Eat. Sleep. Dance. Repeat. It’s easy to get locked into this cycle. And, it’s often enjoyable, but that doesn’t mean that having a dance-only mindset is the best way to build your routine. While it’s important to put work and hours into dance, having fun and doing things outside of the studio is just as important for your mental and physical health as dance.
Avoiding Burnout
Dance comes with major physical and mental demands. Because of this, breaking up your schedule with other activities and breaks is a crucial step for avoiding burnout. Go to the beach or mall or hang out with friends. Find relaxing activities that can help you recharge your dance battery. For less energetic activities, walks, meditating, and reading could be the perfect brain break.
Trying New Things
If you spend all of your time dancing, you might be taking opportunities to try new things away from yourself. Go out to new stores. Try new foods and new hobbies. It’s important to find things you like outside of dance that allow you to explore, gather inspiration, and build a repertoire of things to do when you can’t dance.
Building Your Resume and Experience
Having a thorough resume that includes skills, achievements, and activities outside of dance will make you appear more rounded even in dance career paths. Display your teamwork skills by joining a club team for a sport you love, or volunteer to build up your service hours and contribute to your community. Find things you enjoy that showcase everything you can do! Even seemingly small things like computer and language skills can show you are versatile.
