Appreciating Talent

"While I dance I can not judge, I can not hate, I can not separate myself from life.  I can only be joyful and whole. This is why I dance."

- Hans Bos

Dance is very popular, performed and watched by many. There are so many spectators of dance, not only do you have judges, family, and friends, but you may have scouts, unknown peers, rival studios, and crazy dance parents. This all leads to many eyes falling upon the dance on stage and forming their own opinions. With that it is obvious that training and talent of dancer's differ tremendously on a great range of areas. It is easy to spot out a dancer or group that has a high level of talent, blowing you away by every breath they take, move they make and sound you hear. It is what the spectator chooses to do with that opinion that defines them in the dance world and the view others may share or disapprove of in comparison t their own.

There are too many cases to be had and experiences to be told about parents, dancers, teachers and outsiders alike not appreciating a dancer’s talent and what they bring into the dance industry. Some take the dancer out on the means of jealousy, which in my opinion is just absolutely ridiculous. Some of the best dancers in the world are frowned upon by others for simply being the best dancer they can. What is wrong with being the best? I believe instead of trying to tear down the dancers that are better than yourself, you should be in appreciation of the talent they have. Dancers should be inspired by what they are doing, and strive to be like them or the best version they can be.

 

This jealousy is penetrated all sorts of ways, like through social media, gossip and hate messages. Famous dancers have so much hate on them through gossip and social media. It's visible everywhere, through Facebook, Instagram, twitter and vine. This is wrong to do. It is degrading talent and embarrassing. There are several cases as well where jealousy sparks the fact that some individuals can't even stand to dance with someone that might be seen as better than themselves. This is a prime studio hopper, although not always the case, many studio hoppers feel as though they aren't getting the attention they deserve, because someone else is better than them, and they don't understand why they are not as good. It's a sad, but a true occurrence in the dance world.

Talent should not go unnoticed, instead be appreciated. Someone else's should not be at the expense as an escape for an individual or group to terrorize the talent. There is an under appreciation for the talent of dance, because some cannot handle the fact that they are not the best. It is a sad idea that is ignored by many, it's wrong and needs to be settled to an end. If you see an individual or group with an immense amount of talent use that to compliment them on what you see instead of tearing them apart because you are not who they are, even though that is where you want to be.

 

~Julia Brewer