Finding the Right Dance Studio

I was 11 years old... I have vivid memories of getting in the car as a student, ripping open the envelope and going straight to the result section. At 11 years old, I did my grade 4 ballet exam. I scanned down to the result and looked at the big tick in the box right in the middle. A Merit. Not a Distinction, not a Pass but right in that middle ground – a Merit. With a score of 78. ‘’78… 78!!!!!???’’ my brain was whirring around…. 78!!! I was only 2 points off 80 and a mark of 80 would have given me the elusive Distinction I so desperately sought!! For a good hour after that tearing of the envelope I sat re-counting all my points; surely there was an extra 2 in there that someone had missed. Reading your dance exam results correctly Students at Dance Division do their exams through the Southern Federation of Dance syllabus. It’s not dissimilar to RAD which I studied however the marking system is a little different. SFD don’t give a number mark. Students instead receive a Commended or Highly Commended, with an indication that they received between 70-79 or 80-89 depending. I much prefer this style of marking, as it means we are less likely to have 11-year old’s counting up their marks!! It’s so important to not just skip down the bottom of that page and look at the result. Yes, take it on board, but READ your exam report thoroughly to understand where you excelled and where you may have some things to work on. Southern Federation give a tonne of feedback. Each exercise is listed so you know exactly what might need a bit more practice. It might be something as simple as ‘try not to look at the ground’, or ‘try for a softer arm line in that arabesque’. Teacher feedback Every year I like to take the time to chat to my students about exam results. There are so many factors that go into the final result and I want them to truly understand that. I don’t ever want them to feel disappointed but so much of the time they are – even when they have done really well!! There’s a perfectionist tendency, which is quite alarming and it certainly doesn’t come from me, nor from the parents that I know. I think we are simply living in a society and an era that puts increasing pressure on itself to be the best ALL the time at EVERYTHING. So when exam results do come back, we sit down as a class and have a chat. Maybe it’s a level 1 class and this was their first exam. We were all really nervous and maybe we forgot to smile or point our feet as hard as we could… but that’s ok because it is the first exam and we were super brave to do the exam, and we should all be really proud of ourselves for doing it! Maybe we’re at level 3 now and at level 3 your teacher can’t come into the exam room with you anymore. So, it’s a little bit scarier because you have to try and remember all your steps without any help. It’s possible we might have gone the wrong way on that exercise or done the wrong arm, but that’s ok too because the examiner understands that it can be tricky and we all make mistakes. Level 3 work is also quite a bit harder than level 2, with lots of new technique to remember. So sometimes we just need to practice a certain step a little bit more to really get that looking great. But we talk about it constructively and know we can work towards that strength and technique in level 4!  Or maybe when chatting with the Level 7 students, we’re aware that our bodies aren’t quite the same as they used to be, so we’ve had to learn better ways to work with all these new things that we’re still feeling at odds with. Most importantly, I urge everyone to be proud – for taking the exam and working so hard all year. Being the best version of ourselves is all that I can ask and all that the students should want. And now – it’s time to say goodbye to exam work and enjoy another fantastic concert!!

The excitement and anticipation, the butterflies. Maybe we even cross our fingers, willing it to be our name called out. We probably even feel a little light headed. And then there’s also the flicker of disappointment when it’s not our name. I was born in 1984 so was lucky enough to grow up in the glorious 90’s; a time of Saved by the Bell, boybands, recording your favourite song off the radio on to a tape, Super Nintendo, slouch socks over leggings. And a time where not everyone received an award purely for showing up! I think in my 28 years of dancing I’ve perhaps won 3 or 4 awards. Not a lot… I know I have 13-year-old students who have quadruple that – some from dancing, some from other activities. I know without a doubt the awards they have received from Dance Division are absolutely deserved, because ever since my first year of running the school I’ve made a point of taking particular care about selecting the recipients. It’s a touchy area for a dance teacher, but one that I am passionate about. Of the 4 awards I received there’s actually one that still irks me. I can’t remember how old I was, somewhere between 16-18 I think. I remember sitting on the stage after the concert, listening to various names being called out, holding my breath a little when the senior ballet award was being announced. And there it was, that familiar flicker of disappointment that it wasn’t me. But then a brand new feeling washed over me when my name was read out for the “Most Improved” award. Surprised, but mostly annoyed. My instant reaction was that I didn’t deserve this award. Most improved from what, I thought???? I received Honours in my exam last year and again this year. What did I do to deserve this?? I remember going back to the dressing rooms and seeing