30/10/2026
I love competition.
I love the excitement of it.
I love watching dancers work towards something, walk onto a stage and discover what they can do under pressure.
And yes, winning feels good.
We're allowed to say that.
Getting the trophy feels good.
Getting the role feels good.
Being recognised for something you've worked incredibly hard for feels good.
I don't want to take that away from dancers.
But I also don't want winning to become the only evidence they have that they're good enough.
Because eventually, every dancer loses.
Someone else gets the role.
Someone else scores higher.
Someone else gets moved up first.
Someone else gets selected.
And if we've built a dancer's entire understanding of success around being chosen over somebody else, what are they supposed to do when they aren't?
That's why I care so much about what we celebrate along the way.
The performance where they recovered brilliantly from a mistake.
The competition where they danced better than they did last time and didn't place.
The audition they were brave enough to walk into.
The correction they finally understood.
The teammate they cheered for when they were disappointed themselves.
I want dancers to enjoy winning.
Celebrate it loudly.
Take the photo with the trophy.
Be proud.
But I also want them to have a definition of success sturdy enough to survive the days when somebody else's name gets called.
Because those days will come.
And dance has so much more to give them than first place. 🤍
