Answers 4 dancers.

AM I BEING TOO HARD ON MYSELF?

I'm 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. I started dancing last year when a friend of mine convinced me to take a jazz class with her. I loved if. This year I auditioned to be in the production company at the same dance studio, and I made it. It must have been a lucky day for me because I have little to no dance technique or experience. When I started classes with the production girls, I was in for a surprise: I don't perform nearly as well as everyone else. (That may just be my critical inner self talking, but I doubt it.)

I am in serious need of some serious training. Is there any chance I could ever become really good being as far behind as I am? I am in awe every time I see someone with talent dance. Even though I have been dancing for a relatively short time, I am utterly and totally hooked. I only dance three times a week, but I would love to dance every day. I would absolutely love to go on pointe and take modern, hip-hop, or lyrical. Unfortunately, there are things standing in my way. I am not very flexible. (However, I am so thankful I have naturally good turnout.) Do you have any tips for increasing my flexibility? I am far behind technically (especially with turns and leaps). Also, my dance studio is small and does not offer some of the classes I'd like to take. I'm scared to go to another studio because I'm worried that I may hot meet any of their standards. Can you tell me how long it takes to become a good dancer?

Emily

Judging our own dance ability can be a waste of time. Our output as dancers is something that we cannot truly evaluate completely on our own as we can a book, a painting, a five-course dinner, or a piece of furniture. We think we're seeing it in the mirror, but in large part, we really only see part of it. At best, we sense when we're off the mark, so we try a little harder. The job of judging out dancing falls in the realm of our teachers and coaches. Emily, this is a way of saying, "Take it easy on the self-critiquing." You must have something going for yourself or your studio wouldn't have chosen you to be in the company.

The number of years you study is not the determining factor in how rapidly you reach performance levels. Desire and commitment are. It sounds like you're up to your ears in both! Here's another plus: You've discovered something you love. In your own words, you are utterly and totally hooked. That's the girl that most people in the world wait years to acquire! It's yours. Embrace it and allow it to grow. The dancer you're meant to be is already inside you. Be gentle with yourself. Praise and trust yourself

If you're looking for advice about flexibility, I suggest reading Linda Hamilton's column in Dance Magazine. She's accessible through the magazine's Web site as well, and has excellent information about dancers' physicality.

FOLLOW-UP:

Emily is not the only dancer in the world who experiences self-doubt. None of us are immune from indulging in an occasional limiting belief. Or two.

Motivational speaker and author Cherie Carter-Scott's thoughts on this subject have always inspired me. In her book If Success Is a Game, These Are the Rules: Ten Rules for a Fulfilling Life, she says, "If you believe you do not deserve whatever it is you want, you will not get it. Conversely, if you believe that you deserve all the goodness that life has to offer, you will be open to receive it. If you are convinced that you don't have what it takes, you will make sure that you do not. If you believe that you have exactly what it takes, then you probably do.... Whatever you believe about yourself and your circumstances directly impacts the reality you create in your life." Pretty amazing, right?

What helps us overcome those doubts? Believing in ourselves is a good place to start. Self-trust hot only gets us to our path, it will keep us there when the road gets bumpy: You know the times I'm speaking about: when doubts surface, when others think we're crazy for wanting what we want, etc. When we trust ourselves, we're able to choose the best course of action from a place within us that just simply knows. It comes from the gut and can be tapped only after we truly know what matters to us. It becomes our truth. It has its own voice. When we're aligned with it, every step we take is either toward it or away from it. Therefore, the closer we stay to what we trust about ourselves, the sooner we'll find the fulfillment we seek.

CONTACT GROVER DALE AT www.dancemagazine.com, www.answers4dancers.com, www.auditions4dancers.com.

TONY AWARD-WINNING CHOREOGRAPHER GROVER DALE IS EDITOR OF DANCE & FITNESS MAGAZINE. FOR THIS COLUMN, HE DRAWS ON HIS EXPERIENCES AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH 16 BROADWAY SHOWS, 8 FEATURE FILMS, AND OVER 100 TELEVISION SPECIALS.