my mum – one look from her and I knew she was thinking the same thing. My mind kept deferring to another girl in my class who had worked so hard this last year; she had gone from missing a lot of dancing the previous year and doing so much to catch up and come back stronger this year. She should have won this award not me. Somehow my award felt like an obligation – Claire did really well in her exams again, so we better give her something. Hmm. Awards at Dance Division I think this experience taught me a lot about awards, and the positive and negative affect they can have on students. It’s certainly one of the reasons why I feel so strongly about the awards we give out at Dance Division. Our Achievement Award doesn’t necessarily go to the ‘best’ or most technically brilliant dancer, but rather one who demonstrates the following qualities: Commitment – is the student coming to class as much as they can? Determination and mindfulness – is this student trying to be the best version of themselves, not only in their dancing but also in their interaction with classmates and teachers? Passion and focus – do they love coming to dancing and are they taking on board their corrections in a positive way to improve themselves? These are the qualities we value at Dance Division and together help a student shine brightly in our eyes. We do make an exception however for our gorgeous 3-5 year olds… They all take home a medal each year as we feel it’s very important to acknowledge our youngest and the great job they do coming to class every week. Getting up on stage at 3 years of age is a pretty big deal! Valuable Life Lessons Very occasionally I will have a parent ask me why we don’t give an award to every single student. And I have a very particular view on this. I like to think that dance classes aren’t just about learning to dance. They’re also about building character. Learning to work well as a team with your fellow classmates, and learning to be respectful of others. Learning to work towards a goal – whether that be exams or a concert or mastering that adage – and the sense of achievement that comes in reaching that goal. It’s also about learning to cope with criticism. Dancers know that feedback and constructive criticism are not a personal attack, but rather a tool to help them improve and extend themselves.  One of the most important life skills we can learn from an awards ceremony is that often we do not get everything we want. Everyone at some point will lose or experience disappointment. The key is how we deal with those disappointments and how we grow from them. Hello resilience! We must learn to lose with grace and humility. We should also get the motivation to succeed! The truth is that if there were no failures, then no one would be inspired to take on challenges with fierce determination! It’s difficult to always do our best, and to always try our hardest and that’s ok. But no one will work hard if they are being rewarded for something that is below their best. If everyone gets a trophy… does anyone learn anything?

In 2013 my uncle Mark passed away. His death shook my family to its very core, rocketing us all into various forms of grief. My younger brother (also a Mark) and I were unable to attend the funeral; unfortunately living thousands of miles away meant it wasn’t possible for all of us to make the long trip to the UK. With businesses to run and a younger sibling to care for Mark and I remained here to hold the fort, so my parents could say their final goodbyes. We both felt we never got to have that sense of closure that is so important when someone passes. Later that year inspired by music my uncle had made me listen to on repeat the last time I’d seen him, I decided to choreograph a dance. A tribute dance to my uncle that was to be performed by myself and my students in the end of year performance. This was to be my closure, my own goodbye to him expressed in the best way possible for me. I could go on and on about what that dance meant to me, how proud I am of all the students that got up there with me, how difficult and at times heartbreaking it was. But one of the things that really stood out for me looking back, is the absolutely incredible support I felt on stage from the audience. I had this powerful feeling of solidarity; that they were WITH me, through every step, every turn and every tear. The Power of Performance Whilst not every performance experience is going to be quite like that one, it does give you an idea of just how powerful an effect the audience can have on you, and vice versa. Each year before every performance, we dancers crowd on stage behind the curtain quietly, nervous and giggly, adrenaline starting to kick in with the feelings of excitement and anticipation. We have a little speech we give our students… “Smile, try not to be too nervous, let’s show the audience the amazing show we’ve put together. Be the best dancer you can be tonight. These are our families and friends who have come to watch and support us. We owe it to them to do our very best!! Let’s make them proud!! And don’t forget to enjoy the moment… it will be over before you know it.” As dancers we can often underestimate how moving our performance may be to others. We dance because WE love it; the music, the choreography, the costumes. Watching the world disappear as we lose ourselves in the movement. But we forget it can also make the audience leave their own world and enter ours for a while too. During our choreographic competition this year I watched two of my long-term students perform a duo together – I should say TRIED to