Preparing for Your First Year in College Dance
Name pronunciation: Nick-ole Bear-et | Pronouns: she/her
By Nicole Barrett, DWC Blog Editor
For the first time in 18 years, I am moving away to a new city and dancing with people that I have never met before. I’m hundreds of miles away from my family and friends that have made me into who I am today and my beloved dance community that I have had around me for the last 8 years. While this is going to be a drastic change in my life, I know that I am not alone. I know that there are thousands of other dancers across the country and even the world that are experiencing the same uneasy feeling as me.
Life is full of changes that we are prepared for and some that we’re not. When it comes to moving away for college, that is one that we can control. As all of us college freshman are trying to adjust to this new change, it is important that we understand and acknowledge why we decided to pursue dance in the first place. Following your passion is the most important step in making a memorable year in college dance. To prepare myself for this change, I have spoken with multiple graduates from dance programs across the country and some other college freshman that are preparing for their first year in college dance, so here are some ways you can prepare.
Don’t compare yourself!
Knowing what you bring to the class is a big step to make sure that you are gaining what you need from that class. All those dancers are worrying about themselves, not you. Comparing yourself to other dancers doesn’t allow you to dance to the full ability that you know you have. They are here to dance for themselves, they aren’t watching to see if you messed up. Just because another dancer can do a cool trick doesn’t mean that you don’t bring amazing things to the table. Each dancer is unique in their own way and it is important in college dance and in the professional realm to know that.
Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes!
When switching to new teachers in college dance, it can be difficult to adjust to the new techniques they use and the pacingof the class itself. Be sure to give yourself some grace to get adjusted to the new teacher and new environment. Just know that everybody in the room is coming from different backgrounds that are going through the same things as you. As dancers we are conditioned to want to be perfect all the time, but we do need to realize it is human to make mistakes.
Be sure to have all the essentials in your bag
You never know what you may need in the class, so making sure you have everything is important. I know that forgetting a water bottle or a recovery tool can make or break a class for me, so making sure that my bag is stocked with everything I need is very imporrnat. This can help relieve a bit of the stress and allow piece of mind during a stressful transition.
Take some classes to get back into moving
Summer can be a long time to go without dance, so making sure that your stamina is up and your mind is ready for a new season of dance is very important. Summers for me are typically when I take a break from dance so I have been trying to find local drop in classes and classes at my old studio that I can take to get back into it before I leave for college. To help ease your mind try to see if you can take classes at your old studio to keep up that common routine before the big transition.
Have fun!
Don’t stress! Everyone that is in the class loves to dance. They know that this is a passion for them that they want to pursue so remember that you are around people that love dance just as much as you do. While change can be scary and bring stress, I know that dance is my outlet to make me feel better no matter what I am feeling. Doing what I love is worth it and doing what you love should be a top priority.
For me, this change is going to be a tough one. I have gotten accustomed to having my same group of people around me when dancing for many years and this transition feels scary. But, it is important to know that this change is going to be an incredibly exciting one. You are going to be one step closer to doing the thing you love for the rest of your life. Making connections that can last a lifetime and enhancing your craft for years to follow. Just know that you got this and to enjoy your first year! Doing the thing you love the most will make it all worth it.
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