Pet Peeve: "She's so good, I wanna kill her!"

Dance is innately competitive. We all look at the girl next to us and want to be able to do something that she can do. Little do you know, she's looking at you the same way. How many times have you seen a friend do something amazing? And how many times have you shouted at them "STOP! Why are you so amazing?! I wanna kill you, oh my god," or something of the like?

This is the mindset that'll get you down. This goes slightly along with my post "Chase the Dream, Not the Competition", but it's become a pet peeve for me because I find myself caught up doing it too. I hate myself for doing it, but sometimes I can't help but feel that way. In our basic human instincts, we compete for survival. If you take out the one stronger than you, you've got a better shot at surviving, right? Same deal - you innately want to take out the dancer you think is better than you so you have a better shot at getting noticed, getting hired, booking the gig, improving, etc. You think you'll have a better shot at reaching your goal.

The truth is these thoughts are a complete waste of time. Stop hating the dancers who can do things you can't and start learning from them. Ask them to teach you how to improve or "get" certain tricks. Observe them closely and analyze the secrets of their success. Channel your negative energy and frustration with yourself into making yourself better. Compliment them on what they do well! Maybe you'll be surprised by what you get in return. A compliment in return? A smile? Maybe they'll ask you to teach them something you can do! Imitation is the highest form of flattery in dance, so don't feel bad about "copying" the girl next to you. And never forget your love for what you do.