watch, because I cried through the entire thing. The absolute pride I had for these girls was so overwhelming. I felt honoured to have taught them for so long, to know the beautiful young women they were growing into, amazed at the effort they put into their piece and the passion they so obviously had for dance. I think they gave so much of themselves in that performance that in turn we, the audience, gave something of ourselves back to them. There was stillness in the room as they danced, a stillness that only comes with an audience who are entirely entranced but also completely respectful to the performers. Audience Etiquette Sometimes as audience members we don’t always understand or appreciate the complexities of putting a performance together. It’s a lot of hard work, sweat and tears by not only the people on stage but the ones behind it too; fixing hair, pinning accessories, helping with costumes, ferrying 3-year olds from dressing rooms to stage, pulling curtains, cueing lights, making sure music starts on time and doesn’t cut off too early! Yes, we the audience may have come to watch one person in particular. But that person is part of a class and a big team. A big “dance family” as we like to call it at Dance Division. Without that big team, without that family… the performance doesn’t happen. For instance Rebecca’s Dad might not know a thing about contemporary dance, or care for it much, but when his 5 year old ballerina twirls on stage his heart melts. She is all that matters in that moment. But it’s important that he appreciates that the little jazz girls and big hip hop girls and medium-sized contemporary girls also have daddies in the audience too. And in their performances, they are just as important to their special people as his little girl is to him. We might have a favourite dance style we like to watch, or we might only be there for our own child or our friend, but ALL of the students have worked hard to create magic on stage and it’s important to give all the performers the respect and attention they deserve. Performance is a two way street. Our dancers want to impress you, they want to make you sit up in your chair and applaud loudly. If you can give back support and attentiveness, the experience for performers and audience members alike becomes infinitely more special.

Why is it so important? 

To dance or not to dance? When I was 15 I had my first ever ballet solo. I was an absolute NERVOUS WRECK; I had the shakes, I felt sick, I couldn’t remember my routine, I even had a little teary backstage before I went on! The actual performing part is now a bit of a blur to me. I know I didn’t forget the dance but I don’t remember actually being on stage anymore. What I DO remember however, is the feeling of absolute exhilaration coming off stage. “Wow! I did it! I was nervous, and I was scared but I got out there and I did it and I did it well!!” There’s nothing quite like that feeling of achievement is there? After the concert this lady came up to me and said: “I loved your dance so much, you are such a beautiful dancer… you looked just like a fairy” I felt so special when I heard (I still do thinking about it now). To get a compliment like that from a complete stranger meant the absolute world to me and made all the nerves and the tears worthwhile. A little encouragement can go a long way! I would never have done that solo without a bit of a push from my Mum. She knew deep down I wanted to do it but that if the decision was left up to me completely the nerves would have gotten the better of me and I would have let myself miss out on that opportunity. Often mums do know best 😊 At Dance Division we have our end of year concert and exams, but we also hold our own Choreographic Competition. It’s a lovely opportunity for students to create their own little piece of dance magic! Choreographing a dance, either with a friend or on their own, gives students the chance to choose a piece of music they love, decide on a costume that makes them feel wonderful and then present the dance to family and friends in a supportive environment. Whilst the idea of getting up on stage on your own can be scary, its also SO rewarding! “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take” (Lewis Carroll) This year will be our 8th Choreographic Competition and in all that time I’ve never had a student regret being part of it or feel bad performing their dance. Sometimes we might forget some steps or maybe feel we didn’t dance as well as we’d hoped, or perhaps we’re a little disappointed we didn’t get the placing we thought we might, but that’s OK! It’s all part of the learning. Experiences like that can offer some of the most valuable life lessons of all. Every year I am so impressed by the students who take part – it’s one of the highlights of my year! I know many of us were blown away by the dance from last year’s overall winners Brooke, Taya and Milla. They worked very hard on their piece however they weren’t always sure about performing it for everyone, believe it or not. But with a little gentle encouragement, through their performance they allowed everyone in the audience to witness a moment of dance magic!  The Choreographic Competition is a time to celebrate the wonderful achievements of the dancers involved – their creativity, their vision, and their bravery for getting up there and having a go. To all the students who are thinking about participating this year: GO FOR IT! Know that your teachers, your family, friends and everyone in the audience will be with you; watching you sparkle and shine in a moment that is just for you!

