A life in dance is a balancing act, just like this dancer balances his partner on his shoulder in BSUDC's WinterDance 2016! As a young dancer (specifically one in a college dance program), the harder you work and the more talented you become, the more opportunities you are going to be offered. Even if you think you're not professional dancer material, being involved with a dance program is going to take you places, and opportunities are going to come out of nowhere. While this can be a great thing and it all seems very exciting, it can be very hard to manage all of these commitments. Things could run smoothly for you, but if you have luck like mine, you will have 2 tech weeks 2 hours away from each other at the same time, and no car to get you to either place (YIKES). Being a dance major at BSU has come with opportunities and fun memories, but also stress. And- believe it or not- I have a life outside of dance, so it gets hard to schedule everything and make it all work. Nonetheless, I survived that double tech week and continue to balance my life. Here is the best advice I can give to a dance student who is struggling to balance all of his or her commitments...
Stay Organized Buy a planner. Even if you think you can remember everything, just jot it down in your phone, or do without one, buy one anyways...and use it! Having a physical book of your schedule gives you a visual for when you are free and when you are not. Plus, this is a convenient way to pencil in all of your assignments during class time. Things are going to get hectic if you are going to take on multiple projects, but your planner can be your crutch to make sure everything gets done (and make sure things aren't accidentally scheduled at the same time!) Prioritize When you're this busy, you are going to have to decide which commitments are more important. For dance students, this would probably mean dance classes take top priority, then other academic classes, work, and any other extracurricular activities. While you are trying to make EVERYTHING work, there are going to be times where you have to choose between spending your time one way or another. For example, I might take more time off of work to make time for rehearsals for an upcoming dance concert. It is important to remember which activities are most important to you, and why. Keep in mind your long term goals, and which opportunities will help you achieve those in the long run. While I am all for having interests and fun off the dance floor, it is important to remember why you are a dance student in the first place; dance is a full time commitment, and all of the work you do in dance now will help you down the road. Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help You are going to need help to get through a hectic semester (and quite frankly, a hectic life). Your schedules are probably going to conflict at some point, so it is important to reach out to your superiors for help and guidance to come up with a solution to make everything work...but that's what they're here for! You can even ask your friends and family for help...something as small as a ride home or a snack in between rehearsals can go a long way. Build a support system that is here to SUPPORT you, not stress you out any more than you already are. Pick and Choose With great opportunities comes great responsibility; you can't spread yourself too thin, because it is not fair to the people you're working with to not give your best effort. Even if you don't feel busy now, there will come a time where you have to say no to certain things. This is perfectly normal. You just have to decide which opportunities have your heart, and which you can live without. Enjoy the Little Things Finding quiet time for yourself is important for any student, but it will seem less and less possible the busier you become. Make your little moments in your day become your quiet time to just collect your thoughts and breathe a little easier. Daily showers and listening to music while walking across campus are two ways I find time to think and be on my own. It is also important to make fun where you can. Yes, you are busy and need to stay focused, but don't be afraid to have fun during rehearsals and bond with the people you're working with. No opportunity is going to seem worth it if you don't make any happy memories. As Tim Gunn says...MAKE IT WORK! Do not pass up opportunities just because you are scared of being busy and stressed. If you push through the hard times and stay focused, you can do it. Believe in yourself, get creative, improvise, and be flexible in order to make magic happen. Throw some granola bars in your backpack, keep an extra leotard in your car, and do whatever it takes to make your dreams a reality. Accept Imperfection When setting up a busy schedule, note that not everything is going to go exactly according to plan. There are going to be night where you get home from rehearsal at 10pm, have three hours of homework left to do, and class at 9am, but you haven't eaten dinner yet and you desperately need to shower. You have to be aware that not every day is perfect, and not everything you do during this time in your life is going to be perfect, either. You might run late to a rehearsal or forget to bring the right costume, but what matters is that you try your best and know how to cope when things don't go right. In the long run, you learn more from balancing all of your commitments and planning, organizing, doing work for all of your activities than you will in one activity alone. A career in dance often means working multiple jobs, running around, making things up as you go along, staying organized, squeezing things in, and finding creative solutions. Always remember that at the end of the day, you are doing what you love and working to achieve your goals, so the rest of this chaos doesn't matter. Don't brace yourself for the busyness...just accept it and go with the flow.
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AuthorWelcome to my blog! Popular PostsArchives
September 2020
Offline Updates7/16 Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the showcase I was selected to choreograph for at NYU was unfortunately cancelled. However, I was able to turn my work into a mini-documentary about the choreographic process and art prevailing during these trying times. You can watch my video my clicking the button below!
9/18 Follow my new Instagram just for my dance things!
12/23 I was one of NDEO's Guest Bloggers this year! Read "Teaching is a Vocation. Not a Fallback" on their Behind the Curtain Blog!
9/27 I will be presenting my research at the National Dance Education Organization National Conference next week! See my research project by clicking the button below!
4/15 While working on PMA's production of The Addams Family, I got to combine my two favorite styles of dance (ballet and musical theatre) for "The Moon and Me"! Watch my talented students dance by clicking the button below!
2/20 I am choreographing PMA Theatre Guild's Production of The Addams Family! Come see these amazing high school students perform at Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen, MA April 13 & 14! Tickets available at the door.
2/20 I am stage managing BSU's Dance Kaleidoscope this year! Show dates are March 29-31 at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. Come see this student choreography showcase!
11/5 I will once again be dancing in a BSUDC concert! Tickets to WinterDance are now available!
8/24 NDEO's National Honor Society for Dance Arts has published one of my articles in their newsletter! Read an updated version of "Audition Advice" here:
5/16 Interested in learning about movement concepts? Visit Becca's new Educational Dance website!
5/8 BSU Dance Company's Dance Kaleidoscope 2017 is now on Youtube! You can watch my performances by visiting the VIDEOS page!
4/23 I recently performed for the residents of Allerton House in Hingham, MA! You can watch part of my performance here!
Amesbury Children's Theatre presents...James and the Giant Peach Jr, featuring choreography by me! Click for tickets!
2/8 My piece "Barefoot" is now available to watch online! Click to watch!
2/5 Happy to say I have been cast in BSU Dance Company's Spring concert Dance Kaleidoscope! I will be dancing in 3 faculty choreographed pieces, including excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty in which I will be dancing the role of Lilac Fairy! Show dates are March 31-April 1 at Bridgewater State University.
Click the button for more info! 1/15 Ballet with Becca is now on Facebook! Click to visit the page, and be sure to like it while you're there!
1/14 I am happy to say I will be attending artEmotion's summer intensive in June! I will be dancing in the one week artEmotion Adult Program. If anyone would like to join or audition for any other artEmotion program, visit their website!
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