Being a team isn’t just about taking up space on a stage or tricks or ensemble costumes. It’s also about support. The people you dance with are your peers, your friends, and your ultimate cheerleaders. This is great for celebrating your biggest highs and accomplishments, but your team is also an essential part of getting through the lows, tough practices, unexpected losses, and all the work you put in. Having those people is incredible, and it’s as important to help them as it is to know they’ve got your back.
Here are some ways to keep the positivity going and show your teammates you’re there for them.
Leave Positive Notes
Direct acts of encouragement aren’t the only way to have an effect on someone. Something as small as leaving a sticky note with an inspiring quote or two around the studio is a great way to share your love and enthusiasm. Leave a “You’ve got this!” on the bathroom mirror, or “I’m so glad we’re teammates!” on someone’s locker. You can also include little drawings or jokes. There are so many opportunities for getting creative with this one.
Use Your Voice
If you see one of your teammates looking tired or discouraged during practice, use your voice. Tell them you’re proud of them! “You’ve got this!”, “The next one will be better!”, and even simply, “Great job!” can go a long way. There are so many different things you can say to give them that push they need to keep going. If you don’t get a chance to tell them these things during practice, it could mean just as much to them if you even tell them after practice.
Share Your Skills
If you see someone struggling with a skill that you have mastered, offer to help them work on it. The same goes with learning a new combo. Offer to learn it together to make sure they don’t feel alone. Sometimes as a dancer, it is easy to get caught up in feeling behind, so it can be helpful to learn with somebody.
Create an Environment that Supports YOU Too
Encouraging your teammates helps them out, but it also has an impact on you! You could end up learning something from them, and simply the fact that you are making them feel better could make you feel good. Being part of a solid support system means that you’re more likely to get that support back and that your teammates will pass that positivity onto each other as well. Being good to your teammates is a way of being good to yourself, too.
