* Discipline: The discipline of attending a weekly class or multiple classes, knowing that the repetition of anything is what makes it embodied and ingrained. This is true to all learning. If you want to be great at anything, you must persevere and practice. No one is going to do it for you.
* Show Up: Most of the success Ive achieved in my life so far have been just over coming the fear of showing up. Whether it was for an audition, an interview, a workshop or a masterclass. The fear of showing up can hold so many people back. In dance, if you want the opportunities, you have to show up.
* Dealing with Failure: Rarely did I ever get a move first time. It took weekly practice and many fails. But in dance you deal with the failure, because you don't see it as failure, you see it as a necessary part of learning
* How to listen: In dance you have to listen and observe. You have to pay attention, to the tiniest details. It makes you a great student. Because if you are talking while the teacher is teaching, or you are distracted, you could miss an important element valuable to your advancement.
*Emotional Intelligence: In dance you must portray a story, be connected to your emotions, and to be connected to your emotions you must be aware of emotions. This can help you work through challenging times as awareness is the first step in overcoming any obstacle. Dance also helps you work through your emotions so you never stay stuck for long. Emotions= Energy in Motion. In dance, you can flow through and work through your emotions instead of blocking them or burying them. This makes for a healthier relationship with life, other people, and most importantly, yourself.
*Intuition: When you're creating dance, you need to get really internal, connect to the music and let the ideas flow. You can't be locked in your head, but be open and aware to the ideas that come in , be open to experimenting with them, keep what 'feels right', discard what feels 'not right'. It is a great teacher of finding your internal compass and allowing you to experiment to fine tune that inner voice that guides you to greatness.
So yes, dancing is fun, can be cool and help you show off to your friends, but it runs much deeper than that. Any success or breakthrough Ive ever had have been down to the skills I have learnt in dance. It helps me feel joy, appreciation, acceptance and peace.
Id love to hear what Dance has taught you...
Big Love,
Zoe