The Dancer Bond

One of the things I love about dance is the bond it creates. There's something about spending hours practicing together - trying, failing, achieving, losing, winning. And we do it as a single unit. The struggle or success of one is that of us all. 

A huge part of what bonds dancers, especially a dance team, is the vulnerability dance demands. You have to be willing to try and fail at new choreography, tricks, technique - and trust that your team will support you no matter what. When I first made the Bradley Dance Team, I had never done pom before. Pom is a style of dance that includes sharp movements and complex formations while holding pom poms. Though I had extensive ballet, jazz, modern and lyrical training, pom was something I had never even attempted before. The first time I held a pom was the weirdest feeling in the world. 

But thanks to my incredible team and my endless practicing on my own, I look as though I've been doing the style for years. My team was so understanding in teaching me things that they had known for years, like what a "t" was or a "karate arm." I'm so grateful for their grace and patience. And now I get to do the same for new teammates like myself who also came in with little pom experience. 

In dance, we pay it foreward. I'm always looking for ways to give back to my team because it has given so much to me, and continues to. So the next time you see someone struggling in a class or at your job, take a second to remember you were once new at something too. And let it inspire you to pay it foreward. 

Till next time - 

I.F.