Why Mindset Coaching is integral for Competitive Dancers

For competitive dancers of all ages, having a healthy and empowered mindset is integral for success. Competitive dance is a great way to learn how to work as a part of a team, strive towards a goal, and to challenge and stretch one’s own limits as a dancer. Also, it can be so much fun! Competitive dancers often tell me that their dance friends are their best friends, and that dance is their most important outlet for self-expression. What is there not to love?

Unfortunately, there can be a dark underbelly to the competitive dance experience. Striving for one’s best is a wonderful pursuit, but it can cause the dancer to adopt a perfectionist or fixed mindset. A perfectionist or fixed mindset leads to negative self-talk, comparison to others, and low self-confidence. Wanting to be the best or to win is an admirable goal, but at what cost to the dancer’s mental well-being?

On top of the pressures of excelling at dance are the dynamics of junior high/high school. From peer-pressure, to wanting to fit in, to having loads of homework, to worrying about what to pursue after high school; the dancer is likely dealing with massive amounts of stress and anxiety. Historically, many dancers quit dance after Grade 10 because balancing it all seems completely overwhelming.

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Is there a more sustainable way? A way for the dancer to navigate the demands of both school and dance, thrive in the process and feel happy? The answer is, YES!

As a former competitive dancer, Cecchetti ballet exam student, and professional dancer, one thing that has always boggled my mind is that no one talked about the mental side of being a high-level performer. Of course, learning technique and skills as a dancer is integral, but there is an incredible amount of research and evidence that shows that dancers do not reach their potential without a healthy and empowered mindset. You can have the best jumps, turns, flexibility, musicality and artistry… but if you crumble under pressure because your Inner Critic is running the show, you will unfortunately never reach your full potential as a dancer. If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t make it though the difficult times that performers of all ages experience. If you constantly compare yourself to others and always come up short, you will likely feel really sad a lot of the time.

Mindset Coach

Next Up helps competitive dancers of all ages reach their full potential!

Dancer Mindset coaching is the missing piece of the competitive dancer’s training. I have worked with many competitive dancers to teach them mindset tools that they will have with them for life. They learn mindset tools that they can use at dance, at school and at home. They learn how to identify what they feel, and how to shift their perspective to regain calm, clarity and confidence. After working together, my clients are equipped with tools necessary to coach themselves through a difficult feeling or situation! Talk about empowering :)

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Dancer Mindset clients learn:

-Growth Mindset: understanding that there is no such thing as “perfect”

-Reducing comparison to others: identifying what makes us unique and how to us it to maximize our potential

-Inner Critic to Inner Coach: we all have both! Get to know your Inner Coach

-Self-compassion: how to respond when it doesn’t go the way you hoped

-Building authentic confidence: depending my relationship with my true self

-8 Tools to Reduce Performance Anxiety

And much more! Each session is tailored to the client’s individual needs and goals.

I have seen transformative growth with my Dancer Mindset clients! Incredibly talented dancers who previously crumbled under pressure and didn’t believe in themselves emerge as empowered and confident young artists, ready to own their training, performances and potential!

Technique and skills is not enough. To truly maximize a competitive dancer’s potential, mindset coaching is integral.

Start now to be ready for this year’s competitive dance season! To book a Discovery Call, head over to www.nextupcoach.com. Spaces are limited and filling quickly.

Let’s get to work!

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