Advanced Training in…Mindset

As a dance teacher with 35 plus years under my belt, I’ve worked with a lot of young people on dance skills.  If you asked me what was the most important thing I’ve taught in all my classes, my answer would be mindset. 

Why Mindset Matters

Wait, what?  Shouldn’t it be flexibility or strength or turns?  Well, before the magic can happen, I have to have students that are receptive.  They have to believe they can do it even though they could be years away from achieving that thing they want desperately to do.  They have to understand the process of mastery, how important self-discipline is, and how learning to dance is a slow, cumulative process.  

Mindset With New Challenges

With the start of a new season right around the corner, all the teachers and I will spend time planning how best to prepare the different age groups for the important skills they will need to be successful in their dance classes (and beyond!).  And the first thing on the list is their mindset.  One of my favorite memories from last year was a student telling me during class how apprehensive she was about an upcoming math test.  We talked about how the mindset skills she uses in dance could be applied to her math and she came back the next week thrilled with her success. I love when that happens and I emphasize to all my students how their “dance” skills can be used in school.

So stay tuned, we’re teaching the next generation of scientists, computer whizzes, novelists, and much more.  They’ll have their ballet classes to thank for their perseverance and self-discipline.  

-Mary Ann Gevrasev