Getting Back Into the Swing of Things!

Whether it was holidays, lockdown, a new resolution, a busy personal life or just a little break, let us welcome you back to dancing. WELCOME!

Sometimes it is hard getting back into dancing after a little break; so here are some tips to help you get and stay motivated with your dancing.

Keep it Positive! Don’t be too hard on yourself: At times, we are our own worst enemy or critic; It is completely natural to have lost some ability after a rest period and we feel upset or frustrated with ourselves when we can’t do things we have done before. Allow yourself a small grace period to ‘dust off the rust’ and let that muscle memory set back in. For now, just remember to breath and accept our dancing. 

GOAL: Another way to stay motivated is to setting/revisiting goals for yourself. You and your teacher have already set some goals but it is good to keep revisiting these to keep them up to date especially after a rest. Not only are these goals helpful for your progress and learning but also a great motivator. You can set your own personal S.M.A.R.T goals for each lesson. 

S.M.A.R.T goals are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic and

Time-Bound

Write down your goals so that they are visible and not a vague thought in your head. People who write down their goals are more driven/motivated to complete them than people who do not. Just remember to break them down into small manageable pieces.

Rewards and Celebrate: One of the hardest things about dancing after having a break is making the decision to go to class but, once you are in the studio you will forget how hard it was to get off the couch because you’ll be having so much fun. Celebrate that you have made it by asking your teacher if you can dance to your favourite song or dance your favourite style. You can also reward and celebrate your achievements after class any way you feel. 

Be Inspired: Surround yourself with inspiring people and you will be inspired. At Arthur Murray, we like to create a positive dancing environment where we can not only learn to dance but, be inspired to dance. Print out a photo of your favourite, famous dancer or set it as your phone background so you can see it everyday. You can also get to your lesson a little bit earlier or stay back for a little while and watch how talented everyone is and how far they have progressed.

Finding motivation to do things can be difficult. However, once you have found it, things get easier. It takes 21 days for something to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of your personality and seem normal to your everyday life. The hardest step is the first one in the door. Take that first step and start dancing!