Articles & Covid Mental Skills PDF!
Behind the Scenes of Success.
Blog written by Lauren Ritchie for DanceEd Tips.
I sat at my parent’s dinner table, listening to tWitch, Megan Lawson, Matt Cady and Faye Rauw share their audition war stories and dance industry battle wounds. It was the summer of 2010 and we had just spent a full day together teaching young dancers at a summer camp. Over the week we challenged their bodies, encouraged their artistry, and built up their confidence, only to then share stories about how the industry can quickly tear it all down.
It struck my heart because that was my experience. Before becoming a full-time dance educator, I was a dedicated dancer, training at least 6 days a week, working through the R.A.D syllabus, competing across the country and receiving accolades and awards for my work. There was no question that I wanted to dance professionally, but when I finally graduated high school and made the transition into the professional world, I crumbled. Mentally, physically and emotionally.
As I worked through my own identity crisis, my curiosity began to grow. How did other professionals work through rejection? Did their teachers or parents’ guide them differently than mine? How do experts balance the realities of type casting and weight restrictions with artistry and self-worth? How did the people at the top of their industry sustain a long and healthy career?
Resilience & Growth In Difficult Times: Lauren Ritchie Is Here To Help
Blog written by Lucia Joyce for DancePlug.
A decorated dance educator and mental skills trainer, Lauren Ritchie, is one of those dance community heroes we need right now; and she has a powerful message for hope and personal resilience: it’s time to go inward.
On March 16, after carefully assessing her role amid global fear, lifestyle changes, and the cancellation of almost everything dancers hold dear, Lauren reached out via Facebook video, offering free training resources and mental skills worksheets to any dancer or dance educator who needed support. That day alone, she received 500 emails.
Lauren gave herself 48 hours to send back all the love and valuable resources she had, and somehow still found time to Facetime with me, offering guidance and optimism to the DancePlug community…..
DANSE BLOOM BLOG
The Dance Teacher Mindset
Through your work as a dance educator, podcaster, and choreographer, you have been vocal about acknowledging all of the aspects of being an artist. Talk about the importance of mental skills in dance training and teaching. Mental skills and mindset training is vital both as a dancer and as a teacher. Performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais speaks about how human beings can train three things: the mind, body, and craft. The world’s best athletes, leaders, and coaches consistently train all three fundamental areas to pursue mastery and personal excellence. There is no question that dancers are also on this path. Dancers do an incredible job of pushing physical boundaries and exploring artistry. However, we need to include mental skills and mindset training to truly optimize our training and creativity as artists. These are the tools that allow dancers to build confidence, courageously push past comfort zones, manage stress, create meaningful goals, and stand in their own unique strengths and stories. This is what I teach in my Mental Skills Teacher Training. When dancers and teachers prioritize mental skills, everyone is able to better access their strengths, build resilience, and show up as their best in and out of the dance studio.. . CONTINUE READING
