All
over the dance world in September, fall dance classes get back into
the groove. Back in the groove? What? Classes
get in and out of groove? You mean dance
is seasonal? That’s exactly what I mean! It’s not designed to be seasonal
because dance is a living art and should be continually studied, but, the
countless dancers that take the summer off can really be a bummer, even for the
most inspiring of dance educators. This “off season” pressures the teacher to
close their studio doors in the summer, due to lack of enrollment.
There is a huge mindset in small town America...school in session/dance is
studied...school out of session/no dance. That's an 8-10 week break! Dancer’s
flexibility and strength diminishes hugely! It takes 8 to 10 weeks to get them
back into the place, athletically, that they were at in May.
Let me tell you something else that is
going on in small AND big town America. People by the droves take the summer
off from where they study The Art of
Life and Living...The Church! Again, flexibility and strength, diminished!
Life is a living art and should be continually studied!
I teach my students an analogy about Barre work and Center work. I tell them that what they learn at the Barre, the training and techniques, the hard work and repetition, the growth and development, are to be taken from the Barre and applied to the work that they do in the Center and across the floor. Just like when you train in your faith, the pastors, the teachers, the leadership trains you in the Church and then when you go out of the Church into real life (the Center) you apply your training there! You live it, or dance it, for everyone to see.
A teacher loves it when a dancer can correct themselves. The teacher sees something out of line and they call for a correction and the dancer looks into the mirror and sees the need to change and does it quickly. That is the mark of maturity. Not perfection, but maturity.
I teach my students an analogy about Barre work and Center work. I tell them that what they learn at the Barre, the training and techniques, the hard work and repetition, the growth and development, are to be taken from the Barre and applied to the work that they do in the Center and across the floor. Just like when you train in your faith, the pastors, the teachers, the leadership trains you in the Church and then when you go out of the Church into real life (the Center) you apply your training there! You live it, or dance it, for everyone to see.
A teacher loves it when a dancer can correct themselves. The teacher sees something out of line and they call for a correction and the dancer looks into the mirror and sees the need to change and does it quickly. That is the mark of maturity. Not perfection, but maturity.
What thrills an instructor? Teachability.
For a dancer, the mirror is the place of
checks and balances. For the Christian it is the Bible, we look in it as we
train and continually correct and change and dance it/live it for all to see. We are to continually "look" in the Mirror of the Word, so it can reflect back to us our flaws, spots, and stains. We should be
wise enough to correct them as soon as they are revealed.
A dance class could very easily be compared to going to Church. You dress appropriately for the environment you’ll be in. You arrive and chat and mingle with others that have come for the same purpose. The music begins and a euphoric feeling comes to you, This why I dance, you think to yourself. At the Barre, there is a lot of reinforcement and educating and reminders of what is right, good and, purposeful which is useful for you and your dance/life. There is a lot of praying (class can be tough on certain days!) and then you're released to the Center (real life) and you go out and dance it/live it. Yes?
I've always had questions concerning people that call themselves dancers. You know the ones. They come to class only once a week or will miss class altogether when other things take higher priority. They love the idea of being a dancer, but do not want to do what it takes to be one. They want to attend class just enough to stay somewhat connected, but it’s plain to see that their absence is weakening their commitment. They want to stay in the roll book, but are not advancing in their training. They like the idea of dancing and wearing what dancers wear, but the devotion, the determination, the discipline, the drive is ABSENT.
wise enough to correct them as soon as they are revealed.
A dance class could very easily be compared to going to Church. You dress appropriately for the environment you’ll be in. You arrive and chat and mingle with others that have come for the same purpose. The music begins and a euphoric feeling comes to you, This why I dance, you think to yourself. At the Barre, there is a lot of reinforcement and educating and reminders of what is right, good and, purposeful which is useful for you and your dance/life. There is a lot of praying (class can be tough on certain days!) and then you're released to the Center (real life) and you go out and dance it/live it. Yes?
I've always had questions concerning people that call themselves dancers. You know the ones. They come to class only once a week or will miss class altogether when other things take higher priority. They love the idea of being a dancer, but do not want to do what it takes to be one. They want to attend class just enough to stay somewhat connected, but it’s plain to see that their absence is weakening their commitment. They want to stay in the roll book, but are not advancing in their training. They like the idea of dancing and wearing what dancers wear, but the devotion, the determination, the discipline, the drive is ABSENT.
It has been said that the growth of atheism was due to the fact that many Christians acknowledged God with their lips, but lived before the world as an unbeliever, and non-Christians, frankly, found THAT to be unbelievable. Absenteeism in the Dance Class and the Church is attributed to the desire to pursue other things. Let September be the month of your revival, return to the Barre, return to the Center. Come back to your first love. Be present. Live. Move. Be. Acts 17:28
- September's Scripture Study: I Timothy 4 (MB) Read this chapter every day of September.
- Truth at the Barre:
You are to teach with your life! ..."by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity..."
- Truth in the Center:
You are to cultivate your purpose! "The people will all see you mature right before their eyes!"
- Challenge at the Barre:
As you look in the mirror, as you stand at the barre, make an effort to look deeper than your body lines and form. Look beyond your dance attire and bun. Think of the mirror as the Word of God that reflects your image and how God desires for you to conform to His Image. The Word will show you when you mess up. Your flaws. Your mistakes. But be encouraged, it will also show you His Love, His Grace, And His Mercy!
- Challenge in the Center:
As you stand in the center or get ready for a combination, think of this time as you living your everyday life in and around others. Notice how when the music starts, you sweep by others and brush closely near them. You're out amongst the people doing what they're doing, it's the CHOREOGRAPHY OF LIFE! Think about ways that when you leave the classroom how you can apply these scripture principles and how you can affect and influence others in a positive way.
- Week 1 The Principle:
Use the entire week to let God reveal things to you that are holding you back in your physical dance abilities and in your spiritual dance abilities.
- Week 2 The Corps:
"You've been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching."
Dance is a created form of worship. God created it and gave it to you to enjoy. Do you find yourself moaning and complaining when class or choreography get too hard? Do you whine when you're pushed to newer levels? Do you eye roll with ideas or steps that don't necessarily thrill you or pump you up? Do you ever practice thankfulness? Being thankful is something that must be practiced and an effort made to do on purpose. As the Company, you work as an individual on yourself and when you join to rehearse with the rest of the body, you all will flow effortlessly together as the spine. Follow the sound training you have been taught, use it everyday of this week.
- Week 3 The Rehearsal:
":A disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever."
In this third week be very mindful and active with daily contact with God, prayers, and confessions of sloppy, droppy, and floppy living. Go over, rehearse what is right, good, pure, just, and lovely and practice those things. Maybe a wrong attitude towards an Instructor, or a fellow dancer, or even your wrong thoughts towards yourself. Review and then release them! Purge. Let go.
- Week 4 The Performance:
Walk it all out this week, the fourth week of the month. What has changed? Tell someone. Was there anything revealed to you? Share it. Do you feel free-er? Did you get told to do something for someone? Then do it. This is the real performance. This is real life. Live your dance out loud for everyone to be touched by your actions, words, deeds, and efforts! Ready? And...5...6...7...8...
