A lot of dance training looks like an individual sport – we come to class, we work on our own technique and strength, we stretch our bodies, and we work individually. Equally important to our own effort and self-accountability is how we support one another. When we dance together to the same music, we become a corps de ballet, a team of artist-athletes working together.
Imagine you’re on a soccer team and your goalie doesn’t show up for your game. You may still be able to play and you may even have a great game, but it won’t be as fun as if your full team was there. The same thing is true in dance class. We’re working to progress collectively and individually, and we’re often working on combinations or choreography that have formations and specific places for specific people. Practicing transitions without a person there is similar to practicing a song to perform with a band that’s missing a section. The people that practice still benefit, but rehearsing with a full cast is what is required to prepare for performances.
Our dance education is more than dance – it prepares us for life. All of our lives we are faced with choices: what we choose to prioritize and where we spend our time. It’s often hard to make those choices because there are many things we want to do that happen at the same time. When we sign up for a dance class, we’re making a commitment to ourselves but also to the other dancers in class. When we think about missing class for another activity, that impacts the rest of our class.
If you know you will miss class, it is important to communicate that with as much advance notice as you can. That will help the teacher prepare for the class to best use the time for the dancers that attend. If you know you’ll often have a conflict with your class time, email Danspace so we can see if a different class or class time may work better for your schedule and other commitments.
Thank you for your commitment to dance and your commitment to your fellow dancers in class!