A question we often get asked by parents and students alike, along with “do I have to?” is “what’s the point of an exam?” Whilst exams are not compulsory at Dance Division, we do highly recommend students give them a go, as the process assists with proper development and allows students to move up to the next grade safely... If students do not feel comfortable or ready to take an exam however, we fully support their decision and will encourage them to think about it for next year. What’s behind dance exams? The syllabus for each grade level is designed to help dancers develop their technique at a safe pace in order to prevent injuries. Forcing flexibility or strength components before a dancer’s body is ready can have serious long-term effects. Other factors in consideration as part of the process are maturity level, comprehension capability, attention span, motor skills and coordination. Dancers who don’t take exams or assessments may move up before they’re ready which can actually risk delays with progression. Exams are designed to motivate and encourage students of all ages and levels of ability, through a systematic measurement of progress and attainment. The benefits of a dance exam  Exams provide students with an important and achievable goal to work towards. By achieving those goals we often see a remarkable boost in self-confidence – something we all need from time to time! Studying for a dance exam also promotes discipline and commitment within the studio environment; a skill benefiting more than just the dance world! Naturally students can be nervous about taking an exam. Especially when they get to level 3 and it’s time for them to “leave the nest” and fly without their teacher there! Last year we had a level 3 student, who had always previously done her exams, start to feel quite anxious about taking that leap. She was adamant for quite a while that she wasn’t going to do her level 3 exam. However her lovely dad could see underneath the fear that she really did want to do it and knew that she would do well. A little encouragement, a compromise and a chat with her teacher saw this student decide to her jazz exam with wonderful results! And what a difference we then saw in this student – her confidence blossomed and she’s now looking forward to taking part in both ballet and jazz exams this year. 😊 What’s involved in a dance exam All Dance Division students are well prepared for their exams. Students will do their exams in small groups of 5 or 6 and they are always held at our studio so that students feel safe, secure and able to present their work just as they have practiced. All level 1 and 2 students will also have their teacher in the exam with them, so it’s not as scary as they might think!! All our classical and jazz exams are run through the Southern Federation of Dance Syllabus, whose warm and welcoming examiners aim to provide the best experience for all our dancers. You can find more information about SFD here… http://www.dancesfd.asn.au/home Susan Tan, Examiner and President of Southern Federation of Dance reiterated the importance and benefits of exams: “Having been a teacher for over 38 years, I am constantly blown away by how much a student's individual technique can grow when they are working on exam goals. Of course, Open Classes are an important part of a student's dance education, as well as regular performances, but it is in the memorising of intricate syllabus steps, breaking them down, refining the musicality and style, repeating the sequences regularly in class over a period of time so that they can really master all the components (on both sides not just your good leg!!) that really develops strong, all rounded and disciplined dancers” If you are unsure if your child should take an exam this year or would like more information about the process, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Dance Division teachers are always happy to speak to parents and/or students to help them feel more comfortable with the idea of exams. Together we can encourage students to see these exams as a positive experience and celebrate them reaching this important milestone in their journey with dance.

A few days ago, I watched a class and after a couple of slightly messy run-throughs of their dance, the teacher began to give corrections to the students. These corrections were met with silence, downcast eyes, a few grumpy faces and even a few tears. The teacher in question was in no way ‘hard’ on the class – I know I’ve certainly been stricter myself in the past - but this particular group of girls were visibly affected by the remarks. They are a class who strive for perfection and are quite hard on themselves when they don’t do as well as they think they should but it struck me as odd that they should behave in such a way after the teacher’s feedback. Most of us like to do well and impress our teachers and peers, but a growing (and worrying) trend amongst today’s generation is this immense pressure placed by individuals on themselves to be ‘perfect’ all the time. Often constructive criticism can be met with resentment, rather than be seen as an opportunity to learn and grow. This is also evident when exam results arrive – the exam reports are a source of great disappointment instead of achievement. The teacher of this class dealt with the situation brilliantly – she was comforting but also sensible and said to the group: ‘You are all ALLOWED to make mistakes! I make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes and that’s ok!! BUT as your teacher I’m also allowed to say something about it – that’s why I’m here!” Your exam results As we head into a week of receiving exam results, I urge all students to remember – you are allowed to make mistakes! Remember that we are all still learning (even your examiners and teachers are!) When you receive your exam report, don’t just skip down to the bottom and look at your result. Take the time to READ your report. Look at what exercises you did really well in and take that on board – well done you for doing so well with these ones!! Now look at which ones might need a little improvement. Maybe nerves got the better of you on exam day and the performance and presentation aspect wasn’t as strong as you would have liked. Have a think about why you felt so nervous? What can we do to help you feel more comfortable next time? Did you feel confident in your knowledge of all the steps? Sometimes feeling unsure of exercises can impact how confidently you approach your exam. If you did feel this, ask yourself why? Did you miss a few classes? Could you have done a bit of practice at home to help with this? Perhaps you received a correction in your report you always hear from your teacher! How can you work to improve this moving forward? Have you practiced this step? Has your teacher given you exercises to help if this is a strength/flexibility issue? Always remember, if you have any questions about your exam report please ask your teacher. We are more than happy to sit down with you and go over anything you might be unsure about. You should know that corrections don’t make you a ‘bad’ dancer and should never be viewed as ‘negative’. They certainly shouldn’t make you feel that you haven’t achieved something great – the very act of walking into that studio and taking the exam is a huge accomplishment. You should be very proud of yourself!! It’s ok to strive to improve and be the best version of yourself. Whether that is in dance or in any other aspect of your life. But just remember, when viewed as a learning opportunity for growth, a little constructive feedback can go a long way to help you achieve your goals!

