From the Desk of Ms. Crystal-July
Dear Showcase parents and dancers,
As I write this, my heart is positively bursting with happiness that SDS has finally been able to reopen! While things may look different for a while as we take extra measures to prioritize safety, I am thrilled that we’ll be able to bring the in-person connection of dance back to our students. Our updated, tech-enabled classrooms are now outfitted to accommodate dancers in the studio AND dancers at home, whichever their preference. We are prepared to lead them all with love and, of course, educate them as we all get familiar with this new environment.
It’s perfect timing, really, for our July Believe Challenge, which is to BEgritty. To BEgritty is to learn how to be resilient, and what a time in history to be learning how to bounce back! These past several months have been like none other in our lifetime, and our students are proving just how resilient they can be. It takes guts and gumption to BEgritty! Our staff too, has stepped up to show what it means to BEgritty: They have been adapting their teaching methods to our brand new technology to ensure that each one of our students, whether they are learning in-person or online, have an amazing experience.
To BEgritty you have to view times of discomfort as ways to learn and grow stronger. You have to be willing to stand up tall, even after a setback. I’m pretty proud to see our students and our staff doing just that, as they continue to adapt and turn obstacles into opportunities.
If you want to BEgritty, I believe you can show your resilience by trying some or all of the following actions:
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Using positive self-talk to encourage yourself to try your best in class, whether class is in-person or online
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Choosing to see this time as a chance to “reset” your dance goals, like improving your flexibility or increasing your strength
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Not giving up when something is hard or uncomfortable, whether it’s wearing a mask or trying a new dance skill
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Allowing yourself room to make mistakes, because perfectionism is unrealistic and mistakes allow you to make progress
It makes sense that to BEgritty, you have to be willing to go above and beyond your comfort zone, because that’s exactly the kind of thing we’re ALL going through together now, in our own unique way. There’s no guidebook on how to navigate life during a pandemic, but luckily we have developed some pretty great tools as dancers … we’re learning to take pride in our effort, to be a good friend, to respect our art form, to lead with kindness, and to communicate through movement. And all of these qualities boost our ability to BEgritty.
I wish all of our SDS families a safe and healthy month ahead. Dancers, let’s move forward together and BEgritty with each step. The next part of your journey begins now!
With love,
Ms. Crystal
