The New Season Is Upon Us - Observations From A Dance Dad

A new dance season is fast approaching for my girls, they had auditions last week and they are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the new teams. It is always a nervous time as they wonder if they are good enough to make the team they want or if they will be on the same team as their friends. A while back I posted about what I hope my girls are learning from dance, but now I'm thinking about what I hope they remember as they learn about their teams and that they keep with them through the ups and downs in the upcoming season. Beyond dance, I believe that all great teams have these same qualities.

  1. You are on the team that you are on for a reason - learn from it. God has something to teach you in every situation. If you made the team you wanted, learn how to be humble and gracious to those that didn't achieve what you did and work every day to justify why you are there. If you didn't make the team you wanted, stay positive and determined to do the best job you can for your teammates.
  2. Stay Positive - There are going to be ups and downs all season. Whether you are struggling with learning or perfecting a part of a routine or there is conflict in a relationship with someone at dance. You will have bumps in the road and every day won't be fun. Stay positive in those hard times as you will get through them and you will be stronger for going through it.
  3. Lift up your teammates - Being a part of a team is an interesting dynamic because you are competing with each other, in order to make each other better, to build a better team. Competition between teammates is a good thing when it is done right. You should push each other to be better, but lift each other up and celebrate each others achievements. You should want every teammate to become a better dancer so it pushes you to continue to become better yourself. If you tear each other down, whether publicly or behind each others backs, it will bring down the team. 
  4. You are a roll model - There are always younger dancers that look up to you around, act like it. There are also teachers, teammates and parents within earshot when you least expect it. Know that there are eyes watching you, the words you say and the things you do. You have influence, it is up to you if that is a positive influence or negative. 
  5. Work Hard, Dance Well, Have Fun - This has become a mantra of sorts, often when I drop one of the girls off at dance I will say it to them as they exit the car. I hope that it resonates with them because I think these are the three most important things they should think about when it comes to dance or anything they choose to do. First, it starts with hard work. If you want something in life it isn't just going to be handed to you. Learn to work hard and you can accomplish anything. Second, dance well. Dance is about technique, there are a million details of where each part of your body is in relation to other parts, and doing it at a precise moment in the dance, exactly like the others on your team. The finer details is what takes you to the next level in whatever you do. But at the end of the day, you have to have fun. Dance because you love it. If it isn't fun, it isn't worth it. It can't be a chore if you want to be great. 

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