You only need to be better than yourself!

Dancers often tend to develop quite competitive nature over time. When your body and physical ability is being examined more then most people would feel comfortable with, it's hard not to let your ego get in the way of why we started dance in the first place. I know I have many times!

I have to say, one of the main forces for my said competitiveness are the 'naturals', in particular the naturals who don't appear to work as hard, or just don't have the passion I or my other classmates have. This sounds very conceited, but I'm sure many dancers can relate. Not many other things are as discouraging as someone doing seemingly nothing and yet getting more recognition. 

I mentioned briefly in one of my hastily written summer school posts the girl with so much drive but surprisingly little technique. My heart broke for her, because she worked so hard but didn't end up getting a solo for the end of week demonstration. But we were so in sync, because not many other people are in the same situation as me, and have such similar views on ballet as I do! The thing I admired most though is that she obviously had such a passion for it, and that's why we dance isn't it?

The thing is, no one is working from the same tools, meaning human bodies are not all the same blank canvases. Someone may just have better turn out, feet, flexibility or the ability to pick up combinations! That's why goal setting is so important, it reminds you of what you have achieved! It's also important not to set time limits for yourself based on others, set time GOALS but if you don't achieve that goal within say 2 weeks or whatever then that does not mean you are not good. I'm sure you've read countless things on accepting your body and abilities, but accepting yourself is such a fundamental thing to do in order to get the best out of dance! 

I hope you're all well and you all enjoy your Easter break! We seem to be suffering from an elongated summer over here, ugh I hate this hot weather ruining my favourite season! I just want to bust out the ridiculous amount of warm-ups already! Also, my ballet exam is literally almost a month! I went to a rehearsal on Sunday and I was fine beforehand but as soon as I walked in and had to practice introducing myself to the examiner I got so nervous and it all just dawned on me OH GOD!!

Not sure where I should go with this blog.

Sorry I haven't written a post in a shameful amount of time! Truth is though, I have rather mixed intentions of what my content should be about! I'm still keeping track of my corrections and what not, but I do so by scribbling notes in a journal I take around with me. Doing things purely with technology obviously wasn't working for me so I decided to rep it old style!

However I decided that simply not posting is not going to help me decide what content this blog should produce, I think I need to continue experimenting to see what fits.

So while that happens, I might just give a quick update! One of my goals for the year was to pass my Grade 6 exam, and I will be taking it in the last week of April! At this point in time, I am not nervous, instead I am rather excited! Before I do my exam, I'll turn 18, which is quite an alien concept, to actually be an adult. I still feel like I need to grip onto my childhood (especially being a late starter in ballet and wanting to be perceived as younger than I am to blend in) but now I look forward to beginning this new chapter of my life. I've stopped hushing my classmates when they try to discuss how old I am ("ancient" has also been used to describe me. They're 3 years younger then I am) and started to embrace it! I had no trouble excitedly claiming to my contemporary teacher "I'M 18 NEXT MONTH OMG WHAT?!?!"  and I'm sure my ballet teacher will soon be hearing about it as well!

I'm looking forward to the coming months, this year has been pretty good so far, I'll will try to post often, even if at the moment it is just updates like these!