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Journaling For Dancers: Why You Need It & How It Helps

March 28, 2016 by 4dancers

IMG_5130
Photo courtesy of Grier Cooper

by Grier Cooper

You work hard during ballet class because you know your hard work will pay off. But how do you know what’s working and what isn’t? Aside from occasional comments or critiques from your teachers, you don’t. But you can change that! By implementing this simple journaling process, you can track your progress so you have a clear idea.

You’ll be doing some writing so you’ll need a small sketchbook or journal (choose a pretty one!) and a pen. Be sure to give yourself a few minutes before and after class to read through the questions and write down your thoughts. This process is just for you, so keep it light, simple and fun.

Before class begins, do the following:

Set an intention

Take a few moments to set an intention. An intention is a purpose, or a desired action or result. Close your eyes and ask yourself what your intention is for this particular class. The answer may come as a thought, feeling or vision. Write down whatever comes to mind, even if it’s just one word. An example might be wanting to feel centered and grounded throughout class. Setting an intention can be quite powerful because it helps us focus on what’s most important.

Photo courtesy of Grier Cooper
Photo courtesy of Grier Cooper

Choose your goals

Next, write down 2-3 goals. Keep them simple and achievable. You may be struggling with en dedans pirouettes, for example. While you can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to pull off a triple turn by the end of class, your goal could be to ask your teacher or a friend to watch your turns and help you determine what’s off.

After class is finished, set aside a few moments to jot down responses to the following questions. Since this is a self-assessment, be honest (and fair… dancers are often their own worst critics) when you answer.

  • What did I do well?
  • Where do I need to improve?

List at least three answers to each question and make sure it’s a balanced list with the same number of things for each category. Remember: it’s just as important to acknowledge what you did well, perhaps even more so, since this area is often overlooked–most dancers are too busy being hard on ourselves.

Taking a few minutes every day to work with this journaling process is a powerful tool will help you stay focused and give you a clear picture of your performance in class. Work with it regularly and you’ll never leave class again wondering how you did. Over time you’ll be able to track your results and achievements.

Write on!


 

AuthorPhotoWebGrier Cooper left home at fourteen to study at the School of American Ballet and has performed San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and others, totaling more than thirty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer. She blogs about dance and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of the Indigo Ballet Series ballet novels for young adults. Visit Grier at http://www.griercooper.com

Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: ballet class, dance class, dance journal, dancers, grier cooper, Journaling for dancers

Setting Specific And Successful Goals For The New Dance Season

September 9, 2015 by Rachel Hellwig

"Behind the Scenes" by Nazareth College. Licensed under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic.
“Behind the Scenes” by Nazareth College. Licensed under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic.

by Karen Musey

September is here! The back to school vibe is high in the air and your dance year is about to begin! It is an exciting time and now is the perfect time to figure out your goals for this dancing season.

I define a goal as something that is specific and measurable, for ex. having clean triple pirouettes on both sides in all of my disciplines; not something vague like I want to be a better turner.

Stating your goal allows you to feel empowered with your progress as a dancer. It is good to stick to one goal at a time, so you can really zero in and complete it. Having too many goals splits focus and often less is accomplished. When youʼve fully integrated a goal into your technique, then you can choose a new one to work towards.

So – where do you want to see yourself a year from now?

Look back

Before you race forward, it is helpful to remember your accomplishments and challenges from the previous year. When you take stock of what happened and how you felt about it, you can make informed choices and set realistic goals for the year.

If you had an easy season where your hard work allowed you to easily achieve your intentions, it is important to take a moment and acknowledge your success! Your future goals will build off of the confidence of your last achievements, and you will get a sense of which challenges you are ready to tackle next.

What if you had a challenging year? Maybe you were working through an injury or other obstacles came up. It is important to take a moment to honor your persistence and dedication through that difficult time. You can build great confidence from a challenging year because adversity builds character and hopefully, stronger self care habits. Many (if not most) well known professional dancers had to work through obstacles to be where they are today. Through patience and their determination to succeed, they eventually met their goals.

Your journey may follow a slightly different path than those around you, but if you can trust yourself and your coaches, you will often surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.

"Ballerinas in mid air" by Gabriel Saldana. Licensed under CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.
“Ballerinas in mid air” by Gabriel Saldana. Licensed under CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.

Branch out

How do you want to grow as a dancer this year? Is it mastering a new style of dancing, taking on your first solo, or joining a class as a teacherʼs assistant?

