It's Summertime!

I’m writing this in the blistering heat of New York City excited by the obvious fact that summer is officially here. I remember loving the start of this weather because it meant school was almost over and long lazy days in the sun were closer than ever. The only thing that dampened my mood was the realization that dance was over too! By this time, the curtain has come down on most studios’ recitals or end of year performances leaving you with a feeling of, “now what?” This is a feeling I know all too well! 

Photo credit: Erin Baiano

With a looser dance schedule you fear that all you have worked hard to improve might slip away. There’s no need to stress too much about it though. Besides the fact that resting can actually be beneficial to your dancing (keep an eye out for a post on this later!), there are ways to continue dancing without spending tons of money to go away to an official program.

Some dancers are fortunate enough attend official summer courses that are full of fun classes with different teachers. While these programs are ideal for summer study, the downside is their inevitable expenses that many families cannot afford. When I first started dancing in the summer, this was the case for me. As much as I wanted to go away to study somewhere great, it just wasn’t possible.

Instead, I looked into local studios’ and universities’ summer schedules to see what they had to offer me. I ended up having a great summer trying dance genres I never had before. I remember the day I decided to drop in for a modern class at my studio when I was about 10. I was terrified and felt so out of place, but in the end, I found it was so fun to move in that way. I never really thought modern would be that beneficial or even fun for me since I was focused on ballet, but it made me more grounded and fearless. Now, I try to take contemporary or modern whenever I can to help me loosen up and de-stress.

It’s okay that you can’t go away to a summer course. It’s not the end of the world. Check out the local studios or universities in your area to see what fun classes they have to offer! And don’t be afraid to try something new. Summer is the perfect time to challenge yourself and explore since you’re not as distracted with schoolwork. New styles of dance or a new environment will reinvigorate you and make you want to work harder to prove yourself to the new teacher. Also, there’s nothing like feeling really accomplished and exhausted from a new class and then hitting the pool to cool down!

Encore note: If you’re lucky enough to be close to New York, a great, but expensive, experience would be a weekend trip to New York City. There are tons of places to take open classes of any genre for all ages, all day, every day! Steps On Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and Peridance Capezio Center are just a few you must check out. While you’re here too, you can check out some dance or Broadway shows to see what it’s really like to be a professional dancer, and let me tell you, it's pretty awesome!