Categories: Growth Mindset and DancePrintables

Goal setting for dancers

Goal setting for dancers.

Learning how to set and achieve dance goals is one of the most valuable skills we can teach our young dancers. Not only will it open the gateway to incredible success but it is a skill they can take with them for the rest of their lives. Goal setting for dancers is not always an easy concept to grasp. The idea of working step by step towards something can be difficult for young dancers. If we ask our students what they would like to achieve they will often name a certain step they have seen other dancers do or maybe they would like to place well in a competition or maybe its the long awaited pointe shoes. Helping our dancers understand what kinds of goals to set to really prime them for success, how to set them and then how to break them down into small achievable steps is the key to goal setting for dancers.

To really help our dancers set realistic and achievable goals, in other words to truly unlock the power of goal setting for dancers they need to understand six key concepts

Goals setting for dancers – key concepts

Success is the result of effort, hard work and persistence and is not something that just happens to ‘talented people’.
Abilities are not fixed or dependent on factors our of a dancer’s control, rather abilities can be changed and developed.
The success of others is not something to be jealous of or something only attainable by other, rather the success of others is an inspiration. It helps us see what is possible, it gives us clues as to what we can aim for and the work that it might involve.
Goals aren’t achieved all at once, they are achieved step by step, but implementing and being accountable for regular training and practice.
Make progress, not excuses. Dancers need to avoid making excuses when things don’t go their way or if their progress ins’t as fast as they may like. Rather, take disappointment as a chance to learn and grow, to look at what isn’t working and make a plan for progress.
The best goals are SMART goals, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.

The Resources for Dance Teachers goal setting resource pack is aimed at young dance students and aims to

Enable dancers to understand the goal setting process, to break down large goals into smaller, achievable chunks and to see how goals can be achieved in steps.
Scaffold the process of relating personal goals to dancer development and to help dancers become invested in achieving their goals.
To promote growth mindset in achieving goals
To recognise the work required for success, to help dancers equate the success they see with

the work required to achieve this success.

If you are interested in learning more about growth mindset check out these posts

Dancer Success and Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset for Dance Resource kit