FULL TIMERS OF 2010

BY: DALE POPE

Just before Xmas, hundred’s of hopeful dancers around the country found out their dreams were coming true for 2010. They were accepted into a full time tertiary dance course. These successful dancers enjoyed a huge Xmas dinner (before starting their health kick) and made New Years resolutions to be the best and most committed dancer Australia has ever seen. And so now as we enter a new decade of fresh starts, it seems timely to offer up some advice to these eager young hopefuls (of which statistically only 5% will work professionally immediately after graduating) and maybe inspire some broader thinking about their year ahead.
I’ve taught in numerous full time tertiary programs and every year I collect graduate’s impressions and words of wisdom to the up and coming talent. Interestingly advice is remarkably the same: The hard days are going to be real hard, harder than you ever thought it could get. The good days are going to blow your mind with how high you’ll soar. Injuries will plague you with unfortunate timing, teachers will be looking the other way when you finally nail that quadruple pirouette, your non-dancing friends will be your best cheerleaders (and never lose them, you will need them this year).
And what I want to offer up to this new breed emerging through the glorious haze of So You Think You Can Dance mania is this. Head down and work hard in Term 1. Term 2 lift your head and start to stake your claim in the class. Refine your skill, your dance personality and your image in Term 3, and in Term 4 – bring it home! It will be one of the best and worst years of your life. It’s a year meant to challenge and define you no matter what the outcome is. Of the excited graduates from 2009, not a single one regretted their year, and yet only 5% are now working. Must be worth the dream! Good