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Words to Live By
By Diane Gudat
Keep students focused with bit-size sayings
Over the years I have become attached to a handful of
inspirational sayings that I like to share with my students.
I have posted a few of them on my studio walls, where they
have remained for years; I write others on the classroom
mirrors and rotate them as needed. Since I have been
repeating most of them for so long that I can no longer
remember their sources, I send a sincere thank-you to their
originators.
Make excellence your habit.
This advice holds a permanent place on my studio wall. If I
could live by only one saying, this would be it. An
irritated parent once said to me, "You expect these kids to
be perfect!" I replied, "Yes, and if I don't, they will get
nowhere close to that!" It is a rare thing for young people
to work toward personal excellence. Sometimes their time is
spread so thin that they become mediocre at several
activities and fail to feel the satisfaction of doing their
best at anything. The unique setting of the dance classroom
calls for discipline and personal growth, which can inspire
young people to show their best. Everyone brings a different
natural ability and aptitude to the dance classroom. Those
who work to their maximum potential are demonstrating their
own excellence. This thought brings me to my next favorite
saying.
Let no one outwork you today.
If dancers work as hard as possible in every class, they
will become the best dancers they can personally be.
Although teachers should never compare one student's
physical aptitudes to another's, holding each to a personal
level of excellence promotes a good work ethic. The desire
to work hard is a gift they give to their dance friends.
When teachers and students put out their maximum effort,
they become the strongest of dance families and achieve
their goals together. I try to give students realistic goals
that will help them develop their work ethic, since some
feel overwhelmed with certain tasks. For example, with
dancers who are working to improve the height of their
extensions, I tell them that if every day I placed one
square of bathroom tissue onto a pile, it would take quite a
while for anyone to notice a change in the pile�s height.
But eventually the stack would become a tower, at which
point it would be difficult not to notice it and ask its
purpose. It would become quite impressive, just like the
result achieved by a dancer who lifts her leg higher in each
class, even if the difference is as incremental as the
thickness of one slice of bathroom tissue. Eventually that
tiny change will add up to an amazing accomplishment that
might take years for others to notice but will be sure to
impress eventually. The fable of the tortoise and the hare
also illustrates this concept wonderfully. I have had many
hares in my classes, but it is the tortoises that have
changed the quality of the studio.
You are the boss of you.
Most people, especially teenagers, prefer to listen to no
one but themselves. Teachers offer suggestions, but their
words merely fly around the room unless the students pull
the information inside their heads and decide to effect a
change. An advanced student's best teacher is often the one
inside his head. No dancer becomes outstanding until he
accepts responsibility for his own training. Students must
move their own bones and muscles, hear and feel the music
their own way, and store what they think is important until
the next class. They must recognize that the image in the
mirror is of their own making. Once they feel that they are
in charge, amazing
things can happen. At the beginning of class, I ask my
students to take a moment to consider why they came and what
they hope to accomplish, and to set a personal goal for that
class.
Lead by example.
This goes back to my dear mother, who often said, "Do not
tell people what to do; show them." If you want your
students to be on time for class, do not start class late.
If you want your students to be focused in class, stay on
track yourself. If you want students to show progress from
class
to class, make sure the class is structured in a way that
allows them to feel the connection. If you want them to be
nice to each other, be kind to them. This slogan should also
apply to your students. Every year at recital time, as
students are learning their entrances and exits, there are
always one or two students who cannot resist the urge to
shout, "Go!" or push the student in
front of them to get them started. I remind them that the
polite thing is to lead by example. For example, if they
begin to run in place at the right time, their dance friends
will notice the reminder that it is time to get started.
Dance dangerously.
Encourage your students to dance full-out at all times. It
may not always be pretty, but dance is physical, and unless
dancers push the boundaries they will have no concept of how
far they can go. Watching a dancer take risks and stretch
each movement to its fullest is an exciting experience for
the audience. This bravery extends to the direct emotional
contact a dancer must establish with the audience. Watching
a safe dancer can be like watching a beautiful figurine
inside a snow globe: It is lovely but completely
untouchable. A dancer's job is to affect the audience in
some way. Whether it is to make them smile, laugh, think, or
cry, dancers must learn to connect with audiences and let
them feel as if they too are dancing. In the same vein, I
also use the phrase "Surprise yourself!" Do what you think
you cannot. Do not question or correct yourself. Go for it!
Flexibility first.
Some people may argue this point, but if students are to
excel, they must be as flexible as possible. We rarely have
time in class to develop maximum flexibility in our
students, so we must find ways to encourage them to work on
their own. I give the analogy that my daughter would never
go to softball practice without her mitt and helmet. These
things are necessary equipment for her activity; without
them she would probably get hurt. Flexibility is necessary
equipment for dancers; they must bring it to every class. My
school offers incentives for improvements in flexibility,
including the "Split Club" for dancers who can do all three
splits.
Find your passion and attack it.
When people find what they love, they should move heaven and
Earth to make it happen. Teachers can help students identify
their passions and direct their studies in ways that
will satisfy their interests. If dance is their passion,
there are countless ways to develop that interest into a
career. A student who loves dance and photography could
combine those interests and specialize in dance photography.
A math whiz with good organizational skills could manage a
dance company. Painters could consider getting into set
design. Those who love to sew can investigate costume design
and construction. In this day of immediate Web access,
teachers have the resources at their fingertips to guide
students in researching all kinds of careers. All people
should be inspired to do what they love and love what they
do, and teachers can play a part in helping their students
make that discovery.
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