Aspiring dancers often admire different aspects of what they might consider ‘successful’ dancers. Anything from the height of a jump or an extension to the ability of a dancer to move with a water-like fluidity just to name a few. However there is something that all dancers, from company members to choreographers to artistic directors, have in common. In our current culture, I would consider it the most underrated skill.
Discipline.
After being in the dance world for quite a number of years now ( teaching in some capacity for twenty years at this point, yikes!), I have not known a successful dancer that does not carry with themself a sense of ownership and discipline in their work. What does discipline in dance look like? In what areas can we apply discipline in order to step into our trade with excellence?
Discipline.
- Show up to class on time, ready to move, & with a good attitude. As a teacher and choreographer, these are the dancers I want to work with. Those that are ready to learn and grow and contribute their voice in class or in a rehearsal. This matters more to me than talent. As one of my favorite speakers has said time and time again “Character trumps talent.” (E. R. McManus)
- Train your body. Dance is a physical activity and your body has to be ready if you want to work at a high level. What might this look like? Everyone is different and might need to approach this in a different way. For example, some dancers are very strong while others are really flexible. Start with simply counter balancing your strength. I was/am hypermobile so I had to work on building strength to hold my body in the extreme places it could/can go.
- Dive into the discipline of sleep. To be as physically active for the amount of time per day dancers need to work, sleep must be a priority. It’s very easy to slip into the habit of watching episode after episode of your favorite show at night. Or maybe your thing is scrolling. I encourage you to set an alarm when you need to go to bed so you can get a solid eight to nine hours of sleep a night.
- Fuel your body well. This can be a really touchy topic these days, but it is vital to feed your body nutritious food in order to have enough energy to do the things you want to do. Your muscles and brain need food that gives you energy, and junk food won’t do that. That being said, it is an individual journey in discovering what types of food work best for you, and that journey is a discipline. Write what you eat down, then take note of how you feel afterwards. Over the years what works best for me has changed, so allow yourself some flexibility and the willingness to change what you are putting into your body to perform at the optimal level.
- Take care of your heart and mind. How are you talking to yourself throughout your day and what practices might help you create a healthy mindset? One thing I have my dancers do is choose their word of the year, and they can check back in on that word periodically to see if they are still headed in the right direction. Journaling can also be an element you add to this area to stay connected to your voice as a human and artist.
These things are all simple to look at, but the discipline it takes is where we get caught up. We miss a day of one of these simple things and then we’ve suddenly missed a month. Don’t skip out and don’t expect less than your best self showing up daily and doing the things that move you forward as a dancer and as a hopeful movement voice. Dance is not about competition, it’s about communicating thoughts and ideas. What areas of discipline do you find important in the field of dance?
