'Without dance in my life, I would be lost'

Students' skills, academics, and life itself enhanced by dance

Undergraduates, graduate students, and staff who take dance classes or perform in dance groups were asked to describe what their involvement with the Dance Program means to them. Many spoke of the stress-relieving and health-promoting quality of attending dance classes. Other mentioned the pleasure they experienced in trying something new or creating something beautiful. Some felt that studying dance had helped them to hone their academic skills, either directly, by sharpening heir ability to memorize new material or by helping them to learn about and understand music in a new way, or indirectly, because the amount of time they spend rehearing forces them to make good use of the time they reserve for academics. All described the time they spend learning, rehearsing, and performing dance as something absolutely necessary to their quality of life. The most common response of all was “Dance is what keeps me sane.” here is a sample of some of the responses.

From a more practical standpoint, I find that dance keeps me focused and driven. I perform better in all aspects of my life when I’m dancing. It’s a great community to be a part of, especially here at Harvard because everyone is so supportive.

Dancing, no doubt, has changed the way I learn. When I was younger I was definitely more disciplined and had an easier time remembering new information mostly because of my ballet training. Every day in the studio you’re forced to remember a new set of movements and internalize them to the point where they become your own. After that even calculus looks easy!

Dancing makes everything right with life. If you don’t do it for a while you start feeling unhappy and unfulfilled – the minute you get back in the studio it all disappears. It’s like coming home each time you start a class, no matter where it is.

Dancing is a great stress release, because all you have to think about is what your body is doing, and all other concerns fall away. Dancing just generally makes me happy.

I absolutely love ballet; I feel incredible when I am doing it. I think my life would be so bleak without it – I’d have very little to excite me, and my body wouldn’t be nearly as healthy as it is now. Nor would my self-esteem. Through ballet, I am developing my ability to appreciate (and understand) music.

I think dance influences my relationship with myself. When dancing, I feel taller, thinner, more accomplished, less stressed, more free, more powerful. I love having a hobby I can be passionate about, one that helps me feel better about my body and my talents. I would say it carries over to every aspect of my life, not only because of the self-confidence I’ve gained, but also because having something to be passionate about leads me to be passionate about lie in general, which in turn leads me to have a more positive outlook on the rest of the things I do that don’t involve dance.

It gave me a sense of community and friends in high school nd college. It has allowed me to develop a strong mind-body-spirit philosophy that I retain.

Depending on what pieces/shows are rehearsing, I can be dancing anywhere from 15 to 20 hours a week. To many people this seems like an excessive amount of time, but dance is such a powerful force in my life and such a large part of who I am that I never get tired of it. Even when I’m trekking back to my room at midnight after a long and tiring rehearsal, I am happy. I need to be dancing that much. Agnes DeMille once described dance as “glory on earth,” and that is absolutely what it is for me.

Without dance in my life, I would be lost.

Continually trying to improve is so rewarding. There are always new things to work on in dance, whether it beholding a releve for a few more counts, doing a triple turn instead of a double, getting a leg a little bit higher, or working on the expression behind and the impetus for the movement. I think that most dancers, myself included, are never fully satisfied with their work. There are always little things to improve upon that can make the dance that much more exciting, interesting, or powerful. Dancers are perfectionists by nature, and I think that quality often extends to other parts of life.

I have met and become friends with many fellow dancers at Harvard and these relationships have added to the richness of my Harvard experience. Usually my friends who are not involved in the arts can’t understand why I subject myself to 20 hours or more of rehearsal or class time. It is wonderful to be among fellow dancers who understand that those hours in the studio are some of the most precious and enjoyable hours I will spend here. I am so happy that I am able to pursue my interest in dance at Harvard. I have been pleasantly surprised by the size of the dance community and the quality of the dance teachers on campus. The dance community here and particularly Liz Bergmann’s development of the program have played significant roles in my happiness at Harvard.

I feel more in touch with myself, more confident about life’s transitions.

Dancing makes me feel good. If I am having a bad day all I have to do is put on my tap shoes and a half hour later I am happy. It is sort of an escape from the stress in my life. Dance has been such an important part in my transition here as a freshman. It really helped me stay sane. It is also another way to express myself and to find friends with similar interests.

Because of my experience here at Harvard I am a lot more appreciative of different kinds of dances and genres of music. This is part of the reason I am taking a Jazz music class here. It has also made me interested in the history of dance and how dance was affected by social movements. I hate history, but if it affects dance – I want to know about it.

Dance influences everything about me from the way I move to the way I think to the kind of activities I do for fun.

Dancing has changed my academic experience by making it less stressful and more well-rounded. It has changed my overall educational experience by developing another part of me that is just as important – my body and my mental well-being.

Dancing influences all areas of my life in some way. It allows me to take some time just for myself and rejuvenate, which helps me to keep my life in perspective and stay calmer.

As fare as shaping my academic experience I can say that when one feels good, one is able to think, be creative in solving problems, be open to new perspectives, be receptive to new ideas.

Physical stamina and general well-being contribute to an all-around positive attitude in life. I am more patient, more energetic, eat well, and am in a better mood when I dance regularly.

I think studying ballet seriously made me very goal-oriented and serious for a long time. I think also I matured a bit faster, because at an early age I was taking on a lot of responsibility.

Not only is it useful for theater, it’s a useful way to become more aware of your movement, and it’s a fun time. It helps in theatre, but also in daily life.

Dance is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, which is why I think I connect so much with it – you are never done perfecting it. And the closer you get, the further you realize you still have to go.

It gives me a feeling of grace and power. It makes me feel proud to begin to overcome my fears, as I did not believe I had an aptitude for dancing, and so I hope this courage will extend to other areas in my life. The course also gives me a deeper appreciation for music, because in our classes we are guided by the drumbeat.

It seems that humans have been dancing for a long time. This course gives me a deeper appreciation of the role of dance in society, as a form of beauty, a glue for social groups and as an exciting non-verbal form of expression.

Dancing has shaped my educational experience because of the lessons I have learned in my dance classes about working hard and about dedication, and also because my large time commitment to dance forced me to learn to manage my time well.

I think that the confidence dance has given me has influenced me in giving me greater confidence in general.

In terms of other activities, I like to sing, and my experience with dance, particularly tap, has helped me greatly in terms of rhythm.

Dance creates a focus and outlet for everything that I learn in life. Whether it be academics, athletics, or a movie I watched, it gives a positive effect to my dancing and vice versa.

Through dance, I learned to be comfortable with my body, and to enjoy the harmony of body and mind. I am able to think both intuitively and logically. I feel less stressed in general, and I am able to commit to actions and decisions. I also think that my memory is better as well as my ability to learn and adapt to a foreign situation.

I’m a 40-year-old visiting fellow who always wanted to try ballet. I’m enrolled this year in beginner’s ballet with Margo Parsons. I love it. I have no previous experience – she’s a great teacher. I look forward each week to making my way to the studio.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]