Friends who dance together stay together.
Posted by Amy Goreham on
There is no denying that the friends we make at dancing are friends that stay with us for life. They are the only ones that understand the gruelling schedule required, they are the only ones that understand why you can’t stay out late at the party because you have dance tomorrow, they are the only ones that understand why your feet are constantly covered in blisters and they are defiantly the only ones that understand slick back hair, fake tans and over the top makeup.
When I was at school it was always my challenge to try and make my school friends understand why I was never around much on the weekend. It wasn’t until I left school did I realise that it is ok that non-dancers didn’t understand our lives, because I had my dancing friends who did understand the commitment required to succeed. I have a couple of different groups of dancing friends because I travelled with dance and even moved states, but one thing that we all have in common is that it doesn’t matter how much time we spend apart when we do meet again it is like we never left each others side.
My dancing friends and I have moved around, disappeared for 2 years on over seas contracts, auditioned for the same part to only have one of us successful and some of my friends have even stopped dancing all together. The hardest thing about having dancing friends is having to compete in such a small world. A lot of the time as the industry is so small we go for the same roles in the same production and only one of us will get the role. It has been a struggle of mine to come to terms with this and realise that it is ok if your friend gets the role over you. I have seen so many friendships around me tarnished because of such events even though it is neither friends fault nor decision to be casted. This is a small industry and it is important that we don’t become jealous however proud of our friends achievements.
I over heard a group of young girls in a dance class last week saying how unfair it was that one of their friends always got picked for the front row and how unhappy they were about it. Don’t let this come between your friends because like all industries dance is competitive but unlike a lot of industries dance is a small world and in that small world are a handful of people that understand what you are going through and what you need to do to succeed unlike a lot of people who are not in the industry.
Remember to be competitive with your friends- It helps you strive for greater things but remember that they are also the people that have seen you at you worse and helped you through the tough times.
This week at dance make sure you take a moment to realise how great those are around you are.
Love to all my dance friends- even those who I haven’t seen in years!
xx
