You don’t have to be the best dancer in class, you don’t have to perform professionally or otherwise. Nor do you have to choreograph to say you are a dancer.  That’s because dance is more than that.  Dance has the unique power to inspire creativity.  It has the power to bring communities together, to foster communications, to heal the mind, body and soul.  Dance teaches life skills that are transferable to everything we do.  Dancers are masters at:

  • Problem Solving
  • Time management
  • Discipline
  • Dedication
  • Organization
  • Focus & concentration
  • Commitment – sense of responsibility
  • Understanding & embracing criticism
  • Listening and following directions
  • Mental and physical stamina
  • Critical thinking
  • Passion

Dancers trained at universities further their understanding of these skills and better position themselves to keep dance in their lives forever, on or off the stage, in  or out the class room or anywhere in the world.

In a recent post on the Dance/USA website ( http://www2.danceusa.org/ejournal/post.cfm?entry=a-letter-to-my-former-student ), Karen Bradley associate professor and director of graduate studies in dance at the University of Maryland College Park said it perfectly:

“The purpose of the university dance program is to offer students the opportunity to participate in a deep and profound process of creating, performing, responding to, and connecting from the practice of an art form. Dance takes them into the life of arts-informed human beings; people who live not at the margins of the world, but lead the way, by example, to full, proactive, creative, disciplined, empathic, and imaginative lives.”

The take away? Dance is powerful.  If you love dance don’t turn your back on it to pursue other avenues.  Look for ways to incorporate your passion into your career.  Never stop dancing.

Dancers: feel confident in who you are and what you can accomplish – on stage, in class and in life.

Employers: Hire a dancer and you’ll have one of the most dedicated and hard-working employees you will ever have the pleasure of working with.