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Ballet

Puberty has benefits?! [A response to Misty Copeland’s story]

Philippa
12 April 2014 
First of all, sorry for the big gap between blog posts! 
I have been busy getting started at the Australian Ballet School, 
teaching some performance psychology classes and working with 
dancers one on one… but I certainly haven’t forgotten you, 
blog readers! Hello again!

 

Since Fat-Talk-Free month in February, I have been thinking a fair bit about the issue of “fatness” among dancers. Many dancers feel fat (regardless of whether they are or not) and body image plays a big role in our art-form, yet many find it a hard topic to talk about plainly in a helpful way.

So, when I read Misty Copeland’s incredibly powerful article on her journey toward body-confidence last month, I was struck by how clearly her story not only portrayed the issues so many dancers face… but also beautifully outlined the ingredients that have made her transformation such an inspiring “success story”.

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5 Reasons My Dancing Day is Ruined! [Lessons to Learn from The Bolshoi Ballet’s Acid Attack]

Philippa
5 December 2013

 

This week, Bolshoi Ballet soloist, Pavel Dmitrichenko was sentenced to 6 years in prison for plotting the acid attack on Director, Sergei Filin. Although he did not plead guilty, CNN reports that the dancer wanted “Filin to be punished in some way for failing to give him the roles he wanted”.

Apart from being a punishable crime, this is a tragic event in the ballet world.

And I also see this as an extreme example of something that happens quite commonly among dancers: it’s something psychologists refer to as having an “external locus of control” where instead of believing in your own ability to control your life, you blame circumstances, people or things outside yourself.

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Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist

Philippa
5 September 2013

 

For so many years I danced before so many mirrors and really thought that the size of my thighs was the hardest thing to look at.

But all this talk of perfectionism on the blog here is revealing all this stuff in ME that I’d prefer not to look at. Writing about perfectionism is the hardest mirror to look in. Ever.

Here I am trying to help you dancers overcome the darker side of perfectionism, but as I do so, the mirror flips back at me, and I see how I still get trapped, how I still forget to listen to my own advice and trust what I know deep down.

So, as hard to admit as it is, I’m still a perfectionist.

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The Problem with Perfectionism

Philippa
6 August 2013 
Last month’s blog post really struck a chord with a lot of people 
(thanks everyone for all the facebook likes and shares!). I am 
feeling quite humbled, but also compelled to write more…

Because although perfectionism is so pervasive in the dance-world, 
not a lot of dancers are aware of the impact it is having on them, 
or how it can actually prevent them from performing at their best.

So today, let’s delve a little deeper into the dark side of 
perfectionism...

What’s so bad about perfectionism?

At first glance, perfectionism can seem like an amazing thing, and perfectionists, amazing people. And it’s true – there are certainly many wonderful benefits of perfectionism:

  • You work very hard
  • You have very high standards
  • You are reliable
  • You care about what you do
  • You pay attention to the most intricate details
  • You achieve amazing results

What could be so bad about that???

But there is also a down-side to perfectionism that can be really debilitating.

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Why Dancers’ Mental Health Is Vitally Important

Philippa
4 July 2013

 

2 articles I’ve read recently have just got my blood pumping.

One highlighted how dance and the types of personalities it attracts (um, perfectionists…) are linked to higher incidences of eating disorders, which are the deadliest of all mental disorders.

And then just a few days ago, was the shocking story of a talented principal dancer from the Eugene Ballet in the US, who unexpectedly committed suicide, leaving a note for his wife on the door of their home.

Such devastating stories show how *vitally* important it is for dancers to take care of their mental and emotional health.

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Teachers: Want to shape your students’ motivation?

Philippa
4 May 2013 
Here’s one for all you dance teachers out there!

Dance teachers love teaching motivated students.

You know the ones:

They come up to you after class for tips on how to improve this or that step and then practice it at the end of every class for the rest of the week to see their improvement. In performance psychology terms, these students are known as being “task-oriented”. They are motivated by the challenge of learning and mastering new steps and skills… and they are a pleasure to teach.

On the other hand, have you ever had a student who is very talented, but hardly tries?! They only work hard when your eye is on them, or when the director is looking through the window. They pull out their best for competitions, but you know they have the potential to be a much better dancer if they put consistent effort in.

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