Maybe this is the year that YOU

… choose to be self reliant and remember every step without shadowing another.

… learn the french translation of the steps in your ballet class so you develop a new understanding of the material.

… memorize and accurately pick up the combination the first time it is shown to you.

… be THE cheerleader for yourself and your team – own your success, pump up a friend who feels down, and acknowledge anotherʼs triumph.

…. stand in the front during classes and workshops and really absorb the information given.

…. plan and pack healthier snacks for yourself, to have the energy to carry you through.

…. slow down each technical element to articulate each one 100% correctly, even if you think youʼve already mastered them.

AND

… see yourself as a powerful artist who has something important to offer, every time you look in the mirror.

If your goal feels a little challenging and a bit uncomfortable or scary, and you are still excited to take it on – Congratulations! Youʼve found an awesome way to grow for the year.

Move forward with clarity and confidence

Having a support system is key in accomplishing your goals! Sharing your goals with your fellow dancers and coaches will help you be accountable and stay on track.
Journaling is a popular way to keep tabs on goal progress. Many professional performers keep regular audition and class journals by marking the date and their thoughts of their experience of each performance. This way, they can review their notes and make good decisions moving forward.

For you, setting aside a quick 5 or 10 minutes to write in a short daily or weekly journal is great; just enough time has passed for you to still remember the details of the weekʼs events. Reading your notes can give you clues in how you are moving forward, or if you could approach the goal from a different angle. At the end of the semester when you reread your notes, you will feel fantastic about all of your progress.

All of these small steps will lead you forward to the new challenges you will be rocking later this year. Have an awesome September!


 

Karen Musey
Karen Musey

Contributor Karen Musey is a dynamic Canadian born, New York based performer, teacher and dance adjudicator. Her training includes study at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Professional Division, The Banff Centre, EDGE PAC (LA), Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Barrow Group, Kimball Studio, Canada’s National Voice Intensive, Comic Strip Live and more.

Karen Musey judges national and regional dance competitions and festivals across the United States and Canada. She was a Director/Choreographer Observership Candidate during the 2011/12 season with Stage Directors and Choreographers Union and has served as a rehearsal director and dance captain for KOBA Family Entertainment. Karen Musey is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is a U.S. Member of the International Dance Council CID, recognized by UNESCO.

Performing highlights – PHISH at Madison Square Garden; World Premiere of the Canadian Opera Company’s Das Rheingold (Wagner Ring Cycle); National Artist Program Gala for the 2003 Canada Winter Games; for HRH Queen Elizabeth II during the Golden Jubliee Tour; Chicago (Rainbow Stage); comedy short Foreign Exchange (72 Hour Asian American Film Shootout); music videos for The Guards and Malynda Hale; international tours and performances with The Young Americans, J.A.R. Productions and KOBA Family Entertainment; stand up and sketch comedy around New York; Bravo! documentaries, films and more. She is currently co-writing a play. www.karenmusey.com

Filed Under: 4dancers, Competition Tagged With: back to school, confidence, dance accomplishments, dance class, dance goals, dance journal, dancing, goals, journaling, karen musey, new dance year, school year

Pointing the Left Foot in the Right Direction: Tips for The College Dancer

August 30, 2011 by 4dancers

by Stacey Pepper Schwartz

Stacey Pepper Schwartz

Here are some essential tips and tools for college dancers looking for the best steps towards a dance future.  These simple do’s  will provide a solid foundation for the academic year as well as for many years ahead. (Since I write about college dance frequently, if I have repeated myself at all in this list know that I think it doubly important!)

  1. If you don’t know ask.  One of the hardest things to do and most beneficial.
  2. Introduce yourself to the teacher/guest artist and thank them for the class.   When a teacher knows your name that are more likely to pay attention to you.
  3. Find a mentor. This should be a person you can seek out for advice from what courses you should take to the best place to buy cheap leotards.  Preferably  a dance major a few years ahead of you so you can learn from his/her experiences.
  4. Have a dance journal.  Write about what inspires you. Write about your dreams.  Write about what you want to accomplish in the dance world as well as the world beyond.
  5. Don’t live, sleep and dream dance.  Yep – take a break every now and then. Experience fun things outside the dance studio.  This is necessary so you don’t burn out and because life is not just about one experience. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: college dancer, college dancers, dance journal, stacey pepper schwartz

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