With the help of many friends, peers, teachers and even the Principle, I came to decision
to finally answer my most frequently asked question as a dancer: “how do you do it?” First off,
understand this process isn’t easy and you will need great amounts of patience. If you know that
at first hand you lack this quality, then I am sorry to inform you but this lifestyle is not for you.
Now, for those of you who can control your “break outs” or as we like to call them, “snapping”,
then please join me on this five step lesson on: How to become a dancer.
Step 1: Know how to dance
Now this skill is either developed at a young age, or your parents forced you into taking dance
lessons as a child. Either way, you have the experience and the capabilities of knowing how to
move. Once you have become aware that you can dance, then…
Step 2: Have a creative mindset
Dancing is a form of art. To me, dance is like a story in which the styles become the genres and
the movements become the sentences. Overall, what is important is love and the beauty behind
it. As soon as you have developed a love for the creativity the lies within the art of dance, then
you my friend, have moved one step closer into becoming a dancer. But wait, there’s more…
Step 3: Consistency
Ever heard of the overused phrase almost every motivational speaker uses: “What defines us is
how well we rise after falling.” Although overused, it is exceptionally true. As a dancer I can
admit that I have cried such strong tears that have led me to once believe that dancing was not
my destiny. Yet, hasn’t every other athlete ever walked that path before? Dancing is a sport, and
just like every other sport, you get hurt and bruised and exhausted, but what is most important is
that you rise after you fall.
Step 4: A never-ending passion
Legitimately, if you have no strong desire into wanting to be a dancer, then quite frankly I’m
confused as to why you have managed to read all the way to “Step 4”. But, since you are already
here, I will be generous enough to provide you my wonderful explanation. In all hobbies, sports,
extracurricular activities, or just plain academics, one has to want to succeed or else, you won’t.
It is quite simple actually, if you don’t have a strong passion for something, the chances of
quitting are significantly high. With no passion, there is no success according to my book of
Step 5: Learn to forgive
Now that we have come to the last of my steps, I have to be brutally honest. These steps have
absolutely no sort of magic power of any kind to be able to actually develop real-life dance
skills. Which is why I hope you accept my deepest apologies. Right about now you may be
thinking to yourself that I have wasted your time completely, which in a way you are partially
correct. Yet, I do have to say that although these steps may not guarantee you a spot in Missy
Elliot’s new music video, it does guarantee you awareness of success. Whether it’s dancing or
painting, cooking or building a rocket ship, you have to understand the willingness of being
committed and significantly enjoying whatever it is you set your mind to accomplish, which
essentially, may just lead you to great success.
