Sometimes we let things get in the way of doing the things that we love.  Sometimes we can get in our own way!

There are many ways that we get in our own way.  There’s disorganization……there’s procrastination………there’s denial………..and there’s always ego!

This is the one that we want to talk about.  In the dance community there is plenty of ego, both good and bad!  Yes, there is such a thing as good ego – it’s called confidence.  Being confident does not get in your way; it is actually helpful; it can help you to perform at your best.  To win and to be the best, you have to know that you are good at what you do.  You have to know that you can get on the floor and kick some ass.

There is a fine line between good and bad in anything, but it seems to become even finer when it comes to ego. 

So when does good ego become bad?  When confidence turns into arrogance!  Knowing you are good at dancing is one thing, telling everyone is another.  When you start broadcasting how good you are, and start talking about how bad the other people are, you have a problem.  People do not need to be told (by you) what a good dancer you are – all you have to do is show them.  If you want people to think that you are a great dancer, then get on the floor and show them.

We also cannot let our ego get in the way of our learning.  Just because I am a “professional” doesn’t mean I know everything, and it doesn’t mean that I should stop working and growing in my dancing.  I should still be making an effort to learn new things – there is always something to learn no matter what level you are! 

 The other thing to remember is that we all have weaknesses.  If you have good ego (confidence), you will accept your weaknesses, and will work with them and keep trying to turn them into a strength.  If you have bad ego (arrogance), you will deny them and keep claiming that you are the best! 

We all have a goal level that we want to reach.  For some it’s to just make it to Intermediate, for others they may want to be a professional.  It’s important to remember that it takes a lot of time and hard work to get where you want to go wherever it may be.  It’s important not to whine about where you think you DESERVE to be (arrogance), but to enjoy the journey to where you want to be.  Listen to those people that you trust and respect, and they will help you get there.  Remember, no one wants to know where you think you belong or what you can do; they just want to see what you can do!

There are many ways we can all get in our own way, but we can keep control of our ego.  Minimize the things in your way, and know you are good as well as show you are good!!!

There’s a lot of ego caught up in dance, and a lot of people won’t take a dance class due to the fact that they’re shy or embarrassed and afraid. It’s unfortunate because they would probably be much more eager to take any other type of class that they didn’t know anything about. Our egos are very tied up in our bodies, so we feel like we are our bodies, and if we can’t move then we have reason to be embarrassed. It’s very deep in this society.

I have people constantly coming up to me and apologizing that they can’t dance, before they even take my class. I know that if I taught any other skill, I wouldn’t have that same experience. Nobody would come up to me and say, “I’m really sorry, I don’t know how to use this camera.” Well, of course not, you haven’t taken the class. Come in, leave your ego at the door and learn.