In the past couple of days, there have been hints of fall in the air. With the incessant rain that the North Shore got here, the temperatures dropped a bit, and the coolness sparked the thoughts of dance into my head.
I love the fall. It’s absolutely my favorite season. Even without being in school anymore, I get the luxury of “going back.” While most people only have their jobs that continue, and merely get to look forward to the change in seasons, I get to return to the excitement of a new season of dance!
The anticipation of starting a new year is always a joy. It’s a time to reflect on the previous season, and look forward to the new one. At the studio I work at, we have a two week summer intensive for the competitive students, so I get to also reflect on that, and take what I saw in their classes and apply it to the new year. I get to think about all the returning students that I’ve grown to love, and the new ones that will quickly adapt to their new dance surroundings. I also get to think about all the new steps and combinations that I will have the opportunity to teach them, and how quickly (or slowly) they will pick them up, and how the progressions will make them, and me, feel!
Reflecting on the past, and looking to the future. That’s really what fall is about, right? Fall brings about the reflection of the summer. Summer is about the sunny weather, the time spent outside, and the enjoyment of being able to spend more time with friends and family, whether it’s on a vacation or celebrating the fourth of July at a barbeque. We look back to those good times and the happiness that the lazy days of the warmer seasons brought us.
At the same time, we look forward to the future. In the fall, while many of us move forward with heavy hearts of summer behind us, we begin the excitement of going back to school. With the temperatures dropping, a buzz for everything we are learning and doing grows. Our lives become busier with the hustle and bustle of the new. As a dance teacher, I can hardly contain my happiness when my summer-dormant creative outlets are reinstated.
Just going through music, trying to find and put together play lists for class, gets me hyped up for the year. My brain starts putting together steps and coming up with ideas for new and fun things for class. Sometimes my brain runs away, and I begin to choreograph for classes that I don’t have, but that’s okay. Usually, it leads to an idea for a class that I DO have! This typically makes me think of my students, and I can’t wait to see how they will react to the things I throw at them!
The other minor excitement is getting new dance clothes! Even today, I just received my package of yoga pants that I will be using for the year! I love browsing through all the dance supply catalogs online to see what I might be interested in getting, and to see what I can buy that’s “in” (because really, as a dance teacher, sometimes you have to try to stay “hip” when dealing with adolescents!). I love trying to anticipate what all my students will be attempting to wear in my ballet classes (no baggy clothes, and warm ups only until rond de jambes on REALLY cold days!), or what the recreational students will be bringing in to wear for hip hop! I also love finding the few choice pieces that will pop in my wardrobe, and will keep me within my budget!
All in all, I cannot wait for autumn to begin. I am excited to see my students, and to begin choreographing. I know that many of my students are excited to return as well. I can’t wait for all of us to be happily reunited again!
No comments:
Post a Comment