Ha ha! Is this even an option? Ballet dancers (teachers included) could write the textbook on perfectionism. But we also know that perfection isn't real, perfectionism isn't healthy, and mistakes are part of learning. So how do we take the focus away from perfectionism in ballet class and shift into a better mindset?
We fail forward.
Sometimes performances go really awry. And we all make mistakes in class. We fall out of turns. We forget combinations. We land on our own foot during petit allegro. A well-organized curriculum helps avoid some mistakes---because the combinations are age- and level-appropriate---but stuff just happens. So, because stuff is going to happen again, here are four steps to help you fail forward.
Don't panic. I don't care who was in the room watching you and I don't care what weird sound you heard them make (gasp, tsk, huh?, etc.), panicking will only make the situation worse. Exhale. Remember that this happens to everyone. This is a manageable situation, I promise.
Get curious. What happened right before the mistake? How did you prepare for the turn? How careful were you with the smaller steps leading up to the big jump? The more aware you can be of what happened just before the less-desirable outcome, the more effective your next attempt will be.
Ask for feedback. Ideally, a teacher would be right there to offer constructive feedback on what happened and some options for your next try. Peer feedback can be helpful, too. It is easy to feel embarrassed and not want to talk to anyone about what happened, but everyone makes mistakes and outside perspectives can be very helpful.
Experiment. Choose one thing you want to change about your approach, and try again. As soon as possible. Don't let this mistake pout in the back of your head for a week---take action. (On the other hand, if you've reached the mental point where you can't be nice to yourself, walk away for today. You deserve to think kindly of yourself.) And if you make a similar mistake next time as well, then okay. You are failing forwards, and forwards is progress.
Proximity to perfection is part of what makes ballet so amazing to experience, but not if it comes at the expense of the dancer's mental health and well-being. Mistakes are part of life and we can teach our students how to use them as growth opportunities so that there is always something positive in the experience.
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