Most dancers who take part in competitions and conventions attend with a dance studio. However annually, a small group of soloists decide to go for it as independents, with out a studio affiliation. There are many advantages to this strategy—in addition to a couple of attainable drawbacks. Earlier than you join, think about what you’re keen to place into the expertise, and what you hope to realize.
Why Be Impartial?
For dancers who don’t attend competition-oriented studios, competing independently may be the one choice. As a ballet scholar, Rachel Quiner—now in her first yr as a main-company member at American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey—spent her weekdays in bunhead mode, and her weekends at occasions like NUVO Dance Conference and New York Metropolis Dance Alliance. Although Quiner was in a position to compete along with her native dance studio, “a number of ballet dancers select the unbiased route as a result of their studios don’t do competitions and conventions,” she says. “Though I used to be centered on pursuing ballet, it was enjoyable to study different kinds and turn out to be extra comfy onstage.”
Even when a studio does compete, it could solely journey to at least one or two occasions annually, or solely enable sure dancers to enter as soloists. “At my daughter’s studio, it’s a must to be in tenth grade to get a solo,” says Mehgan Jarvie, who teaches dance at a number of studios within the Philadelphia space and whose 13-year-old daughter, Margaret, trains primarily at Lionville Faculty of Dance in Exton, Pennsylvania. Margaret competes in group routines along with her studio classmates however has entered further occasions as an unbiased soloist. “It’s been such a shallowness increase for her,” Jarvie says. “As a soloist, she will get to indicate her abilities another way than when she’s in a bunch, and the suggestions she will get comes again to the studio along with her.”
What to Take into account
Competing as an unbiased typically means going the additional mile. Solo rehearsals will doubtless must occur by yourself time. Quiner ran by means of solos at dwelling in her basement, getting suggestions from her household. Jarvie makes certain to not register Margaret for occasions that battle with Lionville’s competitors schedule, and she or he and a rehearsal coach work along with her at a studio the place Jarvie teaches. Competing independently may also turn out to be expensive. Considering of hiring a choreographer? “Even a single two-minute solo will be costly!” Quiner warns. She typically requested her sisters, who’re additionally dancers, to choreograph her routines—or created her personal. “I knew how one can spotlight my strengths,” she factors out. “Additionally, while you choreograph your individual solo, you’ll be able to always be tweaking it, based mostly on judges’ suggestions from one occasion to the subsequent.”
That mentioned, working independently with an outdoor choreographer may also foster progress. Jarvie created her daughter’s competitors solos till this previous yr, when she requested a colleague to choreograph. The consequence was Margaret’s most profitable season but. “I feel a part of the explanation she did so properly was that she had somebody new working along with her,” Jarvie says.
Competing with out studio help can really feel lonely. As an unbiased competitor, you want to be keen to place your self on the market—even should you aren’t naturally outgoing. “Once you’re onstage for awards, you gained’t have that massive group of associates cheering you on,” Jarvie notes. Attending to know conference school members and different dancers can hold these lonely emotions at bay. It may well additionally allow you to construct networking abilities, since making potential skilled connections is considered one of these occasions’ main advantages.
Going it alone may give you a special perspective in your dancing, because it requires you to develop an understanding of your individual strengths and weaknesses. Even when considered one of your targets in competing as an unbiased soloist is to construct confidence, “it’s a must to go in figuring out what you deliver to the desk,” Jarvie says. And constructing that form of self-knowledge can hold you from falling into a standard competitors entice: evaluating your self to these round you. “Be your individual finest dancer,” Jarvie says. “Dance for your self.”
