Reflections

For a long time, I haven’t always had the maturity to truly appreciate other dancers.  Because of the competition mode that is so present in the professional world, I have fought to compare myself to fellow dancers.  This has always been a source of conflict for me because comparison suppresses the beauty in each unique individual (one of them being myself).  But I have been changing my view and finding a much more fulfilling and healthy approach to dance.

There are a lot of dancers in our community, yet each of us are completely unique.  We all have different physical strengths and weaknesses- some with flexible hips, others have strong arms, some are long languid movers and others little powerhouses.  Some of us are articulate educators, others prefer performing and choreographing, and many of us enjoy a combination of all three.  We all have unique experiences that have shaped the movers that we are today.  Within one phrase of choreography, dancers will interpret the movement with different dynamics and style.  Some dancers have comedic tendencies, while others ooze emotion, and some are well trained in postmodern simplicity.  The variety is amazing and essential for this creative art form.

I have wasted too much time wanting what I don’t have.  This does absolutely nothing for me or you. Appreciate the qualities you’ve been given because they are one-of-a-kind.  When you value who you are, you can much more easily value others and their strengths.  Lets continue to praise the creativity and uniqueness in each of our dancing selves.