Whether it’s nailing that triple pirouette, staying better hydrated, or a determination to have your whole class improve their aerobic fitness, we could probably all bring to mind something dance-wise that we’d like to work on in the new year.
Looking back in my own diary, there is relatively little in my notes to convey my life-changing decision of 2024. It is typical of me to fall quiet when processing something, but I hadn’t realised until I reviewed it just now, that my diary also reflected that. A few months back, I passed my dance school on to one of my younger teachers after 28 years, to devote more time to my writing and speaking career, as well as continuing to teach. What lurks in your recent history that might give you pause for reflection and projection at this time of year?
Perhaps evaluation plays a bigger role in fresh starts than we might initially realise. Spending a little time with ourselves, working out where we are right now, acknowledging what we’ve been through and where we’d like to go, however vague it might feel to begin with, could be the key to successful progress.
Charlotte Blackman has been running her dance school for a year-and-a-half and loves the motivation and influx of ideas the start of a new year brings. “This year, I’m looking at creating more versatile dancers with a strong focus on technique so they feel they can achieve anything with their skill set.”
She adds, “Overall, I want to promote happiness and a love for dance. Young people are under a lot of pressure in their lives. I want to show them they are succeeding as long as they are happy.”
New Year’s resolutions have been around for over 4000 years, dating back to the Babylonians. With top resolutions for adults each year focussing on fitness, maybe it’s an ideal time for dancers and teachers to hone their already impressive self-discipline skills and make some real progress in an area of choice.
Emma Mackay is training for a BAHons degree in Musical Theatre at Bird College. She likes to reflect on the year she is leaving behind in December, and as January comes around naturally starts to look ahead to what is coming up in her schedule and what she wants to achieve.
“Am I continuing to follow my dreams? That’s all I can ask of myself really,” Mackay shares. “I tend to ditch setting New Year goals, as sometimes this can be out of your control due to the unpredictable industry. My mental health, motivation and passion is always the most important thing I strive to maintain — good sleep, nutrition and pushing myself healthily.”
Grace Linehan is a young, aspiring ballet dancer. She has a lot of ideas and ambitions — top of the list being a successful result following a recent audition.
“My main New Year’s resolutions are to continue my journey with CSB (Central School of Ballet Associates) to audition for more companies and performances, to increase the amount of my training, work on my strength and flexibility, and become even more focused on where and what I would like to eventually do for my future!”
To be general in our goals, or more specific, is undoubtedly an individual decision dependant on our current mind space and position in our own life journey.
It’s possible it’s beneficial to include one or more of both types in our new year thoughts. With the best of intentions, none of us know exactly what the year ahead will hold for us, so a more generalised pathway we’d like to be on might be more flexible to work and change shape with, than a rigid idea with no wriggle room.
I’m thinking of an arabesque. It’s not a static position, though it can look stationary. The dancer grows, lengthens, extends, breathes into the balance, so that the movement is alive and emotion-filled, and eventually melts, or flies into the next movement. What’s next is often unknown to an audience, making it all the more intriguing and enchanting to watch. Imagine life’s pathway ahead of us in a similar way. Something’s coming; we don’t always know what, though we might have some choreography prepared. But strong technique and support means we’ll be able to flow into whatever happens next.
Natali Butt is an adult ballet dancer who refers to New Year’s ‘intentions,’ as the word ‘resolution’ makes her feel worried she might fail. “I also choose a word, or words, for the year and I usually write these at the start of my new journal so I can reflect on them. My 2025 words are: Focus, Determination, Achievement. And my intentions include gaining strength and turnout, working on my bad side, working on things I find hard, and trying to feel my movements more.”
Adult ballet dancer Peter Olofsson has some goals lined up for himself. “For the new year, I’ll be focussing on applying the hard work I’ve put in on my splits and mobility to enhance the execution of my developpés and grands jetés. I’ve also set myself a resolution of wearing a leotard in every week to keep my alignment and technique visible. It’s not very common for the male dancers at my school to wear leotards, so I hope this will encourage my fellow male students to feel more confident embracing it.”
Marta Scott runs a carnival-inspired dance company and has been teaching Latin and jazz plus samba for 25 years. She has a clear message for dancers and teachers alike for the new year!
“Try a new style of dance to challenge the mind and the body and enhance your dancing knowledge even further! For myself, I have decided to film all my routines so dancers can have a video to practice from at home. And for my dancers, I would love for them to dedicate extra time to practice at home as well as coming to as many classes as possible.”
Which reminds us all how beneficial movement and dance is to us, mentally, emotionally and physically – at any age. It’s well known that dancing releases endorphins in the brain and there are hundreds of research projects to back up the fact that dance is one of the most effective ways of keeping fit, improving mobility, enhancing social connections and developing better cognitive skills. A look at uk.blochworld.com reminds us that dance also helps regulate stress hormones, improve memory and sleep.
Maybe as dancers and dance teachers, we should just encourage ourselves to dance into and throughout the new year!
Karl Green is an award-winning performance and wellness coach. He is from a performance background and has pivoted in his career from dance and musical theatre to coaching and development.
“I believe that 2025 should be the year dancers revolutionise their relationship with themselves. Our industry often pushes us to extremes, but I’ve learned that sustainable success comes from a foundation of self-love. I encourage dancers to challenge those limiting beliefs that whisper ‘not good enough’ and instead embrace your journey as a continuous evolution. Make self-care non-negotiable – it’s not indulgent. Some of my most profound personal breakthroughs came when I shifted from self-criticism to self-compassion. Celebrate small victories. That clean pirouette? Acknowledge it. That breakthrough in choreography? Own it. Most importantly, whether you’re in the studio or dancing in your kitchen, remember why you fell in love with dance. When you dance for yourself first, your artistry radiates naturally.”
Whatever 2025 holds for each of us in the dancing world, we could give ourselves the best chance of success by reflecting on what’s worked and what hasn’t this year. Pin-pointing what we’d like to achieve next year. And making a plan of action to set ourselves on the pathway to get there!
Best of luck!
By Louise Ryrie of Dance Informa.
