Beyond the trophies: the true heart of dance

I held my breath as the loud music faded, and the announcer paused, preparing to reveal the results of the very first dance competition of the season. 

“And in third place, entry number 322, The Charleston Chasers!” she said. It was one of my ballet pieces, and our group erupted into cheers. We quickly quieted down to hear the second-place announcement. 

“Entry number 340, Scottish Symphony!” Again, it was another ballet number of ours that I’d participated in and we cheered even louder. 

“And last but not least, in first place, entry number 353, Faith’s Hymn!” It was my studio’s contemporary piece. Even though I was not a part of it, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and unity in that moment. 

I was beyond happy for my studio and teammates. The awards felt secondary to the experiences and connections we had shared. I thought back to all the work and effort that led up to the weekend, and it was all so worth it. 

Waking up at 5:00 a.m., I had gotten ready and set off to a hotel in Burlingame, where the convention and competition would be held. During the convention, I had multiple hours of dance classes and a couple auditions, which was a huge part of the weekend. 

Classes stretched from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and from around 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

The action packed lessons were nerve-wracking, exciting, and fun all at the same time. In about an hour, a dance combination had to be picked up, learned, and performed in front of the choreographer. In auditions, dancers were grouped together and performed in front of judges, who would reward dancers with scholarships.

Throughout the weekend, I found myself trying to go more towards the front during some classes, to not only get noticed by different choreographers, but to get out of my comfort zone. 

By the end of the first day, I had gotten my first ever callback, and I ended up in a small group of dancers who did well in the ballet portion. It was such an exciting moment for me. 

While I did not end up getting any scholarships, I found the experience of the classes and auditions to be more valuable. 

The fast-paced classes challenged me to think ahead and the auditions gave me a glimpse to the pre-professional and professional dance world. 

The energy in the convention room was contagious; other dancers would cheer and motivate others, even if they were strangers. It was a reminder that beyond the competition, we all shared the same passion for dance and that we were each on our own journey to grow and improve. We supported one another, no matter how different our paths were. 

In the end, dance is so much more than the competition, awards, scholarships, or callouts. I think at the heart, it’s about sportsmanship, support, and love for others – even the competitors.