10 Lessons from Growing Up as a Dancer

Dr. Chelsea Moehlenbrock Author

Being a dancer is tough, but it is very rewarding. Dance offers some valuable life lessons. Here are some of them.

1. Time management: I’ll never forget the busy schedule I had through middle and high school and the amount of work I put into everything I did. Straight to the dance studio for classes and rehearsals after a long day of school. Come home with about an hour to eat, finish homework and study. Only to wake up bright and early the next morning to repeat the process. I learned to be efficient with when I did my homework, used my study halls or free periods wisely, and started working on bigger projects early so I could break them into small chunks. These habits served me greatly when I went on to college and physical therapy school.

2. How to take criticism: It’s common to get corrections during technique classes and rehearsals. It’s the best way to learn how to improve your technique, artistry, and your ability to embody what the choreographer is envisioning. Some dance teachers and choreographers are better at giving feedback than others. I definitely had a few very traditional teachers that made me cry in class when I was younger. However, I got better at taking criticism and learned not to take things personally. 

3. Self-discipline: Dance takes a lot of discipline day in and day out. Nothing comes overnight. Self-discipline was what got me through the hectic schedule and not let myself fall behind. The self-discipline that I learned in dance helps me push through the days where I have absolutely no motivation.

4. How to be a part of a team: I danced in a pre-professional program and learned a lot about what it took to be a part of a team in order to successfully pull off the major productions we were cast in. Whether we were learning new choreography together as a group or learning solos, we were there to cheer each other on. It took each and every one of us, main roles and background roles, to make the performances come alive.

5. Respect for my body: In the dance world, particularly ballet, there has been an “ideal” body type (this is slowly changing thankfully!). I didn’t fit that body type as well as some of my classmates, but I learned that I was more proud of my strength and healthy body than I was worried about fitting into the costumes (luckily my mom was the seamstress and could easily alter anything). I learned what my body needed for fuel so I could train 5-6 days a week and still have energy. I am still in awe of what the human body can do. Now that I'm a dance physical therapist and have a deeper knowledge of the body, I find our abilities even more amazing!

6. How to speak up for myself: Sometimes the dance world can get a bit dramatic depending on the personalities that surround you. I learned to speak up for myself, my needs, and my boundaries in a way that resonated with me.

7. Don’t let self-doubt tell you what you can and can’t do: Our brains are so powerful. They can hold so much information and can learn so many skills (I’ve always been surprised by how much choreography I can keep in my brain). We are limitless. However, our thoughts greatly influence our behaviors. I have experienced how much self-doubt held me back from getting to where I wanted to be in dance and in life. Once I realized that the first step in reaching my goals was changing my self-talk, everything changed. 

8. Self-expression is freeing: Through my dance training and my participation in social dance, I discovered how much better I feel during and after dancing. I feel more authentic in who I am. Bringing that authentic part of myself to the world simply makes the experience of life more enjoyable and inspires others around you to also express more authenticity.

9. Creativity is powerful: In college I started participating in a program that taught dance classes to individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. I started diving into the research behind creativity, dance, and the brain. That experience opened my eyes to a completely different avenue in which dance can be experienced. Dance is not just for trained dancers, but also for people who have absolutely no dance experience. 

10. Never stop learning: No matter how many dance classes I took, there was always more to learn. The more we know, the more we know that we don’t know. Why remain stagnant? Why not pursue your dreams?

What life lessons has dance taught you?