With over three decades of creating and judging for the dance team industry, I’ve learned A LOT!

I’ve created winning routines & I’ve had a few, well…let’s call them learning experiences!

In this blog post, I’ll share some of my pro tips to help you focus in on what I’ve found to be helpful in building a solid & successful routine. After all, the ROUTINE(S) is what the season revolves around.

 Whether you are new to choreography or an old pro, hopefully you’ll walk away with a tip or two to help make the process a little easier!

“I have multiple upper classmen on my team, what are some leadership positions I can assign besides captains?”

Have you been faced with a challenge and been told, “get out of your comfort zone?”  This phrase is commonly used by coaches/teachers because when we leave our comfort zone, that is where our greatest growth happens. If you are new to this feeling of discomfort or wondering what you can do to leave your comfort zone, here are a few ideas.

You’ve been named an alternate to the routine, now what?

For some, the new dance season has started. For others, that start date is just around the corner. Today, take a moment to do an emotional self-check on how prepared you feel for the season.

Let’s get out those journals!

It is natural to want to compare ourselves to others. How quickly we can PROVE our abilities based on our peers is believed to be a defining quality towards how “talented” we are.  Unfortunately, with this mindset we lose sight of what truly matters, the goal of IMPROVING.

In our development as dancers, we need to take the time to evaluate our dedication to consistent, intentional work to improve. These factors can contribute to your success and joy as a competitor/performer just as much, if not more than your talent.

I came across a Development Dedication Questionnaire and adapted it to dance to assist in giving an honest assessment into how dedicated you are to your development. This is a great questionnaire to better understand your level of dedication and highlight any areas that could be improved.

Let’s get out those journals!

This month, let’s visit one of your long-term goals and commit to the immediate actions needed to get the process started. We will do a check in next month to see how we are progressing!

Time get out those journals!

Dancers, of all levels, understand the value of hard work, dedication, and consistent training to achieve their fullest potential. However, the #1 mental performance tool that is often overlooked is the use of a performance journal. SO, what is a performance journal? Why should EVERY dancer keep a journal? How do you use it?

Dancing is not just an art; it’s a journey of self-discovery and continuous improvement. No matter your ability level, setting goals is essential to enhancing your dance skills and reaching new heights.

So, WHY should you set goals and HOW do you make those goals effective and achievable?

Somedays we need reminders of why we show up, sweat, push ourselves to our limit, work through those muscle aches, and more. Here are 10 motivational reminders.