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Why do we feel the need to call dance a sport? To somehow justify it?

If anyone questions our wish to commit to a childhood steeped in dance training, with a dream of becoming professional, here are some thoughts we can bring to the table.

Roughly 90 or 100% of dancers who attend ‘company’ affiliated pre-professional dance schools will likely become professional dancers.

Roughly 10% of dancers at regular dance studios will likely become professional. Roughly 10% of all professional dancers have an Arts Degree.

Now let’s compare these statistics to sport. Which people have no problem investing in.

Youth ice hockey players have roughly less than a 0.11% chance to play in the National Hockey League

Roughly 0.6% high school baseball players will get drafted by a Major League Baseball team.

Roughly 0.04% high school basketball players will get drafted by a National Basketball Association team 

Also, we have a habit of claiming that a dancers career is short, yet the average NHL player plays on average 4.5 years. The average NBA career, also 4.5 years.

The average professional dancer can perform for 25 years. As a career: teaching, coaching, mentoring; directing; choreographing til our chosen retirement age, we can continue for a lifetime.

I truly believe investing in any childhood Sport is worthy.

It is hugely valuable for children, regardless if they will go pro or not.

I just think could we be taking dance just as seriously.

Interesting ..what are your thoughts?

• STATS sourced from-
• hockeyanswered.com
• dunkorthree.com.
• hometeamsonline.co
• stickhandlingpro.com
• danceparent101.com

How do we deal with children wanting to quit dance?

Find out why.

Does your child want to truly quit dance? Or are they overwhelmed, tired and need a break. If so….take a break! Have a week off. Explain to your Director what is happening and they will understand. Is there one class they could drop?

Another option is to join the non-competitive recreational division. There are no heavy requirements here, you can pick and choose whatever you want to do.

Talk to your Director. Let them explain to you, why they need your child to continue and for as many hours…Directors are people, they will often be so happy to help find a middle ground.

I know, it does seem like some studios “trap” their students into too many hours. Rules that children have to attend X amount of classes to be in the Competitive team.

However, this is the situation.

At competitions, in order to win, you need to commit to many, many hours of dance each week. It’s part of the criteria to enter, let alone win. So you cannot have it both ways. Want to win? Dance as many hours as possible. However if you truly want your child to dance just for the pure fun of it…join the recreational team instead. Drop a genre. Choose less. Parents, you really are in charge of your child’s life. Remember that.

I also read once: “Make sure your child quits on a good day.”

Isn’t that clever? Wait until they’ve had a really great night at the dance studio, if they still want to stop, you have to trust that.

Once they have made the decision to leave, support them. They can always go back. It’s a myth that if you take a year off you will fall behind. I believe children are young and buoyant, I see them bounce back and catch up in no time.

Dance, like any Art form, is a passion and hobby as well as a profession. If they’re not happy, why push it. Who decided you have to be ‘good enough’ at something in order to enjoy it? It should be a natural love. Remember when your child span til they were dizzy? That’s dance. Remember when they bounced to any reggae song in the car as toddlers? That’s dance. Dance is accessible anywhere, dancing is a natural urge. Try and ensure it stays that way.

As a British citizen living in Canada, I am incredibly homesick sometimes. I miss the humour, my family, the countryside. I miss who I am to my oldest friends. They know my quirks, my history, my story.

Then I try to remember….my body is my home.

I can honestly say….dancing has helped me be in tune with my physical home more than anything I can see.

As a dancer, you explore your fingers, your breath, your artistry and motion in a way that’s indescribable. To attend a class or walk into a theatre…is to come back home.

When you’re on tour…you connect quickly with your fellow cast members and the City you’re in. You are in your deepest home and with each other. You are a citizen of the world…a human ‘being’. When you live in a different country from your origin…you can walk into a theatre or dance class and be home.

If your feeling odd and disconnected, get into a dance class, see a show. Come home. Wherever you are.

Thank you Artists, students, teachers and theatres….for helping me cope in times of homesickness. I am grateful for you. I am grateful to be in my ‘home’ with you all.

Clapping, cheering, whooping, stomping, whistling, studio chanting and even the cowbell, are all ways that you will find a competitive audience rewarding one single 8 year old, dancing a 2 minute solo to ‘polka dot bikini’.

All are invested in who will win? Let’s support our team member! Holler out their name! Yell from the wings! “GO Kayliana! Go team. U. D. S WhaaaaAAAAAAT”!

Yet, so many of these behaviours are completely taboo for a professional theatre performance. So many of these behaviours are non existent in real life.

Therefore, it’s important for children to also experience working in an authentic theatre environment, or community dance event. You have to work so hard for a reaction, you have to offer every single part of your performance to your audience. Not your peers backstage, not your Mum… but to the crowd of strangers who have paid money to be entertained. It’s extremely humbling to finish a group number, to zero applause, while the section after you, receives applause. You are a small BUT VITAL part of the rhythm of the story. Theatre pieces have a flow, a mood to uphold. Quiet solemn moments should remain quiet, emotional moments need to be silent and respected.

