Bridget McClory performing a routine in a London park.
The number of organized activities available to people of all ages is constantly growing. Whether sports are your thing or you prefer the arts, the options are seemingly limitless. What if you’re looking for something in between?
While dance has been a well-known activity option for a long time, it is still steadily popularizing as a sport option as well as an art form. Hockey, Soccer, Baseball; while they aren’t necessarily taking a back seat to dance, they are definitely starting to share more of the attention.
INCLUSIVITY
While all sports globally are consistently opening up more options to female athletes, officials, coaches, and staff, dance has always been a step ahead of the game. Dance, throughout its history, has been altered and edited to fit different cultures, different religions, and, of course, different musical genres. Whether it was swing dancing in the 1930’s, or doing the Dougie in the early 2010’s, there’s a style for everyone.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in dance with it now being taught as a class in some high schools. Saint Andre Bessette Catholic Secondary School offers a dance course taught out of their very own in-school dance studio. Penney Shore-Talbot is the dance teacher at Saint Andre Bessette and she says the dance program is a great addition to help everyone feel included.
“I think it would be trying to branch out and try to offer something to girls [since] phys. ed (physical education) tends to attract more boys,” Penney says, mentioning that she has also had several boys take the dance program. “The other art forms offer something for every gender, such as music and visual arts, but dance gives something a little more specific to the female.”
Dance is also offered as a program at several Ontario universities.
“CHILDHOOD GOALS INTO A REALITY”
While dance as an art form and activity is still evolving, it is at the point of being a possible career path already. One person trying to follow its path is Bridget McClory. Bridget is a first year dance student at Ryerson University in Toronto. Although Bridget, a London-born dancer, is only in her first year in the program, she is certain it’s what she wants to do.
“Dance has brought me on a great journey so far, its honestly making my childhood goals into a reality,” the 20-year old Londoner says. “Its opened many doors and possible rewarding careers in the near future.”
Choreography, studio management, teaching dance, the career options keep growing. The job opportunities are great, but what other benefits does taking up dance have?
THE BENEFITS
Aside from the options it creates for your future, dance has a lot more to offer, whether it be a child trying to make friends, or a grown-up looking for a new hobby. Most team sports, such as hockey, can improve collaboration skills and teach you how to work as a team. Individual sports, such as golf and tennis, teach you how to work independently and stay composed. Dance fits directly in the middle of this spectrum. You will have group assignments in dance, whether it is as the dancer or the choreographer, while you will also have solo dances where you have to work both roles.
Penney Shore-Talbot feels her program has just as much to offer students as any other team or course, if not more.
“The emphasis is on the students creating. They learn the elements of choreography and working in groups and sharing your ideas and trying things [that may not work],” says Shore-Talbot.
Bridget McClory seconds this idea, saying that dance has molded her into who she is today.
“Dance has taught me dedication and perseverance. It’s taught me to work smarter, not harder. It allows me to truly believe in myself,” Bridget says. “Dance has allowed my physical and mental health to grow and its given me life experiences which I will take with me onto my next endeavours.”
TRY NEW THINGS
This article is by no means an advertisement for dance or an attempt to persuade you to sign up for a class. However, it is an article about the possible benefits of trying new things and taking a chance at something that may be slightly outside of your comfort zone. Everything has its benefits, you just have to try.
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