Why Learning Dance Wasn’t As Scary As I Thought
It’s easier than you think (if you know a few insider secrets)
Many of us secretly wish we could be great dancers, but end up watching from the sidelines because it seems so intimidating to go to a class and struggle in front of a teacher or other students, or we’re not sure if we can succeed. But you’ve already mastered many harder-to-learn tasks like speaking, writing or driving, so you can definitely learn dance. What I found as I went though the learning process is that most of what made it seem “hard” was just in my head. When I got great advice from my teachers and dance friends that helped me overcome these, the rest was easy.
1. Every dancer was an awkward beginner once (even your teacher).
It made a big difference when my teacher helped me realize that very person in that room with me is on the exact same learning journey. Some of them were just a little farther along the path. They went through the same struggle of awkwardly remembering where to step or how to stand. NOBODY was judging me or looking down on me for not knowing it yet. If anything, they felt a respect and kinship with me for having the courage to be a fellow dance student.
2. Learn to be OK with not being an expert yet.
I was so used to being good at the things I do that at first it really bugged me to be struggling so much in class. Many of the harder-to-learn things I did in daily life (like writing and talking), I learned so long ago that being a struggling beginner felt alien and wrong to me. But my stressing about that kept me from focusing properly on the class, so it was like trying to learn with half my brain. When I accepted that it is a totally normal part of the process, it freed me to just have fun and learn.
3. It only FEELS like people are watching you.
At first it felt like the whole room was watching me struggle and a lot of my dance friends told me they felt the same at some point in their learning, but that’s all in our mind. In reality everyone else is focused on their own dancing, or is in their head stressing out because they think the whole room is watching THEM. Besides, if you are in the right class for your skill level, there will be plenty of other people doing just as well or as poorly as you. You blend in better than you think, so stay calm and dance on 🙂
4. The right class, teacher and school really helps.
I’ve tried a few schools and teachers over the years and the difference between a bad one and a good one is like night and day. The great schools have a friendly, high energy vibe that makes it so much easier for the learning process to feel fun. The great teachers keep things upbeat, positive and make you feel more at ease almost immediately. They don’t just demonstrate moves, they help you understand what makes them work so you can learn faster. Just don’t get too ambitious and jump into an intermediate class before you’ve really mastered beginner classes, you’ll just get unnecessarily discouraged.
When you get these mental blocks out of the way, it lets you just have fun learning and not hold yourself back. Combined with the right support, like what we take great pains to provide at DanceLife X, and all you have to do is put in a little effort and time. You’ll be tearing up the floor like a pro in no time!
So get off that couch and come down to Dancelife X to check out our amazing Toronto Hip Hop Dance Classes, Toronto KPOP Dance Classes, Toronto Ballroom Lessons, Toronto Wedding Dance Lessons, or Toronto Kids Dance Classes. You will find one of the most welcoming, supportive dance learning communities in the country and top shelf teachers.