For all of us dance veterans the prospect of a dance concert is the highlight of our year. It’s something we look forward to it the minute we start a new school year! We love learning the routines, trying on our costumes, stage makeup, new tights, photo day, dress rehearsal - we are all about the sequins and the sparkles!! However, for some students (and parents) who are not yet familiar with the dance world, the idea of a dance concert can be quite daunting. At Dance Division we aim to make the process as painless as possible by keeping parents informed of all-important dates early on, and providing lots of information without overwhelming you. Over the next few weeks all students will receive their “Concert Pack”, which includes everything you need to know in one place to help you navigate through this glittery time of year. The benefits of performing in a concert So after writing down all the dates and knowing what colour tights to get and if Charlotte’s hair has to be in a bun or a ponytail, you might be wondering what the benefits are of having your child participate in a dance concert? Here are a few things we think are worth their weight in gold!! 1. Concerts boost confidence!! Taking part in a performance can help students overcome stage fright, shyness or anxiety. Most students will become nervous about getting on stage in front of everyone, but they take comfort in the fact that nearly everyone feels the same way. For our younger students who may suffer from more nerves than others, our caring team are on hand to help guide and show them how to find the fun and joy in the process. We’ve never had a student not go on stage – yes there have been nerves and a few tears but in our experience, once the initial fear of getting out there has been overcome, we see students thrive and gain self confidence that will support them in years to come. 2. Concerts provide goals to work towards Like dance exams, the months spent preparing for a concert provides the student with a goal to work towards. It’s an opportunity to showcase all the new steps and technique and musicality they’ve learnt throughout the year. It also teaches students HOW to work towards a goal by learning new routines and mastering new steps that they’ll get to show off to their friends and families. 3. Teamwork! Dancing is a team sport!! There might not be a “Goal Shooter” or “Left Midfielder” in a dance routine, but all students have their positions and a part to play. Teamwork and camaraderie are an important part of a dance class and as concert time approaches we see this camaraderie extend beyond the student’s regular class to the whole studio; all students working together to make this concert the best one yet! 4. Building new skills Concerts can often expose students to a whole set of new skills: memorisation, stage directions and theatre terminology, spatial awareness from working in a new environment, and, one of our favourites, the long lost art of being patient and quiet.😊 5. Ah the memories! Concert memories are lifelong memories!! Pictures to hang on walls, costumes that become treasured keepsakes, the moments shared with fellow dance friends, the bright lights and applause and the exhilaration of pride as you take the last curtsey. Dance concerts are certainly a time of celebration and of learning and offer so many benefits to young dancers. Think before you act  Frustratingly, at this time of year we sometimes have a small handful of students drop out of dance. Occasionally the student is just tired as the year draws to a close, or has over-committed to other activities. In other instances the student has anxiety about performing. As teachers we feel it’s such a shame for a student not to see it through to the end of the year and perform in the concert, as it is the culmination of a year-long commitment to dance and is such an exciting time! We also feel a pang of disappointment for the other members in that student’s class. It’s easy to forget that dancing is actually a team sport too – losing a student so close to concert time can be exceptionally hard on fellow classmates who not only miss their friend but also now have to deal with the repercussions of an entire dance being re-worked to accommodate one less person. We encourage all parents and students to look at all the amazing benefits of participating in the end of year concert and have a really good think before making the decision to leave so close to the end of the year. For the families, the dance concert is a time to take pride in their dancer’s achievements. For the student, it’s a time to shine and let that love of performing grow. Let’s not sweat the small stuff (because at the end of the day no one will remember if Ava’s headband came off mid-dance), take a step back, breathe and enjoy this gorgeous, sparkly moment!