-William Butler Yeats
Dancers make a huge decision every year at the start of the season. Should they stay or should they go? Switching studios can be a sticky situation, I know it is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Having such close ties, and so much history with a studio, just to leave it to go somewhere else. I actually have experience in two varying studio switches. For some background, I began dancing when I was four at Cherie’s Dance Studio. Then when I was six my made the switch for me, and I dedicated a year of dance to Studio Dance. After that year I went back to Cherie’s until I was 17. Just this past year I made the tearing decision to follow a dance teacher from Cherie’s as she opened her own studio, also located in the same city as Studio Dance and Cherie’s Dance Studio. It was a hard thing for me to do, as I don’t believe in giving up on the studio that has taught you everything, to go to another where they take credibility for all of your accomplishments. Of course, now I have a modification of that idea and a sob, for what I had to do in order to make my switch.
Dancing at Cherie’s Dance Studio was basically the only life I knew. I only danced at Studio Dance for one year, and I was very young. I grew up at Cherie’s it is where I made my best friends, found my love of dance, and was taught everything I know. I began as a part of the Cherie’s Competition Team when I was ten years old. When I was eleven my class got to work with Jen, our studio’s most prestigious choreographer, that was a privilege to work with, considering how young we were. It is where our class relationship began with Jen, as she gave us an award winning jazz routine, which received everything at every competition we competed at. From then on she was our teacher for numerous other dances.
I now dance under Jen, and with the breakout studio, Extensions Dance Academy. I travelled from Cherie’s to Extensions with Jen. She was my teacher before for six years, and I went with her so I could continue receiving the award winning choreography, and to grow in my technique that was not progressing as quickly as it should have been at my age. The decision to leave Cherie’s was one of the most difficult choices I have ever had to make, but a choice of mine it was. It took me many months to decide what I wanted to. I contemplated, due to the strong ties I held at Cherie’s and the family aspect I associated with the studio. Ultimately, my whole group left and I didn’t want to be in a junior group at Cherie’s which was all that would have been left for me. There were also new relationships forming among the staff that made dance uncomfortable and overwhelming. I felt that Jen could help me focus more on my dancing, and offer me more opportunities, but what I maybe liked most was that I already knew her, how she operated and how my group operated, since it was remaining the same just under a new name. I give Jen a lot of credit for making me the dancer I am today.
On the other hand there are dancers who are recognizably studio hoppers. Going from place to place constantly, just for the individual. This is a harsh place to put a dancer, because they don’t usually learn to work well with a group, as they are only there for their selves, which is important, but dances are not always going to be a solo. A moral disadvantage to studio hopping is that you learn all of your dance background from a studio, just to up and leave them. Yes, it's great for the studio that gets to inherit your talent, but you are leaving what your original studio made you into. It's hurtful to the original business, because there intentions for molding you to be a great dancer, was for the intention of the dancer to represent their brand, not leave to falsely advertise another. In my situation I was branded by Cherie's, but also by Jen, which is why I feel I am a reliable representation, but I also hold some bad morals for all Cherie's taught me.
Dance is a harsh industry, brands and relationships get switched around, feelings get hurt and studios lose and inherit new dancers frequently. It's important to note that a dancer should always remember who they represent, some a lot, some a few based on who they have trained under. Dance cannot always be a solo show, you must stay cautious of others around you because working with others is a skill you need to carry on your life.
~Julia
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