Why Grit Matters
At DK Dance Productions, one of the most important character qualities we hope to instill in our dancers is grit. Grit is much more than a buzzword; it’s become a measure of the determination and tenacity our kids can demonstrate when things aren’t easy, or they don’t get their way. In short, grit is a powerful combination of perseverance and resilience.
We want our students to know that success is achievable and that goals can be met—and we want to help them develop a strong work ethic in the process. That work ethic comes from putting in the time and effort needed to make progress, and not everyone’s progress looks the same! It’s grit that keeps the dancers powering through.
It’s important for parents and dancers to understand that results in dance don’t happen overnight, which is quite different than many other aspects of modern living: If you’re hungry, a snack is usually within reach. If you can’t remember who invented the light bulb, you can Google it. If you’re bored, there’s a new game to play on your phone.
With dance, it may take months to perform a specific step correctly or to improve a certain skill set. It may take years to move up a level or achieve a competition team goal. Many times a dancer will, in fact, fall down and have to get back up! This is all completely normal and expected.
We want to emphasize to parents how important it is to let your dancer face these challenges and work to overcome them. Pushing through hard times is what will help them become grittier, to be able to bounce back when real life throws curveballs. Now is the time for us to let our children practice navigating these situations—before they apply to college, before they have job interviews, and before they step into serious relationships.
These lessons in dance will be difficult at times. As parents and teachers, we know there will sometimes be tears. But rather than allowing our kids to quit or complain or blame, we can help them accept responsibility for themselves and decide to power ahead, using these lessons as fuel to continue working hard and striving for their best.
DK Dance parents, we invite you to walk together with us on this line between support and empowerment so we can help our dancers grow into strong, resilient young people. Let’s charge ahead on this mission to ensure every dancer is equipped to operate in this world with confidence, poise, and yes … grit!