This is why I encourage all young dancers to audition for local Community theatre events to go see Live theatre, to perform for schools and old age homes. You may not receive applause after you dance, so you have to learn to appreciate being part of the dance itself, as part of a bigger picture than just you.

That’s what community feels like…Community matters. It is vital to our existence on Earth.

Kids, sadly as adults, you won’t get cheers on a Friday after a week at work. So enjoy comps (I do!)…

By the way, I am not opposed to Competition cheers and audiences! Infact its a real buzz, I enjoy it!

However, Community is to be part of the bigger picture. It’s about others.

Oh and ‘Cowbells’. Really. Can we ban them from competitions. I just can’t abide them (she says in a snobby way, placing her head in her hand and furrowing her brow).

Do we need our ’11 year old’ to be in the advanced class? What is the hurry when it comes to children and ‘success’.

If I could reassure us all of one thing…rushing progress does not make a better life in the long run.

Burn out is common among child prodigies, injuries are plentiful and egos are shattered. Let’s constantly remind our child/student to slow down and stay well rounded.

Trying different styles, trying different past times and even taking a year off, are all worthwhile.

I have taught heaps of children over my 30 years as a teacher and choreographer…and time and time again I am reminded of the story of the the Tortoise and the Hare.

Slow and steady really does win the race. Here’s the thing, there’s not even a race…its imaginary. I have seen well rounded children succeed so much more than the ones with the ‘pushy’ parents (and teachers).

It’s heartbreaking to get a complaint from a misinformed parent regarding their child’s ‘dream’ of dancing a solo at 7 years old, being ‘crushed’. It’s heartbreaking to see a Director put growing children in a class that’s too advanced.

Having a solo and stroking an ego does not make an artist; collaboration and time does.

I love the Arts, I love teaching and as I take a break from it all I see more clearly than I ever did before. Let’s Slow down, lets not get caught up in the hurry of it all.

There’s a long beautiful life to be had.

The lobby lights sparkle, the decor is gold. The seats are red plush velvet, the audience are a buzz with excitement. The house lights dim and we are transported to another place.

Live performances are a feast for the senses. The aroma of hundreds of people perfumed and dressed up, the huge sweeping curtain draped and hiding what’s to come, the warmth of spending quality time with loved ones, the sound of the orchestra warming up, the taste of a sparkly drink.

When I ask my kids what they received for Christmas five years ago….they cannot remember. Yet when asked to recall a live performance we’ve been to, they can describe every second of it.

Buying tickets to a show is the best gift one can give or receive. The memories truly last a lifetime. I went from being a 7 year old spinning through the aisles at my first ever Swan Lake, to taking my eldest to drag shows and my family to musicals and Shakespeare plays.

I’m a sucker for a live show, what are you taking your family to see this Christmas?

As an adjudicator, can I please ask; “Why all the Contemporary routines gotsta be so sad?”

‘Contemporary’ according to the dictionary; happening, existing, living, or coming into being during the same period of time.

Therefore, can I ask choreographers to consider the many emotions of today. ‘Happy, joyful, content, satisfied, advantageous, joking, carefree, relieved.’ Surely not everyone is searching, crying, sad and angry? There are so many extraordinary choreographers out there. True talent. I imagine the possibilities!

It would be a nice relief when watching a category of 15 solos in a row, to have some portray different emotions. Just asking. Thanks!

Oh and Philip Glass and Max Richter are not the only composers out there.

Ballet and Contemporary pieces…there are so many incredible composers! Modern composers, female composers, contemporary composers of colour. One does not have to use a pop song done by a string quartet (my pet peeve). Introduce young people to classical music. There is so much to choose from!

Ok, rant over. Haha.

Looking forward to seeing 2023 seasons work. Big respect to all of you out there. I know it’s exhausting to come up with something new every year. You rock honestly. 🙂

We are like a stew…full of so many personality traits.

We can be insecure yet confident, annoying yet rational, kind and selfish, the list goes on. What happens if we take every single trait of who we are into class. what happens if we take every single trait of who we are onto stage?

Disaster. How exhausting! bringing our entire life force into all situations is chaotic and tiring

To be the most useful version of ourselves on stage, allows us to focus. Honing our persona down to the scarce few attributes needed, takes practice. We need to create a ‘gourmet dish’ if you will.

I found my stage persona and my own personality were so different in my younger years. I was able to access such confidence and bravado whilst on stage! It was nowhere to be found off stage. Slowly but surely however, I began to realise, this part of myself that was so useful…was just that….part of me. So over the years my stage presence became my life presence and vice versa. I learned to bring my vulnerable self to my art, I learned to bring my self assured self to my life.

Dance and theatre are such useful places to find who we can be. To succeed in civilization itself. This is why I truly believe that tapping into artistry is vital to our every day existence.

The aim of an audition is to be seen. To be chosen. To be successful.

