Although you’ll make plenty of great friends in the dance world, it’s also highly competitive.
This competitiveness is pretty obvious at times, from competition dance to company audition season. However, there’s a secret: it doesn’t have to be this way.
What do you do when you find someone else who’s right where you want to be? You might feel that… uh oh… green jealousy monster lurking in the shadows. Or, maybe you feel intimidated by being in the same room as them! It’s okay, you wouldn’t be the only one to experience this. But it’s what you do with the feeling that matters.
Let’s pretend like you’re in a dance class. There’s a new student who walks in. She gracefully takes her place at the barre… and picks up on all the choreography. She can do a quadruple pirouette while you’re struggling to do a double. The usually unimpressed teaches is raining compliments and attention on her. She’s got that look… and boy, can she dance.
So now what do you do? Do you scheme and plot to take her down by putting itching powder in her pointe shoes? Well… not exactly.
There will always be a better dancer than you, but there will never be a dancer just like you.
Unknown wisdom
Let’s remember this first and foremost. There are things about you as a dancer that people need. Maybe you can’t tap dance to save your life, but you have integrity and show up to every rehearsal. There are certain qualities about you that make your work valuable. So, take a deep breath. With that said, what do you do when there’s another dancer ahead of you?
Forget trying to one up her. Stop competing with her. And don’t put that itch powder in her pointe shoes. Instead,
Pledge allegiance to the Queen.
If the dancer in mind is a kind and decent person, there’s no reason for you to put up a wall around her. I’ll bet there’s plenty of things you can learn by befriending her. This is about setting aside your ego and realizing that competitiveness isn’t going to make you any friends. And most artists want to share their tips and tricks, and to mentor others. It’s natural for them to want to help you.
I believe in collaboration over competitiveness.
This doesn’t mean you’re subordinate to another dancer. Rather, this should be a reciprocal relationship. For example, if you’re in business with a successful dance studio owner, maybe you learn by watching how they run their studio while they pay you for your hard work. Then, you can see how a successful business is run while making a living… and the studio owner has you as a reliable worker.
With that said, please remember to never put someone on a pedestal. When you put someone on a pedestal, you’re forcing them to look down on you. Just as trying to one-up someone kills collaboration, so does being a doormat.
If you meet another dancer who’s ahead of you and you resort to competitiveness or pettiness, you will never win.
Most people are generally good people and want to help others. It’s up to you to make this discernment and act accordingly. If the dancer who’s highly accomplished is a generally nice person, put your ego aside and pledge allegiance to the Queen.