inspiring insights

Ballet, being a nonverbal art, and the fact that class time is limited, often does not allow teachers and staff members sufficient opportunities to guide, lead, teach, and mentor our students in a more complete way. We look forward to sharing messages we feel are of value; and we look forward to taking moments to reflect upon items shared under “Inspiring Insights” in the future.

An Inspiring Insight from Faculty Member, Lynne Brague... 

WHAT CHOICE WILL YOU MAKE TODAY?

Dancers, you have been given the gift of movement to share with others.  As you move through the “dance of life”, you will make many choices.  You will make choices whether to give up or persevere, choices concerning your attitude, and choices how to manage your time, just to name a few.  How we manage our choices can be a challenge.  Yet, the wonderful thing is --- we have a choice.

My “inspiring insight” to share concerns the choices we make.  It is taken from Galations 5:23, the fruit of the spirit, and from author Max Lucado’s book, “Grace for the Moment”.

I choose love --- No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.

I choose joy --- I will refuse the temptation to be   cynical, the tool of the lazy thinker.  I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity.

I choose peace --- I will accept forgiveness.  I will forgive.

I choose patience ---I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.  Instead of getting angry at the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.  Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will be thankful for a moment to reflect.   Rather than clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness --- I will be kind to the unkind, for we all need it.

I choose goodness --- I will not be dishonest.  I will be overlooked before I boast.  I will confess before I will accuse.

I choose faithfulness --- I will keep my promises.  My friends and associates will not question my word.

I choose gentleness --- Nothing is won by force.  If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise.  If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control --- I will not be self-indulgent.  Self-control provides me boundaries of safety.  “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”  (Proverbs 25:28) 

As a dancer, teacher, daughter, mother, wife, sister and friend, I share this treasured insight with you.   Not that I have attained all these treasures, but I strive daily to do better in all circumstances.  I hope these “insights” will inspire you to be your best self in all that you choose to do.

An Inspiring Insight from Executive Director & School Director, Michele Ziemann-DeVos... 

Problems and Challenges as Opportunities!

“Do you have a problem?  Congratulations!
Do you have a tough problem?  Then, double congratulations!”
-W. Clement Stone

Life is full of opportunity!  How exciting!  As a student of dance, you have the wonderful opportunity to achieve many things of value.  The daily opportunity to learn new skills in class and the opportunity to perfect a choreography for performance are two such examples.  Most importantly, you are endowed with the opportunity to reach your potential as a human being.

A dancer’s striving for excellence, indeed for extraordinariness, is not easy.  The choice to be extraordinary will invariably present challenges and frustrations that may appear to make the achievement of one’s goals seem difficult or even impossible.

But the extraordinary individual looks at a challenge or problem, not as something to get down about – but as an exciting journey and yet another opportunity – an opportunity for growth.  If you are having a challenge with an aspect of your technique, congratulations!  What an enlightening journey you will have as you explore how to change it and fix it!  This is the successful person’s way of looking at challenges and problems.

Mr. W. Clement Stone studied the habits and characteristics of successful individuals and found a common thread. He discovered that all successful people manifested…

the ability to seek, find and execute ways to succeed,
regardless of  circumstances or obstacles.

He also found that: 

Every great (person), every successful (person),

no matter what the field of endeavor,

has known the magic that lies in these words:

every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.

And:
Everyone who achieves success in a great venture solves each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they are helped through powers known and unknown to them at the time they set out on their voyage.

They kept going regardless of the obstacles they met.

Students, if you encounter a challenge and become discouraged, then the solution is to try and keep trying.  You must continue to seek a solution to your challenge.  I promise you: you will uncover success if you do. 

The French philosopher Voltaire said:
No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.

Choosing to be extraordinary is not an easy path.  But, you must try, try and keep trying and you will achieve success!

Let us know when this recommendation works for you. Share with your teacher how you “assaulted” a personal challenge with “sustained thinking” and sustained trying and how you eventually achieved success.  We would like to hear from you