How to Stay Motivated and Inspired in Dance

Everyone struggles with lack of motivation and inspiration at times, and dancers are no exception!  Dance is an extremely difficult art form, and more demanding than many sports.  Sometimes the long hours of arduous practice and blistered feet can get overwhelming, and it can be easy to get discouraged and loose your motivation.

Lack of motivation can be caused by several factors.  The three most common causes of demotivation are exhaustion, burnout, and beating yourself up over mistakes.  The first most important step towards motivation is to address the cause of the demotivation or discouragement.  Sometimes this can be hard to do, but you have to find the root of the problem and not just address the surface symptoms.  Remember that even the best dancers have had times of self-doubt and discouragement.  Don't worry!    Sometimes meditation can help you realize what is causing you to be discouraged.   Try sitting in a quite place, closing your eyes, and letting your thoughts drift peacefully by.  You might be surprised by how peaceful thinking can help clear your thoughts!  Try asking yourself some questions - what are your goals in dance?  Why did you start dancing?  When did you start feeling discouraged?

I see a lot of dancers bringing themselves down for "not being good enough" or "talented enough" or "flexible enough."  Very often, taking yourself down like that can cause demotivation and discouragement.  It is good to be able to look in the mirror in class and know what needs to be corrected, but you have to take things one step at a time.  Don't try to address all your problems at once; try focusing on fixing one thing in dance each month, and will find that you are much more motivated!  I am naturally a perfectionist, so I know how it feels to be overwhelmed by the things that need correction.  For a long time I would constantly come down on myself for not being "good enough." When I finally realized that it is the passion and love for dance that matters, I was able to relax, and I improved a million times faster!

If you have been dancing a lot and recently started feeling demotivated or discouraged, it is possible that you are exhausted and overworked.  If you think this might be why you're feeling down, try taking a little break!  Sometimes a week or two off from dance is all you need, and you will come back to dance refreshed and motivated to work even harder!

No matter what is causing your demotivation in dance, it is important to get re-inspired!  A great way to refuel your zest for dance is to watch some ballet or dance videos on YouTube.  Misty Copeland, Maria Kotchetkova, and Miko Fogarty are some of my favorite dancers to watch for inspiration.  Try starting by watching a few of these videos:

My best tip for all of you is to work hard, and don't bring yourself or others down. Don't beat yourself up over your mistakes... work to correct them!  Dance takes time, and patience is important.  We all have bad days... keep going, and follow your dreams. Hard work, positivity, and perseverance will get you everywhere!

Love,

Clarissa May

Find me on Social Media:
Youtube: Live On Pointe
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The Tale of Many Tails (Jenna's Story)

First of all, I would just like to say that I am so humbled that my story has inspired so many people!  I have met so many amazing people through my journey, and I have been searching for a way to share more inspiration with my readers.  So, I have decided to start interviewing other dancers who have overcome hardships, in the hopes that they will inspire you too!  I always say, everyone has a story!


My first interview in this series is with Jenna.  Jenna is 14 years old, and she is living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type 3.  EDS type 3 effects the joints, causing severe joint pain and dislocations.  Jenna was a dancer until this past January, when EDS forced her to stop dancing.  This is her story...

"I have always been double jointed. Starting in 5th grade, I had constant pain in my joints, and sometimes felt like joints were going out of place, then going back in. I ignored these symptoms, thinking they were the result of dancing 6 days a week.  The pain in my knees worsened, so I told my mom.  I was mis-diagnosed with tendonitis. The next year, I started to become extremely injury prone.  It seemed like I always had one injury after another. If you were to look at our photo albums, you would see that I always had some sort of brace on some part of my body.  Because of all my injuries, I missed a lot of dance.

"On July 5, 2013, I dislocated my left knee while doing a lunge in class.  It was out for two hours before the doctor at the hospital finally put it back in.  Recovery was tough.  I used crutches and an immobilizing brace for a month or so.  Then, my friend accidentally sat on my knee and I had to start the recovery process all over again.  

"Once I recovered from that, I started to dance again.  But I started to get severe vertigo daily.  After Christmas, I was so sick, I went from being 111 pounds to 104 pounds (my height is 5'8'').  In January of this year, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. 

"In March, I was hospitalized for a week.  My mom told the doctors that she knew I wasn't dying, but it felt like it.  I would take a bite or two of food, then get too nauseous to eat.  I drank Ensure nutrition drinks to help gain the weight back.  During my hospital stay, I was diagnosed with dysautonomia.  I also met my great friend, Brooklyn, who has the same conditions as me. 

"I am now taking chromolyn sodium for dysautonomia & low dose naltrexone for EDS. The chromolyn sodium is working very well for my dysautonomia (although I still get sick).  The low dose naltrexone isn't quite working for me yet, but people with EDS have had good results with it. It's supposed to bring pain levels down to a 3-5. I'm also trying The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. He basically cured himself from Crohn's disease and 17 other illnesses by eating healthy and praying. Although he did not have Ehlers-Danlos, I'm trying the diet. 

"My mom and I are expecting me to have a better quality of life than I have now. We know that I'll still have dislocations etc, but that's okay. You have to accept what you can't change.  I have a wonderful mom, and I know she'll always take care of me.  I also want to point out that I have amazing friends who support me every step of the way.  I don't know what I'd do without them. I am also writing a book called 'Only Time,' about a girl who has my conditions, and I am basing her experiences off mine."


Q & A with Jenna!

Q: When were you diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
A: I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type 3 in January. 

Q: When did you stop dancing?3. I stopped dancing around late January or early February.

Q: What is it like to live with EDS?
A: With EDS, I always have joint pain & frequent dislocations. I was also diagnosed with dysautonomia (a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System) in March (during a hospital stay).  The dysautonomia makes me feel sick a lot. I'll feel as if I'm getting the flu, but I'm not contagious at all. It's very hard with EDS and dysautonomia, because I never know how much I can do everyday. If I do too much, I pay for it by having more extreme pain, or feeling sick.  I look normal even when I feel terrible, and it really is hard to hear someone say, "Oh you look so good!" when you feel so bad.

Q: If you could tell someone only 5 facts about EDS, what would you tell them?A: If someone were to ask me to give them five facts about EDS, I would say:

1. People with EDS have high joint pain & frequent dislocations.
2. We have a much higher pain tolerance than most people. Our 6 would be a 8, 9, or 10 to others without an illness.
3. Zebras are the EDS mascot because when doctors hear hoof beats, they think horses and not zebras.
4. It is very easy for us to dislocate without trauma. Ex: Picking up a milk carton, getting off the floor, opening the refrigerator,  etc.
5. We are not lazy, not crazy, just in pain.

Q: How does EDS effect your everyday life?A. I am mostly bedridden, but I am able to go places sometimes. I do physical therapy in a pool. My mom is doing a lot of research so I can live a better quality of life, but I will always have to be careful with my body.  There is no cure on Earth for EDS, but I will be cured in Heaven.


Although Jenna is currently bedridden, she hasn't given up on dance.  Her current goal is to be able to do barre, and someday teach dance.

This is the first in a series of interviews I will be doing to help dancers share their inspirational stories.  Everyone has a story, and it is important to share them!  If you or someone you know has an inspirational story to share, please email me: liveonpointe@gmail.com

Love,

Clarissa May

Find me on Social Media:
Youtube: Live On Pointe & Clarissa May
Instagram: @clarissamay
Facebook: Live On Pointe
Twitter: @clarissamay09