Discovering Your Dance Direction

By Tom Ralabate

Discipline and an open mind point the way to a clear career path.

Discovering your path in dance doesn’t always come in a flash of inspiration. For some, it’s a lifelong process of discovery and reinvention. Your values and perspective about the art form also shape the direction of your career, whether it’s as a dancer, dance teacher, or choreographer.

The great choreographer Agnes de Mille once commented that performing dancers are not dedicated or committed people; they just do what is expected of them in their jobs and their chosen paths as artists. She went on to say that being a dancer is about discipline. Dancers who perform are expected to attend class to maintain technique, cross-train to stay physically conditioned, address their body image through a proper diet and constructive rest, and be knowledgeable about their art.

De Mille’s words resonate with me as I reflect on the course of my personal dance direction and watch colleagues and students make choices during their artistic journeys. After years of ups, downs, and dramatic changes in my own direction, I see the wisdom in her comment. I have learned that personal responsibility to a profession or calling and all the expectations that go with it are directly connected to a disciplined lifestyle.

Dancers who take shortcuts in their chosen paths, settling for the ordinary rather than striving for excellence, cheat their artistic potential and seem to regard dance as merely a career. Those who look critically at their career paths and ask themselves how they can be advocates for dance use their discipline to succeed both as artists and professionals.

Reaching that level of artistry isn’t always a straight path. I view dance as a communicative art with multiple roles—performance, choreography, education, recreation, production, and research—that offer many possibilities and directions. Sometimes dancers have clear, concise goals and know which direction to take. At other times they act on a visceral feeling, taking a certain path because it feels right. Some people have a dream and stay on course to its fruition.

The majority of freshmen in the University of Buffalo’s dance program, where I teach, have one direction in mind: fulfilling their dream to perform. That dream is invariably connected to a young dancer’s socialization process. It combines many factors: performance experiences, winning accolades in dance competitions, the approving sound of applause, the passion for physicality, the spiritual uplift of movement in the classroom, the guidance of an inspirational teacher. And some of them, unfortunately, are carrying out the dreams or seeking the approval of their parents.

Often, those who are confident about their ability and secure in their dance identity can take a dream, along with their gut feelings, and chassé with it. As aspiring young artists progress through a college dance program, they learn about dance’s communicative role—the many directions dance can take them in addition to performance. Through the acquisition of knowledge, students go through a period of wanting to do it all—perform, teach, and choreograph.

Discoveries or shifts in direction are possible only by keeping an open mind and maintaining a passion for excellence while meeting job expectations. The open-minded choreographer finds success by examining all movement and thematic possibilities. The open-minded teacher uses a kaleidoscope of approaches connected to meaningful language and imagery in order to explain and encourage excellence in technical development, which is then artistically translated into the performance. An open-minded approach to life allows serendipity to happen. Even miracles are possible.

With each vertical or horizontal move we make in our dance direction, we must reinforce our connection to a circle of trust—from those who believe in us, to ourselves (by believing in our own innate talent and potential for greatness), perhaps to a spiritual connection to a higher power. What matters is following a responsible path of excellence by being disciplined, meeting expectations, and embracing one’s potential.

Today’s world offers many opportunities for dancers to discover their direction. A wide range of programs provides strong educational pathways and choices. Although gravitating toward a program that suits one’s needs and pocketbook is natural, I encourage keeping an open mind when making choices. Life’s paramount decisions, as well as one’s artistic voice, are manifested within each of us. Take time to do research, talk to colleagues and peers, or visit schools to get a feel for their learning environments. Peruse the listings of educational and artistic programs that are out there. You may discover options you didn’t know you had, like Dance Masters of America’s three-year Certified Master’s in Dance Direction program, for educators who desire further study in education, choreography, and administration.

I encourage dance teachers to discuss with their students their own dance direction and personal journeys. Tell them how you got from point A to B; describe the mistakes you made and the wisdom you have found. This exchange between teacher and student fosters mutual respect for each other’s choices and decisions and creates a blueprint for problem solving. In professional sports, we have heard athletes say to their agents, “Show me the money.” In education, the cry from students to their teachers is “Show me the way.”

Life is a work in progress—we experience and complete one direction and transition to another. By looking within ourselves and accepting and fulfilling the expectations of each chosen direction, we come to understand the meaning of a disciplined life.