With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we thought it was the perfect time to think about why we are thankful for dance. At Mellado Dance Elite, we consider dance a precious gift that has been given from our parents (who supported us financially and emotionally), our teachers (who passed on their love and knowledge of dance), and our peers (who pushed us and supported us during the difficult times). Every year around Thanksgiving, it is really important to remember why dance is so special to us all. Doing so can help us re-focus on goals and maintain a positive attitude throughout the year. Although there are so many reasons why we are thankful for dance, we thought we would share a couple with you today:
- When you dance, you become SO familiar with how your body feels and moves. You notice if your right hip is tight or how the floor underneath your feet feels. This body awareness is a gift that dancers will carry with them throughout their lives regardless if they continue dancing beyond their studio years. It also takes practice! We are so thankful our dancers get so much of it during class.
- We are also thankful for the friendships that are made within the studio. Dancing together creates such a unique bond! Beyond the chit chat that happens before class time, dancers make meaningful friendships through working hard, sweating together, learning to dance in unison, and helping each other achieve goals! There are many points in contemporary dance, where dancers literally have to support each other in partnering work, talk about having someone’s back, right?! A dance friendship is unlike any other and that is a great thing!
- Dance is a creative outlet for all sorts of feelings. Movement and music are a wonderful way to express feelings that you have a hard time communicating. Close your bedroom door, put on a song you love, and just MOVE. This skills comes in handy during difficult times and we will forever be thankful that dance has been there for us during those times. Really, we think everyone feels better after a dance party!
- Dance is a great stress reliever. While you are in dance class, the outside world doesn’t matter. When dancers walk into our classes at MDE, they can forget about tomorrow’s math test or the fight they had with their parents. They are allowed and encouraged to get completely lost in the music and movement. With all the pressures young students have to deal with, this stress relief is often a welcomed one.
- Dance is amazing way to bring people together, it is universal. You can appreciate and participate in dance even if you speak another language or are from another culture. Dance provides a common ground. We are also thankful that with all the different styles of dance out there, our students are exposed to new things all the time. It helps them appreciate something that is different or unique. Dancers have to be open minded in the classroom and we are beyond lucky to say that this skill translates outside of the classroom as well. Â
As you can see, we are SO lucky to have dance in our lives. We want to encourage all of our dancers this year (and their parents) to sit down and journal about the reasons they are thankful for dance. Doing so will ensure your dancer stays motivated and excited to learn year after year.
From all of the staff at Mellado Dance Elite, we want to wish all of our families a happy Thanksgiving. One of the most important things we are thankful for is our amazing dance families. We love getting to know all of you and have loved helping your dancers accomplish their goals and dreams. We hope you are all able to enjoy the holiday with the people you love.
