The Journey to Passages.
Welcome to Passages Arts Connection On-Line Journal. Here, we will have ongoing conversations where we share updates about Passages, trends in the arts industry, insight into family life of an aspiring artist, sharing past and upcoming projects, and more!
Below is a short glimpse into how Passages Arts Connection came into existence.
HOW SOON CAN I START COACHING?
As soon as I graduated from high school I knew I wanted to coach dance team. This seems strange since I was only on dance team for one full season during my senior year. I loved choreographing and teaching dances, so I knew that my future would include coaching dance.
Day one of coaching for me came 13 years after I graduated and is something I continue to enjoy 25 years later. Throughout those years I saw many dancers have to step away from their passion because of finances. Many coaching jobs I worked at for free to keep the cost down for dancer's families.
What I learned as a coach
There are kids who have the means but not the heart
And, those that have the heart but not the means.
Talent alone does not make the dancer special.
Some teams have a magical chemistry while others struggle to get along.
There is no better feeling in the world than seeing someone conquer a technical skill they struggled with.
Kids are resilient... more so than parents in some instances.
Lifelong friendships are made by being on a team together, sweating together night after night trying to perfect that competition routine.
Dance moms/dads are not mean or crazy, they are often the glue that holds the team together.
At the end of the season, many of the dancers will swear they are not coming back... two weeks without dance and they can't wait for it all to start back up again.
Ups and downs are part of the journey.
No matter how bad the rehearsal was... the performance is usually on point!
Stop worrying about the small things you can't control and focus on the ones you can.
Don't give all of your energy to the one negative person in the room...focus on the others who are ready to learn and work hard.
If you are starting to feel burned out, take a break... the kids deserve your best!
Sarcasm never makes a dancer better... kind and direct honesty does.
Remember... it's NEVER about the coach... it's always about the kids!
I could probably go continue the list, but I think my point has been made. No matter how hard, the journey and memories are always worth it.
My hope is that Passages Arts Connection will bring dance, and so much more, to those kids who have the desire to learn and perform in all areas of the arts. Finances should never be a barrier for any student willing to work hard and commit themselves to their craft.
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