The Dance Teacher Mindset: Lauren Ritchie
This month, we had the pleasure of talking to the lovely Lauren Ritchie about the importance of Mindset and Mental Skills in Dance Teaching. Lauren grew up as an accomplished competitive dancer in Alberta. She currently flourishes in the dance world as an educator, speaker, choreographer, and teacher. Through her certifications as a mindset and mental skills educator, she focuses her work on the emotional intricacies of dance to highlight how mental health goes hand in hand with optimizing training, artistry, and performance. She has also produced multiple programs and workshops geared towards educating dancers and teachers on these topics. In 2016, Lauren started The Dance Podcast as a project to aid her artistic self-discovery. She regularly hosts conversations with North American industry professionals and inspires her podcast audience to apply mindset training to their lives. Lauren shares her advice to any Bloomies wanting to venture into dance teaching and explains why it is important to consider mental skills in all aspects of this multi-faceted art form. Read her inspiring words below.
Photo by Martine Martell
Through your work as a dance educator, podcaster, and choreographer, you have been vocal about acknowledging all of the aspects of being an artist. Talk about the importance of mental skills in dance training and teaching.
Mental skills and mindset training is vital both as a dancer and as a teacher. Performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais speaks about how human beings can train three things: the mind, body, and craft. The world’s best athletes, leaders, and coaches consistently train all three fundamental areas to pursue mastery and personal excellence. There is no question that dancers are also on this path. Dancers do an incredible job of pushing physical boundaries and exploring artistry. However, we need to include mental skills and mindset training to truly optimize our training and creativity as artists. These are the tools that allow dancers to build confidence, courageously push past comfort zones, manage stress, create meaningful goals, and stand in their own unique strengths and stories. This is what I teach in my Mental Skills Teacher Training. When dancers and teachers prioritize mental skills, everyone is able to better access their strengths, build resilience, and show up as their best in and out of the dance studio.
Share some things you have learned from being a dance teacher. How has your path in teaching influenced other parts of your life and career?
Teaching dance has been one of the most powerful journeys in my life. The beauty of the profession is that you learn as much as you teach. Teaching through the lens of personal awareness and mental skills allows me to reflect on my thoughts and actions as an educator and leader. The environment I create for others is a mirror of who I am at my best, who I am when I’m stressed, how I connect to individuals, what I choose to focus on, and ultimately, how I respond to all of this! The more I used mental skills training in my work, the clearer it became that everyone thrives when we feel seen, accepted, supported, and safe.
Being a dance educator has also taught me to embrace a creative, entrepreneurial spirit beyond the dance studio. My transition into the professional world of dance was rough. I had undergone an athletic identity crisis and found myself questioning what “success” as an adult even meant. This is what inspired me to create The Dance Podcast. I wanted to interview the world’s best performers, choreographers, teachers, agents, and psychologists to identify what is required to flourish in such a unique career. To no surprise, most guests referred to the mental skills and mindset practices that supported them through the highs and lows. The podcast became a personal research project that confirms the importance of doing the inner work. It also proved how incredibly small the dance world is. We’re all friends of friends–even if we haven’t formally met yet!
What aspects of being a dance teacher do you feel are not talked about enough?
A dance teacher is one of the most powerful educators in a children’s life. It is an amazing role but also a great responsibility. Children aren’t mini-adults and it is our job to learn about the different stages, learning styles, and age-suitability for each level we teach. Teachers should anticipate spending time and money to further their professional development and include valuable educational experiences in each calendar year.
Teaching dance, especially competitive dance, is a lifestyle. It is evening and weekends. Although we may choose it because we love our dancers and craft, undoubtedly there is a sacrifice to be made in this path. You might lose family time. It is a constant balancing act to make sure you are taking care of your emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
Lastly, we usually forget to mention that dance teachers are often freelance instructors. This requires a different mindset and financial literacy including financial planning, investment, and taxes. These are all realities that are rarely discussed!
We know many young dancers want to teach one day. What advice would you give to any of our Bloomies looking into a career as a dance instructor?
Teaching is a path that is always inviting new ways to communicate, train, educate, and explore. My advice would be to first find a mentor who leads in a way that inspires you. Study their communication and class structure. Ask them for guidance, then find your own rhythm and build your teaching style. It’s also so important to always be open to feedback. Being “right”, getting defensive, or acting out of fear will never allow you to serve at your best. I learned early on that being a professional dancer does not mean you will automatically be a great teacher. I was lucky to have an incredible mentor who taught me the art of teaching children. I realize that not all young instructors are so lucky or perhaps as open to constructive feedback. Even if you have trained for years, you will be a beginner as a teacher. Embrace this new path with eagerness and wonder.
Remember that respect is earned, not given. The more you invest in your work and the dancers, the more you learn about who you are and who they are. Share your student’s strengths and express what you see is possible for them. Video yourself then take your own class! Reflect on your class structures and communication every day. Ask yourself what went well? And was tricky? And what will you do differently next time? Keep being courageously curious. If your heart is drawn to a career as an educator–DO IT!
For more from Lauren, you can find her on Instagram, her website, or as the host of The Dance Podcast.
