For any aspiring dancer, having a long term vision is part and parcel of their career preparation. However, given the effects of the past 18 months on the world, it seems more manageable to break down long term goals into smaller steps in order to remain motivated.

Often the uncertainty of the future can make taking positive action difficult, yet it can actually be a positive accompaniment to a dancer’s training and aspirations. COVID has shaken the dance industry in unprecedented ways, providing even more uncertainty into dancers’ lives. Everything has changed, and now we are returning to some normality, it is also a case of adjusting our mindsets to instil a new way of working, learning and being. If it is possible, dancers have become even more resourceful, dealing with everything life has and continues to throw at them.

Maintaining confidence in your future of dance is challenging because the pandemic has had such a physical impact: shutting theatres and closing classes. However, some comfort can be found in how determined dancers are to continue with their training, rehearsals and performances, a skill that can be maintained for the future in the ‘new normal’ too.

It goes without saying that this uncertainty takes its toll, and is not without its impact physically and mentally. Being able to cope with changing circumstances and riding them out so they are as positive as they can be for dance in the future is important, but it is different for every dancer. The future is now about maintaining new skills and learning new ones to carry long term dancing visions. Already dancers have demonstrated how agile and determined they are, and now it is applying these skills to things that can be controlled, regardless of what is going on in the world around us. Embrace the future, and the new lessons it will teach us as new dance careers unfold.