into a monster that you normally are not.
To be a good teammate it is crucial that you give the people on your team corrections to push them and make not just the person improve as a dancer but the team as a whole will improve. There are some things you must keep in mind while giving corrections though. You must give corrections with a positive tone because corrections can be taken very harshly. Another thing to keep in mind is what mood is the person in at the moment if they are having a bad day make sure you take it a little easier, but still point out the correction. In most cases the correction will not be applied right away every time and you need to realize that that is perfectly ok. Lastly make sure you explain your correction thoroughly so they understand, and that you give them a positive as well and congratulate them on their accomplishments.
Some things to keep in mind while taking a correction are that corrections aren't personal, the person is correcting you because they know you have the potential to do better and they want you to get better. Take corrections with a positive mindset, always thank them because they are giving you corrections to make you better. Lastly make sure you attempt to apply them right away and ask if you do not understand the correction.
These things can improve a team tremendously, just remember that corrections are supposed to be positive things not negative things.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Rope Stretches
"I will find strength in pain." - anonymous
Any dancer knows that stretching is a very important part of your warm up and something that can help improve your abilities. Now do not confuse being flexible with being a good dancer because there are some great dancers who are not flexible. However, increasing your flexibility can improve your lines and make them more beautiful while you dance.
Many dancers do not realize that stretching normally does not improve your flexibility, it just warms up your muscles and stretches them to their full potential at the moment, but that is not making you more flexible than you were a week ago. To permanently improve your flexibility you must do deeper stretches. This is where the quote ties in, the stretches today that I am going to explain can be very painful and make you sore but in the end the improvement will be worth it. Also keep in mind this is something that must be done continuously for results.
Rope Stretches:
1. you must have a rope the length of your wing span
2. lay on your back with your hips square and legs bent with your knees facing the ceiling
3. put on leg straight up in the air the you foot fully flexed and your heel trying the go towards the wall behind your head.
4. put the rope around the sole of your foot with each end in your hand and pull as far as you can attempting to get your heal to the wall behind you head. Make sure your leg is completely straight.do this for 30 seconds.
5. using the rope bend your knee but leave the heel where it is and pull your leg closer to you. Do this for about 15 seconds.
6. Slowly extend leg all the way straight attempting to get the heel closer to the wall.
7. repeat steps 4-6 about five times and then switch legs.
Be aware that your legs and arms will shake and it will hurt but it will improve your flexibility if you tough out the pain.
Any dancer knows that stretching is a very important part of your warm up and something that can help improve your abilities. Now do not confuse being flexible with being a good dancer because there are some great dancers who are not flexible. However, increasing your flexibility can improve your lines and make them more beautiful while you dance.
Many dancers do not realize that stretching normally does not improve your flexibility, it just warms up your muscles and stretches them to their full potential at the moment, but that is not making you more flexible than you were a week ago. To permanently improve your flexibility you must do deeper stretches. This is where the quote ties in, the stretches today that I am going to explain can be very painful and make you sore but in the end the improvement will be worth it. Also keep in mind this is something that must be done continuously for results.
Rope Stretches:
1. you must have a rope the length of your wing span
2. lay on your back with your hips square and legs bent with your knees facing the ceiling
3. put on leg straight up in the air the you foot fully flexed and your heel trying the go towards the wall behind your head.
4. put the rope around the sole of your foot with each end in your hand and pull as far as you can attempting to get your heal to the wall behind you head. Make sure your leg is completely straight.do this for 30 seconds.
5. using the rope bend your knee but leave the heel where it is and pull your leg closer to you. Do this for about 15 seconds.
6. Slowly extend leg all the way straight attempting to get the heel closer to the wall.
7. repeat steps 4-6 about five times and then switch legs.
Be aware that your legs and arms will shake and it will hurt but it will improve your flexibility if you tough out the pain.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Listen to Your Body
"Be Patient. With your body. With your time. With yourself." - anonymous.
It is a common trend that dancers are sore, overworked, or tired. As dancers we know there is a certain risk we are putting ourselves up for every single time we take the floor. What most people do not realize is that a dancer is putting their body at just as much risk as a football player is.
The first step at making sure you don't get a career ending injury is listening to your body. You know your limits. If you are profusely hurting or in excruciating pain then you must listen to your body right then in that moment. When you ignore your body attempting to tell you that something is wrong you are raising that risk of injury even higher. Now, dancers, soreness from workouts is a good type of hurt that is making you get better so do not stop from doing your abdominal or other workouts because it "burns," that type of burn is something you should crave not despise.
The scary thing about this is that most dancers know their body is hurting and that they should sit but they can not accept defeat. What dancers need to get over is that rest is not defeat, it is just a realization of what your body needs so that you may get better. High expectations is a great thing until you don't allow yourself rest because of it. Rest one rehearsal now or miss three competitions in the future, it is ultimately your choice. Just remember a small injury now can turn into a career ending injury within the future.
It is absolutely crazy how a dancer knows how much risk their is but we forget about it in the moment to be able to do what we love. Maybe this is because dance is a way of expression and a way to get everything out that couldn't be put into words, and it just makes you feel good.
Something to think about: "Yes, I am in recovery. Because even though today was hard, I'm still choosing to be here tomorrow." - anonymous
It is a common trend that dancers are sore, overworked, or tired. As dancers we know there is a certain risk we are putting ourselves up for every single time we take the floor. What most people do not realize is that a dancer is putting their body at just as much risk as a football player is.
The first step at making sure you don't get a career ending injury is listening to your body. You know your limits. If you are profusely hurting or in excruciating pain then you must listen to your body right then in that moment. When you ignore your body attempting to tell you that something is wrong you are raising that risk of injury even higher. Now, dancers, soreness from workouts is a good type of hurt that is making you get better so do not stop from doing your abdominal or other workouts because it "burns," that type of burn is something you should crave not despise.
The scary thing about this is that most dancers know their body is hurting and that they should sit but they can not accept defeat. What dancers need to get over is that rest is not defeat, it is just a realization of what your body needs so that you may get better. High expectations is a great thing until you don't allow yourself rest because of it. Rest one rehearsal now or miss three competitions in the future, it is ultimately your choice. Just remember a small injury now can turn into a career ending injury within the future.
It is absolutely crazy how a dancer knows how much risk their is but we forget about it in the moment to be able to do what we love. Maybe this is because dance is a way of expression and a way to get everything out that couldn't be put into words, and it just makes you feel good.
Something to think about: "Yes, I am in recovery. Because even though today was hard, I'm still choosing to be here tomorrow." - anonymous
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