Last weekend Julie Edison and I ran our first full marathon. Just over twenty six miles through the redwoods of northern California. It was a huge challenge for both of us, both physically and mentally, but we fought through and finished, it part because of things we learned growing up as dancers.
1. Sacrifice Comfort Now For Success Later
As dancers mature they, like any athletes, learn to balance some degree of self inflicted pain. Whether it’s stretching their muscles past their previous limits in order to achieve maximum flexibility, or fighting through one more set of fondus when their legs already feel like jello. Dancers learn to push through the pain while keeping the end goal in mind. Learning to sacrifice immediate comfort for what you want long term reshapes your entire life. Without this principle, Julie and I never would have made it to the starting line, let alone the finish.
2. It Hurts Less If You Smile
I got my first pair of pointe shoes when I was 11 years old. The magic and allure of pointe shoes can often be tempered by the pain and frustration of blistered feet (something runners and ballet dancers share). Blisters were not an acceptable excuse for a poor performance and I still remember my teacher shouting above the music “If it hurts just smile bigger!” Both in training for the marathon and in the race itself there were days that it hurt, but when I could force a smile suddenly everything was easier. I spent a good amount of the race grinning like an idiot but having a great time.
3. You May Not Be the Best, But That Doesn’t Diminish What You’ve Accomplished
I came in 112th in the race. I’m a naturally competitive person, but I’m proud of what I did. When I first started running my goal was to be able to run for a full song and I had come a long way from there. Dance helped me learn to be competitive while still balancing the degree to which I compared myself to others. I learned to see my own achievement as a personal progression of steps instead of only in comparison to the very best. This is something I hope our Dance Concepts dancers can all learn. In anything we choose to do there will likely be someone who is better than we are, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying, working, and pushing ourselves, and from being proud of what we accomplish.
Along side pirouettes and tilt kicks I see our dancers learn so much more about themselves and what they are capable of. It makes me proud of them and excited for their futures. When they someday look back on their days of dance classes, I hope they find that they gained more than just toned muscles and coordination.
*A HUGE thanks from Julie and I to all of the dancers and parents who have been so supportive and encouraging through all of our training. Thank you!!
