Somehow, in my dance life, I managed to never compete. I’m talking in the general sense of the word where there are judges and scores and a champion is crowned and consequently there is medal or cash prize. Perhaps for athletes, it’s a given. An obvious goal. Because as an athlete, perhaps the goal is to compete and ultimately, to win. Growing up, my dance studio was not a competition based dance studio.
It’s not that I’ve never competed. No, I’ve auditioned of course. I’ve had a number pinned to my back at cattle call style auditions where only one person “makes it”. But I was auditioning for a job as a performer, not a competitor. If I were an athlete, I would try out for the team. We could compete against other teams. To ultimately win. It’s a different way of thinking about your dance especially if you’re a social dancer.
Read part 2: Have you ever thought about competing? Salon tango competition Part 2