Being part of a dance school – or even just attending the same dance class regularly – means dancers mix with a number of different peers who also have the same interest in and love for dance. Whether it is tap, ballet or street dance they enjoy taking classes in, before long they become familiar with the other dancers alongside them on the barre, or also noisily practising their time steps.
With a shared passion for dance it is natural that dance students will bond over this interest and become lifelong friends. However, it is not always the case, and sometimes a peer in the dance studio can gradually become a dancing rival. Despite the fact they may love dance as much as the other, they may not rub along quite as well as with other dancers who attend.
Perhaps the relationship is a difficult one because the students are actually very alike in their approach to dance – and this may just be too close for comfort. Whilst everyone can become irritating once in a while, some characters can become irritating more than once in a while, disrupting the harmony of the dance studio.
Despite the fact that there are naturally things that irk us in life, there is actually a lot that can be learnt for the students here. This rings true for dance especially, as dancers never stop learning: there is always someone to take advice from, or technique to hone even further. Why not encourage them to look to that studio rival? They may have a different approach to something the other may find difficult, or they may interpret choreography in an inspired way. Make sure your dancers don’t stop learning, even if it is from surprising sources!