How to Marie Kondo Your Dance Program

What happens when your Dance Program doesn't "spark joy" anymore?

Okay, if you haven't seen Marie Kondo's series, "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo" on Netflix, it's definitely worth a watch.  

The show is a little different than your typical tirade-to-tears filled shows about decluttering a messy home.  She takes a more insightful, even, spiritual approach to decluttering. 

Which now begs the question, what would Marie Kondo do with your dance program if it got a little cluttered? 

Let's take a look at some "Kondo-like" tips that could spark joy again for you. 

For the sake of clarity, we're going to look at this through the lens of routines but shouldn't restrict you from using this identical approach with the syllabus dances on your program. 

How to Marie Kondo Your Dance Program

Step 1:  Take a Routine Inventory 

Just like Kondo, you're going to compile all of your routines into one place.  Kondo prefers a Mt. Fuji style mountain of clothes on your bed.  In our case, you'll use a piece of paper.  

With your teachers you're going to list out each and every routine that you currently have.  

Not just the ones you can do right now or the ones you like the best.  All of them.  

Sometimes it helps to have a list of all the dances ahead of time arranged by style: 

Smooth, Rhythm, Specialty, etc.  

Like this: 

Step 2:  Label The Needs

Next, you're going to sort through your inventory of projects.  Here are the categories you're going to use: 

• NEW CONSTRUCTION:  For any dances that you haven't assembled a routine for... or ones where the choreography hasn't been touched in over a year or two levels.  
• REMODEL:  This is for routines that need to catch up with your dance development. Choose this for dances where there is still a bit of the choreography left that can act as the foundation for the new material.  
• REDECORATE:  For any routines that have faded a bit but are not forgotten.  Maybe you haven't performed it in a while because you've been focused on other projects or events, don't scrap them - just redecorate.  

Like this: 

Step 3:  Fold and Sort Your Coaches

Kondo has that really cool way of folding clothes.  So you can actually see, and appreciate, what you have in your drawers.  

In our case, we are going to fold/sort our coaches. 

There are dance coaches that are perfect for each of these 3 stages of development. Making last minute decisions, rather than strategic planning, is the dance equivalent of piling clean clothes on the floor. 

Instead, assign a coach or two for each project to strategize its completion.  

Like this: 

Step 4:  Pick the Projects that "Spark Joy" 

You have completed your inventory.  Congratulations.  

Now you just need to pinpoint which 2-3 projects spark the most joy (Thank you Miss Kondo).  Keep in mind that what may have made you lose the spark in that dance to begin with was based on: 

• Music
• Costuming
• Story
• Technique
• Preparation

So select your projects knowing that any of those variables can dramatically improve your outlook on the dance.  

Final Thought

That's it!  

You no longer have a mountain of projects that are accumulating dust and regret.  You've got a neatly sorted inventory and action plan.  

Marie Kondo would be proud.   

Image credit:  LA Times

Image credit:  Alchetron