The beginning of the year is often a season of intention, resolution, and goal setting. We hope to empower you to take control over ballroom dancing dreams.
1. Stay True to YOU
Take time to identify what you love about dance, and set goals that align with your passion. Is everyone around you competing, but it’s simply not your jam? No problem at all! Consider other options, such as a showcase performance or a student medals test. There are a multitude of ways to set goals for your dance journey that are unique and true to your personality and lifestyle.
2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses
Understanding what you excel at and what you could improve within dancing will allow you to set goals that are relevant to the progress you seek. Start by identifying your strengths and the areas you feel confident in. Continue your list to find 'weaknesses,’ or simply, areas you want to improve. By identifying these, you will create a framework to start to building more precise & strategic goals.
3. Stay Accountable
Accountability looks different for everyone. We recommend staying accountable within your dancing by treating it like a subject you are studying. Like school, keep notes in a journal, plan practices in a calendar/planner format, take photos or videos of elements of your dancing, and/or reach out to instructors for their input on your progress.
4. Make your Goal SMART
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. While the acronym was coined by a management journal in 1981, it has become popularized across disciplines and is a timeless strategy for goal setting.
Specific goals are concrete and decisive - “I will practice Rumba walks up and down the practice floor".
Measurable goals are when you can mark progress over time - “I will practice Rumba walks up and down the practice floor 5 days a week until I can dance them on time to music".
Achievable means that the goal is not too lofty or too minuscule, but appropriate for you as you work towards your long term outcome goals.
Relevant goals should apply towards your long term dance goals and what you seek to ultimately achieve - "I will practice Rumba walks this way so I feel prepared for my competition".
Finally, timely goals specify the when, the where and the timeline - when do you seek to achieve your goal by? "I will practice Rumba walks up and down the practice floor 5 days a week for three months prior to my competition so I feel confident and prepared".
5. Identify your Support Systems
Working towards a new goal can be challenging, so maintain motivation by developing a team around you. It can be helpful to share your goals with members of your support system, such as instructors or friends, so they can check in, provide encouragement, and support your growth.
If you're in search for dancing support and people with similar passions, you can join Dance Vision's Facebook Group to connect with fellow dancers and participate in fun in-person and online challenges.
6. Give Yourself Grace
When you set out to achieve goals, there will be setbacks and challenges—it's the reality! Continuing on, rather than feeling defeated, is an important element of your growth. View failures or mistakes as opportunities to understand what didn’t work, and re-evaluate the process by which you are seeking to achieve your goals. For example, if your goal is to practice 5 days a week, but you cannot seem to make it work , give yourself grace and get creative; consider practicing at different time of the day, or preparing your practice clothes beforehand to help the process. Be kind and treat yourself you would a friend who was doing the same thing.
7. Look at your Goals
Literally! Write them on post-it notes, your mirror, or get extra artsy, and make a vision board. A visual representation of what you are hoping to manifest in your life can be a powerful tool. Place these reminders in places that you frequent such as a bathroom mirror, car dashboard, or next to your bed, so your goals remain top-of-mind.
8. Implement Self Care
While working towards dance goals, remember that caring for yourself is key. Take time to rest and decompress to reduce the sensation of burnout and to make the journey more fun. Self care looks different for everyone. We recommend to unwind by cooking a healthy meal, taking a walk outside, spending time with a furry friend, checking out a stretching class (we have some great ones in the DV app!), meditating, reading a book, journaling, or watching a movie.
Whatever your dance goals are, Dance Vision is here to remind you that YOU are limitless.
