This is a guest post by Elizabeth Sullivan, Founder of the Dancer’s Coach

Many of you who are away at summer intensives may be hoping for a year-round offer. If that’s the case, you may notice that you’re approaching classes differently than during your year-round program:

• Maybe you’re putting more pressure on yourself to be impressive,
• Maybe you’re trying to be perfect,
• Maybe you’re working to stand out from your peers so that the faculty and director notice you. 

Maybe you’ve been told, “Every class is an audition!” (No pressure, though…)

You might have noticed that you feel more tense, a little less relaxed, and more tired than usual. None of this would be surprising, given the shift in how you’re working.

But consider this approach: one of my dancers is away at a summer intensive where she doesn’t want a year-round offer. She’s perfectly happy to go back to her home studio for the year.

And, unlike her peers who are stressed to the max, she has reported feeling relaxed in her summer classes; she’s having fun, dancing more, taking risks, and not worrying about who walks into the studio or whether they’re watching her or not.

All because she isn’t interested in a year-round offer.

And in a total flip scenario from what I described above, she’s actually dancing better than in her year-round program. At home, she approaches each class like it’s an audition and is constantly stressed and overthinking her every move because she wants to dance with the company there.

This week, she is doing some investigating:

• How much better is she dancing at her SI?
• Is she growing in new and different ways than at her year-round?
• Could it be because she is calm, not stressed, and enjoying herself?

If she answers yes, then you can probably guess what we’re going to work on next… integrating this new, flexible mindset into her year-round training, especially if it’s producing a better outcome.

Now, you can do the same thing at the rest of your SI(s). Ask yourself,

• Am I letting my determination to do well and be noticed get in the way of dancing the best I can?
• Am I overthinking?
• Is my mind holding me back for fear of making mistakes?
• Am I really dancing or just being a technician?

It’s not too late to shift your approach to show them who you are as an artist – that you can work hard AND give something to your audience – and to enjoy your time there.

Remember, it doesn’t matter how much you want it, if you’re not able to dance your best because you are anxious, tense, and careful, that is all they will see. They can’t see your want.

P.S. From Ballet Help Desk – don’t forget to submit your summer intensives reviews!

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth, a former professional ballerina with the Cleveland and Boston ballet companies. Now a coach and mentor for pre-professional dancers, she has developed a unique approach that helps young dancers choose a positive path leading to success in their dancing and their life. Learn more at: https://thedancerscoach.com/