I have recently relocated to a new city for the first time ever. For nearly 22 years, I’ve lived and largely operated within the same 20-mile radius. Understandably, this transition has been a bit of a physical and emotional challenge. I’m miles and miles away from the community that helped raise me, both my family and my beloved dance network. If there was one thing I was certain about when it came to making this life change, it was that I wanted to continue dancing as much as possible. While I’ve yet to establish a solid routine in this new place, attending dance classes has provided a level of comfort and normalcy amidst the whirlwind of change.
Whether you’re planning on making a cross-country move like me, or are graduating school and moving on from your familiar dance studio, life is full of transitions - some of which we’re prepared for and others we aren’t. One thing that can help make these transitions feel a bit more easeful is continuing to do what we’re passionate about. And fortunately, one of my favorite things about dance is its universality: no matter what country you’re in, what age you are, or what physical or mental state you’re experiencing, dance can be there for you in one capacity or another. In the short time I’ve spent living in a new city so far, here are some of the tips I have for exploring dance in a new place.
Do your research
When I began considering making this move, the first thing I began doing was researching dance studios in the city. As a 21-year-old with a full-time job, I wanted to make sure that I could find accessible dance studios that offered classes for adults at times that worked with my schedule. To my delight, I was able to find a plethora of options in this large city, many of which were “drop-in” classes, meaning I could sign up for them individually, often on the day they were being held. For those with a similarly busy schedule like me, I suggest searching for “drop-in” or “open” classes in your area for maximum flexibility. In the Seattle area, dance studios I highly suggest checking out for drop-in classes are Dance Conservatory Seattle, Dance Fremont, Pacific Northwest Ballet, eXit Space, and more.
After doing some Google searches to find dance studios near me, I also explored the website and social media pages of studios to learn more about their faculty and facility. Read the staff bios to learn more about the background and teaching methods of the instructors - do they align with the attributes you look for in a dance teacher? See if there are any videos on Instagram or YouTube to get a sense of what the class is like in terms of technical difficulty. And of course, don’t be afraid to call the studio itself to get more information you cannot find online.
Pack your bag with all you might need
Before I left for my first class, I was admittedly nervous! What if I forgot something important? What if I wasn’t dressed properly? Many questions circled around my frazzled brain. To ease my stress a bit, I picked out some clothes the night before my class to ensure I wasn’t in a rush to get out the door. I also stocked my dance bag with anything extra I might need, including extra types of dance shoes, a water bottle to fill up in the morning, a theraband, a massage ball, and several different types of warm-ups to throw on over my leotard and tights, including shorts and pants.
Arrive early
Since I’m notoriously directionally challenged, I decided to leave for my first class a bit early to leave extra time for re-routing in case I got lost. After mapping the route to the dance studio on my phone, I decided to leave with five to ten minutes to spare. I arrived at the studio several minutes early, which allowed me to take time to familiarize myself with the space, put on my dance shoes, find a space at the ballet barre, take a few deep breaths, and even introduce myself to the instructor. Having these extra moments for me before the class began helped set me up for success.
Remember: it’s okay to make mistakes!
Whenever I start taking dance classes from a new instructor, it can take me a handful of classes to get comfortable with the pacing of the class and the typical combinations. In open ballet classes, it’s often not clear whether the instructor has been trained in Vaganova, Balanchine, Cecchetti technique, or more. Offer yourself some grace as you get acquainted with the rhythm of the classes and, if it makes you feel more comfortable, find a spot at the back of the room so you can follow others in the class for the time being.
When I make mistakes in a new dance environment, where I’m not close with any of my peers, it can feel a lot more serious than it actually is. Back home, if I fall out of a pirouette, I know that I can turn to my friends and laugh about it; but in this new city, there’s no one to turn to yet. Remember that everyone in that class is dancing for themselves - they are not here to watch you mess up. Likewise, whether you’re looking to drastically improve your technique, simply move your body for the sake of it, or somewhere in between: you are attending this class for yourself. To further cement this idea in my brain, it can be helpful to imagine that the dance class is one big mindfulness exercise, focusing on the sensations in my body as I dance and not on who may be looking at me.
If you’re anything like me, you might find change a bit scary, especially after getting comfortable with a reliable routine for so many years. But change can also be incredibly exciting. Getting reasonably out of your comfort zone can teach you so much about yourself, the world, and the life that you want to have. When you find yourself in a transitional phase like I currently am, know that dance can still be a part of your life if you have the tenacity to figure it out: which you do.
