Panic at the Disco!
In real life, underneath layers of encouragement, muscle memory, and dance technique - there's a seed of doubt that is taking root. It contaminates the soil, erodes your confidence, and, oh yeah, dancers do it to themselves all the time.
Here's an example of what a Dance Conspiracy might look like in a Sci-Fi movie:
Dance judges are professionals at what they do.
They look at a variety of things when making their decisions and giving feedback. Here are some ideas of what dance judges look for.
Sometimes, we get a result in our dancing that wasn't what we were hoping for. In a moment of weakness, it can be easier to find fault with external forces like the judges, the music, and the environment. The best approach is to have two sets of goals: Safe and Bonus.
A Safe Goal: Something that is expected, within your grasp, and you have total control of. It's also the big picture reason for why you're participating.
A Bonus Goal: Something you can't control, like results, or new skills showing up that haven't been emphasized as long.
Example
Safe Goal for World Dance-O-Rama®: Improve my dance confidence. Dance all 100 entries without falling over, and with improved posture.
Bonus Goal for World Dance-O-Rama®: Get a callback in semi-final, don't cry if I win a trophy, get my arm styling to show up on the video.
The program at a Showcase or Dance-O-Rama® is really, really big.
There are countless hours of data entry that go into any event of that scale. Think of this like your high school yearbook, but with less time and probably more work.
Benefit of the doubt will save the day here. Your teacher, your studio, and the organizers have nothing to gain from having a student upset. In fact, it's quite the opposite. In addition, if your name is missing from the program, that doesn't mean its missing from the dances you signed up for. Calmly inform your teacher, take a deep breath, and get ready for your first heat.
The Facts:
If new moves are the lyrics, then technique is how you sing them.
Your teacher has a vested interest in how you look on the dance floor. It would be a bad business move to teach you in reverse (if that were possible).
Technique takes longer to show up at full speed because it has more working parts than choreography.
Imagine the catastrophic failures which would ensue if there were silent fire alarms. What purpose would they serve? Well, if you've ever had a false alarm in the middle of the night, you may have wished for one, but still - it would be dangerous, to say the least. When it comes to the process you're in with your dance evolution, it is important to communicate, ask questions, and stay informed. Your teacher wants you to do well just as much as you do, but you may never know that without dialogue.
For more on this, take a look at 5 Reasons Why People Stop Taking Dance Lessons
Dance costumes can do a lot to enhance great dancing.
Dance costumes cannot create great dancing.
Great dancers can make any outfit look good.
A great costume is like a great advertisement - but your dancing is the actual product. The costume may get some attention, but the quality of the dancing will determine if you keep it. Now, you can take your mental energy and focus it on the costumes around you, or on the execution of your next dance performance. Hint: why not choose to focus on your own dancing? (Sort of an ongoing theme).
If major hotel chains couldn't stop Van Halen from having wild after parties, they'd have a tough time conspiring to stop you.
Freaking out about your room doesn't make hotel employees work any harder.
Everyone - you, the hotel staff, your dance teacher - wants you to make it to your hotel room safe and sound.
Take a deep breath, check your luggage, and head to the bar. While you're at it, stop by the gift shop and load up on some high protein snacks and bottled water. Waiting for your hotel room is out of your control, but they can't force you to eat the $12 almonds in the minibar.
There is someone conspiring to keep you from waking up... and they look just like a half-asleep version of you.
This is the same person that has said the popular phrases, "I'll just pack in the morning" and "Just five more minutes".
Don't blame anyone, or anything, for over-sleeping. It's not worth it, and the only people that still buy that lame excuse are still using rotary telephones. Instead, try this: Get more sleep, set two alarms, and leave your phone on the opposite side of the room so you're forced to stand up.
Having a cheering section is great at a big dance event.
Often times, that cheering section is made up of other participants in the same event - so they can't always cheer.
Other studios don't gain anything by disturbing you, rattling you, or taunting - and, frankly, that isn't reflective of the spirit and culture of the Arthur Murray Dance world.
Did you know that if you can hear the audience cheering for you, then your body is becoming more acclimated to the event? There are plenty of times when you can dance and be completely numb to the sights and sounds of a dance competition. There is about 0% chance of someone booing you at a Dance-O-Rama®, but any sounds you do hear mean you are gaining dance confidence.
Want to see what it looks like when an audience is intentionally trying to rattle you? Imagine trying to concentrate when something like this happens.
Dancers are going to bump into dancers.
When that happens, the best ones apologize.
The ones that don't are probably too nervous, or "dance environment numb" to do so.
It's just like a minor traffic accident - there was no intent to harm
In our first ever final in American Smooth, I bumped into a friend of mine. Oh yes, and he also happened to be the American Smooth champion, and oh yes, we also happened to be dancing Viennese Waltz.
Boom!
Nick Kosovich gets blasted by a 6'4" nervous ball of Viennese Waltz energy. We stop to assess the damage. Nick asks, "Hey, are you alright mate?" and I respond with a deer in the headlights look, and the Viennese Waltz equivalent of "let's get out of here!". I had all the finesse and sophistication of Scooby Do.
Nick was calm. He was comfortable, and he was also accustomed to the occasional ballroom collision. I was the exact opposite. Minor bumps on the floor come with the territory, but recovering well, apologizing, and showing class reveals more about your experience than whatever move got you into that jam to begin with. There was no conspiracy on his part, or mine. I didn't see him, and he was the champion. Hopefully, you see it that way too.
Your teacher's reputation is more important than their paycheck.
A bad reputation does not improve a paycheck.
Forcing people to do things that they aren't interested in, or equipped for, would sully a teacher's reputation.
Don't be alarmed. Your teacher is a teacher, and its not just because they know more about dancing. Just like any teacher, they are motivators, and they see the long game. A great teacher can see the entire process, and how it builds, and develops, beyond the "here and now". So, that means that they may invite you to things that you don't feel ready for, but know this: They won't invite you if they don't feel like you are capable.
Besides, consider the alternative. Would you be more offended by a teacher that always invited you to things because they believed in you, or a teacher who never invited you to try new things because they were convinced you weren't good enough?
Your nerves are talking. Sometimes it's frantic rants, and teeth grinding frustration. Other times, your nerves are speaking in hushed tones, speculating on why things didn't work out the way that you wanted.
This is a way to process through nervous energy, but it's not really a productive one. It's the dance preparation version of bad reality TV.
To be honest, there is a plot under way. There's a scheme deep in the underbelly of your dance journey. It requires a skilled team, trained in the dark arts of customer service, communication and dance instruction. Let it be known that they are all conspiring to motivate you, persuade your inner critic to abandon the staus quo, and try something new.
Allowing this to continue may improve your happiness and overall ballroom dance ability. Consider yourself warned.
Next Article: Should I Choose Private Lessons or Group Classes?