Every year I have a tradition of writing my new goals, both professional and personal, for the year on the 1st of January and this year was no exception. I was especially motivated to jot them down this year. You see, I recently became a first time mom and spent the last year focusing on the care of my amazing baby boy and finding the balance of motherhood and work. This year I’m eager to jump back into my dance training, performances, and new teaching opportunities.
It’s been proven that writing down your goals enhances your chances of achieving them. Telling someone about them enhances your chances even more and holds you accountable to them. My hope in writing this is that it will inspire you to do the same and hold me accountable for reaching my own goals.
Here are my top five professional goals for the year:
5. Jumpstart my dance training
Since having my baby my training has taken a backseat. This year my hope is to get back into classes such as modern at Cafe Dance and ballet at Ballet Austin. I’m also wanting to take more master classes, workshops, and intensives. I started the year off right by participating in the Arcos Winter Workshop, which had some great teachers and classes in a variety of styles. This was a great experience and perhaps the subject for another blog. As dance teachers, we should always continue to train and learn so our students get the best.
4. Apply to dance festivals
Applying to dance festivals is a great way to get your choreography out there without producing your own show, which can be expensive. There are many dance festivals in Texas and around the country. Most are easy to apply to and are inexpensive. So far I’ve applied to the Austin Youth Dance Festival, the Austin Dance Film Festival, Articulate Austin (which is a choreographic process program), and The Dance Project (which is a collaborative dance company that showcases local choreographers). I will be presenting my work at the Austin Youth Dance Festival and The Dance Projects upcoming show in June. My goal is to apply to more in the upcoming months. Though your work might not get into everything you apply to, it is important to keep trying and keep creating. Learn from what didn’t get excepted and improve upon that.
3. Perform again
As a dancer, I miss the rush of being on stage. About a year ago the company I was performing with took a hiatus, so this year the goal is to get back on stage. You are never too old to perform!
2. Create a new dance program
As a kid of a single mom, it was always a struggle to pay for dance classes. Because of this experience, it has always been a goal of mine to create/offer dance training to underprivileged youth who otherwise would not have the opportunity. I hope to get the ball rolling on this program this year. I’ll make sure to keep everyone posted on the progress of this project.
1. Apply to grad school
Last but not least, my ultimate goal for the year is to apply to graduate school. I hope to apply to a handful of Texas schools by November of this year. My goal is to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis on social justice. Hopefully, by this time next year, I will be a candidate in a graduate program.
So as the new year gets underway, what are your dance goals? Have you written them down? Have you shared them with someone? I hope this has inspired you to get out there and achieve new things for yourself in dance and in life.
No comments:
Post a Comment