Art comes in many forms such as painting, poetry, singing, composing music, photography, and many more. However, there is one form of art people seem to skim over: dance.
Not to say that dance is not a popular form of art, it just gets ignored. Dance is seen more as a sport today, which is a good thing! Dancers for years have been trying to get dancing recognized as more than a hobby. However, people still seem to forget dance is also an art.
The stereotypes of dancers include: being rich and spoiled, mean to other competitors or dancers, the moms are crazy, or having no sense of humor/they are always too serious. These are not true for many dancers. The show, "Dance Moms," is not the way dancing is at every studio or school. Dance can be taken too seriously by many, but to most it is a passion, an art, and a way of life.
This is a very personal issue for me, and has been for years. I used to get discouraged about my dancing, because I am not as flexible as many dancers I watch. I lack technical variety, and I can never seem to come up with anything for improvisation exercises. My choreography can be repetitive, and I sometimes have trouble getting creative with my moves. However, just like an artist who lacks inspiration or a poet with writer's block, I was just stuck. I let my insecurities and flaws get into my head and convince me that I was not a good enough dancer to become professional.
What does this have to do with dancing being an art form? Well, the dance world today has changed. For those who are not familiar with the "dance world," I'll give a quick recap of what it was and what it is now. Before, it did not matter what place you got at a competition. If a dancer messed up, everyone supported her. If a dancer tried their hardest and put their heart into their routine and still got last place, her teachers and parents hugged her and reminded her she tried her hardest. However, today I see a lot of negativity. I am definitely not saying that goes for all studios, because there are studios who are very loving and supportive. It is understandable for teachers to be upset or discouraged when one of their routines gets a bad score, but the problem is with outsiders and other dancers. The audience can be extremely rude to dancers. If they are from a different studio, they talk about the bad things they did in their routine. "Her toes were not pointed at all," "Her technique is awful," "What was that?" This is not how other dancers or audience members should treat the performers. If someone puts their heart into something, that is all that should matter.
Dancers and their friends forget what dance really is. Dance is a performing art. It is a story told with the body. Some even call dancers, "the angels' athletes." Dance isn't about how high your kicks are or how many pirouettes you can pull off. Dance is about the way you feel. It is about your emotion and about telling a story to whoever is watching you. Dance is making your audience feel and think. Dance is about expression and being yourself. When you step onto the dance floor, it should be just you. No judges, no audience. Just you. Even with all of the negative talk and critiques, a dancer must learn to ignore (although it is extremely hard) and simply dance.
Although dance is a sport, you should also keep in mind that it is art. Art in a literal definition means, "The quality,production,expression,orrealm,accordingtoaesthetic principles,ofwhatisbeautiful,appealing,orofmorethanordinary significance." Just as a painter puts on canvas what he/she feels or thinks, just as a musician plays what he/she feels, a dancer should always tell their story through their movements. Dance should never be competitive when it comes to personal expression. Put away your negativity, and show some love to all of the dancers you know.
Next time you watch a routine, even if it is not the cleanest or their leaps could be higher, remember that dancer is putting his/her heart into the story they are telling. Remember that they are creating art. Especially if you are not a dancer, you do not understand the pain, tears, and time put in to create art with movements. Be respectful, and don't forget about what dance really is.
