What does it take to be a successful dancer?

People often message me asking for tips and pointers on how to be successful in the dance industry. To be honest, I don't know how 'qualified' I am to give advice on this subject but I figured that there are a few rules that I have stuck by that have got me this far. So, below I have listed everything that I feel you need to think about or take on board if dance, or performance in general is your chosen field...do what you will with the following ideas as they may not be for everyone, But they worked for me...

1) Journalists have often asked me in newspaper and magazine interviews what it takes to be a 'successful dancer'; my answer is always the same..."Dance for me is 25% fitness, 25% technique and 50% passion, it's great to have fitness and technique but with this you're only half way there as passion and heart for your art is always necessary to provide exceptional performance...Similarly, if you've never danced before or if you are just starting out and you have that drive, energy and love that constitutes to the passion, you're already halfway there!"

2)Learn your Art thoroughly...know where it came from so that you can guide it in the future. This applies to any style of dance even though I come from a street dance background. It has taken me a while to grasp this, but I have now learned from my mistake of NOT studying the old school way. I now study Locking, Popping/Boogaloo & B-Boying so that I can appreciate and become a lot more creative/innovative with my style and choreography. I am noticing a lot of street dancers using the basic techniques for some of these styles in their work...yet miraculously when I ask them about it, they have no idea where it came from or why they are actually doing it?.... as far as they're concerned, it just ticks the right boxes and that's good enough for them, which leads me on to my next point...

3)....DANCE FOR YOURSELF. I know there are a lot of people out there dancing because they believe it might possibly improve their chances of getting laid, and I also know that those people will not stand a chance in the industry. When I say "dance for yourself" I mean dance for your own love of the art, not because it will guarantee you the "chirpse". The industry isn't easy, the pay is actually terrible and you can work 18 hour days at times. Madonna says that "being a dancer is a dogs life", and she's absolutely right...but we're all still here, and it's our love of the art and the personal joy that the achievement brings us that actually keeps us here... NOT the groupies..

4)Learn how to accept constructive criticism and ignore deconstructive criticism. Most people can't do both. Constructive criticism is necessary to improve and when it's given correctly, it's a blessing in disguise - even though sometimes the truth can be quite painful! On the flip side, learning how to ignore deconstructive criticism is difficult. People who give this sort of advice are often scared/jealous or generally negative about the position you are in or where you are going. An example of deconstructive criticism is "you're never actually going to make it because you're too old/fat/ugly". I've had all of these and many more from everyone including choreographers/directors who regard themselves highly in the industry, and have finally learned to ignore them. Since doing this, my workload has tripled...self confidence isn't such a terrible thing after all and once you believe in yourself, it's pretty easy to convince the rest of the world to believe in you too!

5)Always remember, no matter how good you are - THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE BETTER THAN YOU. No matter how much you know - THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE TO LEARN. Stay Humble, stay open to education and respect the pioneers. Enough said.

6)Dance continually evolves and you need to keep up with the evolution... If you can, try and become a positive reason as to why it evolves. Have goals, but don't let them limit you... dreams are allowed to be far fetched! Continue to study and train to the max to achieve your dreams and remember that everybody measures success differently. Just because you're not a millionaire, doesn't mean you're not successful. I have met some of the most successful dancers in the world - They don't earn much and are totally satisfied by just doing what they love all day, their success is measured by happiness, how will you measure yours?

7)Understand the importance of Cross-training. If you're a ballet dancer, train in hip-hop and if you're a hip-hop dancer, try some classical and contemporary. You might love the change or you might hate it... either way it will do you good to broaden your dance background and ensures that you stand a better chance in more auditions. Each of the styles are very different, but the fundamental techniques will always complement each other. Also, Learn from as many different choreographers as you can. Some are good, some are not so good, but all of them will be able to teach you something. Each of their styles will be different, so becoming fluent in as many styles as possible means you won't crash when audition time comes around and Jurgen from Outer Mongolia is teaching the routine...!

8)Learn to freestyle...it's NOT hard!! Freestyle allows you to use the music to express yourself the way you want to and EVERYBODY should welcome that opportunity. 99.9% of dancers are terrified of freestyle, but there is no reason why you should be as this is your opportunity to be yourself and shine. We all "bust a move" in the privacy of our bedrooms once in a while to release tension and have fun and if you can transfer that to stage then the feeling you get is euphoric! I am a freestyler first and foremost so sometimes I can actually find it difficult to stay within the limits of somebody else's choreography and style when I have to. I know that there are some professional dancers who are the complete opposite of me and have made it without ever having free styled, confined in the parameters of somebody else's expression... BUT WHAT'S THE BLOODY POINT IN THAT??? Okay, so I guess some people were just meant to be a colour in a choreographers palette.... But why not try to be all the colours and the brush too??.... It's time we all started using the gift of self expression and every once in a while, using the stage as our canvas; created our own damn masterpieces...

9)Be unique. Please be unique. Harvest that talent that only you have, whether it's your extraordinary flexability or your fire-eating skills! It might seem different, or even unheard of to dance in your own style, but if you want to be noticed, it is paramount. Don't forget that you'll still need to learn all of the techniques associated with your chosen style, but once you have them, you can throw in your own seasonings. It might even be the way you choose to hit a beat or the style of clothes you wear... Whatever it is, be original and stay true to your game. Some dancers choose to replicate other dancers/choreographers styles because it worked for that performer... Unfortunately, it doesn't often work for them as it looks cheap and obviously bitten from someone else. Don't get caught in this trap. By all means, use other dancers and choreographers to inspire you as much as you need, just don't rip them off...

10)Finally....don't hate. And don't accept anybody hating on you. We are all working towards a common goal and technically should be helping each other to get there -Even this rarely actually happens. Don't let the politics of the industry cloud your vision...make sure you stay hungry, don't be a pushover and keep fighting for your success. Treat everybody that you meet with the respect that they deserve. The people you step on during your rise to fame, are the same people that you'll need to catch you when you fall back down. Remember that the industry is worldwide so don't assume that London, England, or the UK is the be all and end all of your success. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, you deserve it as much as anyone else, Now go and get it!

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Well, there it is - Kymberlee Jay's 10 points to success. Like I said previously, some of you may not agree with all that I have written here. These points are some of the things you may wish to consider if you want to be a pro. I am still very much a beginner myself and I am continuously learning new things everyday. I hope that they will help you if you intend on taking dance seriously...or will have at least provided you with some form of entertainment for the 10 minutes it has taken for you to read them....I reckon I should be writing self-help books, I'd make a mint... I think I'm in the wrong industry...LOL!