Growing up some of us played soccer, some of us played softball, and some of us ran. Regardless of what we chose to put our energy and effort into, we each learned many lessons during our time participating in them. I, like many others, put my energy and effort into dancing and I am grateful for the lessons I learned along the way.
One of the first lessons you learn from dancing is teamwork. From an early age, you're put onstage with multiple dancers, and you learn that the goal is not to draw attention to yourself, but to work cohesively to make the dance the best it can be. Regardless if there is one other person on stage with you, or 10, it is so important to work together and connect with each other to truly achieve the desired performance. There is a special connection between those sharing the stage that goes far beyond being able to dance in time with each other. Audiences (and judges at the competitive level) can tell when dancers aren't connected and working together onstage, which is why from an early age dancers learn how to work together and build those relationships.
The next lesson is not an unfamiliar one. Practice makes perfect. You can be born with a great sense of movement and natural flexibility, but that does not mean you are ready to take the stage. One of the downfalls of dance is that rather than having an entire game to prove yourself, you have around three minutes. That means that when you take the stage you want it to be absolutely perfect. That's why we take classes weekly, even daily, so that when we do step out on stage we can be the best we can.
One of the toughest lessons dancers must learn is possibly learning to love themselves. We spend hours looking into a mirror and critiquing ourselves. Our legs never seem to be raised high enough, our hands don't seem dainty enough, that leap looked horrendous. It's hard not to look into a mirror for so long and not find one or many 'imperfections.' Not to mention not all costumes will be flattering and leotards seem to show every little detail of our torsos. But dancers look past that because our sport also teaches us how important it is to respect and love our bodies. It is quite literally our equipment. So while we may critique the angles of our bodies and regret eating that burger before class, we also appreciate our bodies and all that it can do.
Dancing teaches you how to smile through it all because you really don't have much of a choice. No matter the day or week you had, when you step into class you should be able to forget about it all even if it's just for the time you're in class. And yes, no one wants to watch someone dancing onstage who is clearly not enjoying themselves, but how can you not be enjoying yourself when you're onstage? You're doing something you love to do and that's enough to put the biggest smile on any dancer's face whether in class or on stage.
Finally, dance taught me that family extends beyond blood. Between spending ridiculous amounts of time at the studio during the week rehearsing, and extra rehearsals and performances and workshops on the weekends, you spend a lot of time with these individuals. They've probably seen it all. Your worst, your best, your (actual) blood, sweat, and tears. They see when you're silly, you're serious, you're lazy, and when you're excited. They build up your confidence and never tear you down. They are there for you on matters outside of dance and will almost always turn stitching into a therapy session if you need it. Dancers truly have a bond like no other, and it's amazing to see how a studio can rally behind one individual in a time of need, or welcome you back with open arms and sweaty hugs after you've been away for awhile.
Like anything else in life, you get out of dance what you put into it. And when you're least expecting it, dance will teach you your greatest life lessons.
