Encouragement

The owner of a ballet school once told me that I shouldn't encourage students to pursue careers as professional dancers.

Read that sentence again.

Okay, yes, very few dancers will become professionals. Duh, really? I started ballet the week I graduated from high school (17 years old). Four years and ten months later I was dancing for the Joffrey. I was not gifted in any way, I was just determined and I worked hard. I have 10 year olds in some of my classes. They have a seven year head start on me. Why the heck would I not encourage them? Telling them they can't do it, would be insulting to them and the height of arrogance from me.

Doubt and lack of encouragement have killed more dreams than lack of talent.

Any good teacher wants their students to be their best. A sense of accomplishment is good for kids. Telling a kid they can't do it, is insane. How the heck do you know what they can and can't do in a few years, with hard work? We hear about handicapped people climbing Mount Everest, and you're telling me I shouldn't encourage a child to be a dancer?

Look at it from a purely business standpoint. You run a ballet studio. You teach ballet. You need students. If you don't get students, you go out of business. How do you get students? How do you get parents to choose your studio over others? By providing good training. How do you prove you provide good training? If you can say, "We trained dancers who are now with ABT, or Joffrey, or Lines, or we regularly send dancers to prestigious summer programs, or we sent dancers to the Royal Ballet School and the Princess Grace in Monaco, or we had a Grand Prix winner at the YAGP", there's your proof.

Successful students mean success for a school. If you don't understand that, you have no business running a ballet school, or any business for that matter.

You must encourage your students. They must dream big. That can only help your school. Will they all make it? No, but your encouragement will help them in every walk of life.

See you in class.