1. Dedication
Nothing says dedication like running out of school to get in the car as quickly as possible to get to your 4 p.m. dance class. Dinner plans? How about the 45 minute break in between two of your dance classes as you quickly grab something with the other girls and hope your mom has something waiting for you when you get home around 9:30 p.m. Ah, Saturday rolls around, relaxation. Incorrect, because you have to be at the studio at 9 a.m. for competition rehearsals that usually last until 4 p.m. The funny thing? You keep going back every week because you wouldn’t have it any other way.
2. Rhythm
There is now worse position to be in than to be the person in a crowd clapping off beat. Seriously, that’s the worst. Thankfully you don’t have that problem because rhythm, beat, and tempo have been drilled into your head.
3. Confidence
Those terribly awkward teenage years? Try “strut-walking” across the dance floor one by one to your teacher’s favorite jazz/pop playlist at the time during those years. Although, when you were halfway across the floor and your fellow teammates started cheering “work it” and other alike phrases … you could’ve strut walked to school the next morning. So you thank competitive dance, for giving you that spark of confidence you needed most amongst your awkward teenage years.
4. Teamwork
Six, sometimes even seven days out of the week you spent hours with the same people (not including competition weekends). You trained, laughed, ate, won, lost, and sometimes even cried with them. They became your family and there is no time or distance that can remove that bond. You learned how to work together, to help each other to perfect your dances. You know that if you got together in a room with them right now and one of your favorite competition dance songs came on, you would all jump right in …just like time hasn’t skipped a beat.
5. Resilience
You understand that criticism can be constructive. There were many times where you were told your jete was bad or that your turns were sloppy, that was inexcusable. So you did them again and again until you got them right and those second turns were sure to win first overall-double platinum at the next competition.
6. Time Management
Being in the studio so many hours a week made it almost feel as though being at home was foreign. You had to manage your school work, eating some meals, and don’t forget dancing, all in the same place. But you pulled it off, and you’re better off for that.
7. Self-awareness
When a guest choreographer came in and choreographed a piece where they wanted to highlight an emotion you didn’t usually show … you became in touch with that emotion. They asked you to dig deep and truly find something that contributed to you expressing the emotion through dance in the best of your ability. And for that, you thank them for opening you up to really use this art form for what it’s for.
8. Healthy body image
There is a stereotype that all dancers are "skinny", that is not the case. Dancers come in many shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common, strength. There is no random Joe off the street that could walk into your hour and ½ ballet barre class and last the whole time, and you’re proud of that. You’re proud that you are healthy and strong and in the dance world that is admired. All of those stretch classes before and after training, you’re thankful that your teachers made you take them because with you now understand how to properly treat your body.
9. Gratitude
Competitive dance is so expensive, SO expensive. Maybe you knew that then, maybe you know that now. Either way, you became thankful that someone was willing to put that much time, effort, and money into helping you do something you love more than anything.
10. Hunger
No, not the “my stomach hurts I need a sandwich hungry,” the “I want it” hunger to win. It’s that feeling deep in your gut, an intensity like no other. It works in stages. It comes on once you learn the choreography, it increases as you clean the dance, and it's full-fledged tiger when you’re backstage looking at the team next to you while you’re waiting to perform. That hunger stays with you, whether it’s within dance or something else in life, it cannot be taken away and that, is an amazing gift.
