As the school year starts back up, so does a new season of dance classes!  You may be entering new levels and experimenting with new styles, or trying out a new studio and working with a new teacher.  Whatever and wherever you expand your dance horizons this season, we have four tips to keep in mind to have the best experience yet!

Be Open-minded

There may be a lot of "news" or "firsts" for you as you enter the new dance season.  The best way to approach something new is to be open minded! You never know what kind of friends you'll make or what you have the capacity to learn if you don't stay open to it all coming your way.  Think of everything you do in class as an experiment.  Talk to the new dancer who just moved to your studio and find out more about them!  Every moment is an opportunity for you to learn.

Set Goals

It's always a good idea to have a vision of what you'd like to achieve when starting a new venture.  So, set some goals for yourself at the beginning of your season.  Write them down.  An example could be: "I want to nail my triple pirouette consistently, make my own costume, and place top ten at competition." Your goals can be about physical dance milestones and/or personal/emotional values.  Setting goals is about dreaming big to push yourself, but also being realistic.  You want your goals to be challenging, but achievable.  And you can always adjust them throughout the year as you progress.

Be Flexible

With setting goals in mind, you want to not hold so tightly to your goals that you feel too deep of disappointment or like a total failure if you don't achieve them all.  Life, much like dance, is about learning flexibility.  In this context, we mean being able to go with the flow and adjust your ideals as things change.  You have to set the bar high to have somewhere to reach for, but if you don't reach it as quick as you'd like, have patience.  Be kind to yourself and give yourself props for the little achievements you do make throughout the year, even if they are not your ultimate goals.

Take care of yourself

It's important to continue to nurture and care for your body.  Dance is one of the most demanding physical activities, especially when we're dancing hours on end for days at a time.  Bath soaks, drinking lots of water, getting massages, getting good sleep and eating right are all ways that you can take care of yourself so that you stay energetic, healthy and ready for all of the growth you'll do this year!

What are you looking forward to this year in dance?  Tell us in the comments!

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