Some call it desire. Others call it being hungry. We call it is the Starring Attitude. The Starring Attitude is what separates the best from the best of the rest, the soloist from the company member, the true star from the flash-in-the-pan.
We know what the Starring Attitude can do, but what exactly is it? The Starring Attitude is an all-consuming drive to be the very best that dancers can be. It permeates every aspect of dancers’ lives. Everything that they do is directed toward, and considered in terms of, how it might affect performance. The central focus and dominating motivation in life is to excel. This is not meant to indicate that all dancers with a Starring Attitude do is train, train, train. Rather, they see the importance of having a well-balanced life that includes intellectual, athletic, and social interests, and makes efforts to develop such a holistic lifestyle.
One important component of the Starring Attitude is Commitment. Commitment comes with the understanding that what dancers do out of the studio is as important as what occurs in the studio. Furthermore, dancers with Commitment will do absolutely anything that is necessary for them to perform at their highest level. They utilize every technique and resource available to them that may enhance their performances. Committed dancers are constantly looking for new ways to develop themselves in all of the areas that contribute to performance. These areas include such simple practices as warming up sufficiently before classes, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern. and employing more sophisticated methods such as utilizing psychological and physiological experts in order to maximize their preparation and alleviate weaknesses that may hamper performance.
It may be thought that all elite dancers use these practices. However, considerable variation in adherence can be found even at the highest level of performance and it is often possible to discriminate the great from the good dancers based on these practices.
Another component of the Starring Attitude is Sacrifice. Sacrifice involves the willingness to avoid things that may interfere with optimal performance. Some notable Sacrifices include abstaining from drugs and alcohol, not staying up late, and refraining from unhealthy foods. This is not to say that these dancers live a joyless life of deprivation. Instead, they see the merit of occasional indulgences in their holistic view of performance preparation and life and, when appropriate, will allow themselves, for example, a chocolate sundae or a night on the town. However, these indulgences are permitted with an understanding of their potentially negative effects on performance such as weight gain or tiredness and a strategy for ways of minimizing them. Simply put, dancers wit h the Starring Attitude are willing to make performing their first and foremost priority and are willing to sacrifice things in other areas of their life that may be fun and tempting, but will also hinder their performances.
How then does the Starring Attitude develop? The Starring Attitude can evolve in several ways. It can develop from dancers’ upbringing. Parents exert the most significant influence on their children when they are young. As a result, parents can create an atmosphere that motivates their children to excel and succeed in whatever activities they choose to participate. This type of achievement-oriented environment results in a high level of accomplishment on the part of young people. Though often criticized for the extreme pressures exerted on the children by the parents, an environment that emphasizes self-motivation and the rewarding of effort regardless of the result can provide youths with confidence, discipline, and a strong, positive sense of self.
The Starring Attitude can also develop from the dance school or company and its teachers. Invariably, a company is a mirror of its leadership. The attitudes, beliefs and habits that are exhibited by the teachers will be reflected in the dancers. If the teachers possess a Starring Attitude, then, first, they will be more likely to attract dancers with Starring Attitudes and, second, their dancers will adopt their attitudes and behaviors.
However, it is unlikely that an entire company will be made up of dancers with the Starring Attitude. As a result, some dancers may not push themselves to the degree that is required to become a star. If this happens, it is important that the teachers instill the Starring Attitude in their dancers. For this to occur, teachers must be willing to put strong demands in terms of Commitment and Sacrifice on their dancers. These demands may take the form of goals, rules, and expectations.
It is imperative for the teachers to stand by their edicts. Teachers work very hard for their dancers and, in the case of a scholarship dancer, programs make a significant financial investment in them. It is not unreasonable for the teachers to expect to get as much from their dancers as they are giving to them.
In the event that this reciprocity is not evident, and some of the dancers are not demonstrating the Starring Attitude, it is the responsibility of the teachers to replace these dancers with others who do exhibit it. Unless this difficult yet necessary action is taken, two negative outcomes will occur. First, a “best of the rest” mentality will propagate itself throughout the company, which results in dancers who are satisfied with being the best in their company, but who perceive themselves as “second-class citizens” when compared with other dance companies. Second, this attitude will be handed down from the established to the future company members. What results is a company-wide negative attitude that infects successive generations of dancers, thereby miring a company in mediocrity for ad infinitum.
As indicated above, people acquire many of their attitudes, beliefs, and habits through modeling of those around them. Consequently, in contrast to the above scenario, being surrounded by dancers who are high achieving and demonstrate the Starring Attitude will tend to have a carryover effect to those around them. This phenomenon can be especially relevant in maintaining successful companies from generation to generation of dancers. One important factor in sustaining this quality is the willingness of the established stars to take developing dancers “under their wings” and show them what it takes to make it to the top. Part of this teaching process is to demonstrate to them the Starring Attitude.
Situations where this succession process does not develop effectively is in companies where the stars do not interact with the younger dancers. This separation created a chasm of ability, attitudes and habits between themselves and the aspiring dancers that may inhibit them from acquiring the Starring Attitude. This, in turn, may slow or stop their progress in attaining true elite status.
Clearly, the Starring Attitude is an essential ingredient for success in dance. However, dancers do not have to be members of a large company to have a Starring Attitude. All dancers need is the desire to become the very best that they can be. This may be a soloist for a prestigious company, a member of a small company or performing in a school production. The Starring Attitude will enable dancers to get the most out of their ability and will allow for the complete realization of their potential. This process will also provide significant personal benefits in the form of self-confidence, motivation, and discipline that will be well used in other areas of their lives. And when that is accomplished, then everyone is a star.
