Mr. Don on Competition

Mr. Don on Competition

By Don Mirault, Sept 12, 2013

Competition is healthy…

but as dance agent Tony Selznick says, “It’s healthy only if your self-esteem is not connected to your score and if you’re dancing for the right reasons.” In order to become a better artist you must always strive to look at the big picture. So, what is the big picture? Part of the big picture is to remember that dance is an art form, not a football game. If you think competition is just about awards, trophies and winning, then you’re not dancing for the right reasons. So to dancers and parents of dancers, do you want to know what you should be taking away from your favorite dance competition? 
1 SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE BY OVERCOMING YOUR FEARS. I talk to dancers before they go onstage and they are nervous. Every one of them from the six year old to the twenty year old, but they pull it together and make it happen. Dance is an amazing art form that can give a young girl or boy the gift of self-esteem. When I see dancers leave the stage after a dance number, they have a glow on their face that says, “I DID IT!” They have a feeling of achievement and that gives them the confidence to attack other challenges in the future. Confidence to know that with hard work they can overcome any challenge. That alone is worth more than a trophy. 
2. EXECUTING UNDER PRESSURE. Dance is such an individual art form that sometimes your biggest challenge is YOU. You challenge your own mind and body to make a routine happen and when you execute it, it is an accomplishment that lifts your soul. You hear your teachers voice, “Relax your shoulders, stay pulled up, find your center, fight for balance.” Your teacher is with you throughout the routine and they will be with you every time you dance because they’ve passed on their knowledge to you. While I’m on the topic of teachers. 
3. LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS. Your dance teachers are special people. You will remember this particular time and this teacher for the rest of your life whether you become a professional dancer or not. Some people think dance teachers teach for the money. WRONG! Very few dance studios make a lot of money. They do it because they know the joy that dance can bring and they want you to know what that feels like. Moms and Dads, if you’re reading this article, you should know that these teachers will have a life-long impact on your child. 
4. WORKING AS A TEAM. Sometimes in dance, we overlook teamwork but almost every sport, the military and every employment workplace stresses the importance of teamwork to achieve a goal. Dancers learn how to work together. They learn that the number is only as good as the weakest dancer in the group. If one dancer is good at pirouettes and another isn’t, they take the time to help each other. I see them backstage as they hold hands or say a prayer together before a routine. They know how important it is to build each other up. They learn at a young age that when the goal is met as a team, the reward is sweeter. 
5. STAGE TIME. The stage is where you learn your craft. You learn technique in the studio and you learn how to dance on the stage. A pilot needs flight hours and a dancer needs stage time. You will love the stage. The stage that made you so nervous when you first started will become a close friend. When you get to the point where you can really enjoy the stage is when you will grow as a dancer. You’ll begin to realize that technique is a tool, and now that you know how to use that tool, you can start to explore the art of dancing. Your dancing will change and you’ll be hooked forever. It’s what happened to all of us. That is, all of us that have to dance. 
OK DANCERS. Would you rather be an artist that has the confidence to overcome challenges, knows how to execute under pressure, knows how to work with others to reach a goal and understands the real joy of dancing, OR would you like to have a room full of old awards and trophies? This is the BIG PICTURE. Forget about awards and trophies and dance because you love to dance and you have to dance. You will have already won. Patsy Swayze, a master teacher says, “I look for the dancer with the gleam in their eye, the one dancing for the sheer joy of it.” Rob Barron, a terrific theatrical director/choreographer says, “The dancers with passion and emotion in their dance will always work.”
Competitions are terrific if you take the healthy approach. Dance for the right reasons, never tie your self-esteem to your score, focus on the things you have control over and above all, HAVE A GREAT TIME. The rest will take care of itself.