How?

….Show up!

Seriously, even if you don’t think you’ll get the gig. It’s an amazing gift to learn to audition. Auditioning is a technique in itself…the more you do it, the better you’ll get at it.

Also, it sounds obvious, but be seen! Step forward, ask a question, make eye contact with the panel. Cowering at the back out of politeness and a humble attitude won’t really cut it. The chances are, you may literally not be noticed.

When the routine is being taught, dance it full out as much as possible. FULL OUT. Perform it and give it everything. This will immediately give the panel the opportunity to see you dance, rather than waiting for the whole group to be instructed to perform. The more you dance, the more often the panel will see you. If you know it, don’t mark it, do it!

Know what the panel is looking for. If it’s a Company of dancers, then they are looking for people that dance well, perform….and work well in a group. Make room for your fellow dancers, be aware of your surroundings. The less direction you need to create space for others the better! If you are asked to ‘move forward’ then move forward. This is a direction, the panel are looking for people who take direction swiftly.

To be successful is to basically be liked. Will they want to work with you? Smile, perform and show that you are in your element. This proves to the panel that you are excited to be there and respectful of the process.

There are other tips and tricks too. Such as wearing a bright colour, adding a hair piece or noticable accessory…so you can be given a nickname (“Oh look at yellow bodysuit, look at bandana”). Truly, this may sound odd, however, being remembered is vital. When the panel reconvene later, little things like this will make everyone remember you.

Also, turn up early, say hello and make sure you approach and thank the entire panel and instructor and staff afterward.

Congratulate yourself. Seriously, its nerve wracking! Plan something really fun afterwards to celebrate. It’s a big deal. You deserve a treat.

ENJOY! Hey you may as well enjoy yourself! It’s a free class, an experience to meet new friends and fellow dancers in the community. What’s not to like?!

We often hear that the dance studio is a sacred space, like Church. It is revered and silent, respected. Teachers have the complete power and control. What they do,is unquestioned.

I used to believe this too.

However, in light of the ‘Me too’ movement, I have come to realise that too much power in the hands of teachers can cause a toxic imbalance.

I do believe that silence during a class is vital to safety. Children are being asked to do extraordinary things with their physique, so respect and quiet are needed. However, I now believe children need more autonomy over their bodies.

Hands on correcting (adjusting) children during exercises is the norm, I have been grabbed, poked, lifted and stroked as a student, without question. It never bothered me, it never felt inappropriate. I do now however, as a teacher, ask consent before I touch anyone. I do now try to adjust verbally more than physically.

The balance between teacher and student has had to evolve. We know better now, so we must do better.

I was an exemplary student. I would never question what a teacher did in class. This led me to be the ‘perfect’ employee. This also led me to be manipulated in later years by people in authority. I remained passive as an adult, which led me to be abused by Directors. I was abused mentally and sexually. I froze in situations, instead of stating my discomfort. I accepted unwanted sexual attention, as I was frightened to rock the boat and be fired.

I therefore know now, that I wish to raise students that understand their body is theirs.

When I hear, ‘kids aren’t like they used to be! Where is the respect?” I think ‘They know better, they are way more aware of their rights!”

It’s definitely a new era and it’s changing for the better. As youth and culture evolve, so must teachers.

“My feet aren’t pointy enough. My legs aren’t sway backy enough. My head is too big (yes this is a thing in ballet). I don’t have enough turn out. I’m not flexible enough. My arabesque isn’t high enough. I can’t do enough pirouettes. I can’t jump high enough”.

These are just a few of the thoughts that swirl around in a dancers head.

So of course ‘body image’ is a huge issue in dance.

I was told that I had a difficult body.

My body wasn’t built to be able to execute steps with finesse at first. I had to work really hard to gain ‘lines’ and ‘shapes’ that other dancers had naturally. I think this is what has made me a great teacher. Yes, I am confident as a teacher. I had to learn every trick, every adjustment, every nuance to achieve what others had. So give me a student who struggles? I will give them every tool they need to achieve what others can.

Corrections (adjustments) are vital to a dancer. They help gain the correct technique needed to safely execute moves without getting injured. However, there is an inner dialogue that starts very young. ‘My body is wrong.’

I think maybe, if we called corrections ‘adjustments’…would that help?

How do we help young students enjoy the process of gaining technique, without gaining body issues?

With Positive reinforcement, tone of voice, encouragement? We must teach young dancers, that failure is WONDERFUL. I quote Thomas Edison often:

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

I certainly don’t have all the answers…but I am constantly searching for them…and will do as long as I teach. I do know, that children do what they see, more than what they hear. So when I talk about my own body, I try to be positive…”I love my feet! They helps me walk and run. Ah, ‘leg’ Hello ‘leg’ you are powerful and leggy like, you can help me sit down! ‘Back, Hello back! Thanks for being a back…all backy and stuff”.

It’s a little bonkers….but thanking my body during class….helps the kids thank theirs I hope.