Center Stage

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie Center Stage is the first day of residence at the American Ballet Theatre and the directors are addressing the new students. They ask who was the best at their previous dance studio and most raise their hands. They then talk extensively about how that was about to change and the cocky looks on the students faces begin to fade away.

Grad school is a very similar experience. You were either very good or you were the best at your previous post, whether undergrad or a professional job. You wouldn't have applied to graduate school if you didn't think you had any skills and you definitely wouldn't have gotten accepted if you didn't have tremendous skill and potential.

It's easy to forget that the potential is what we should focus on. We aren't here because we are already the best, we are here to become better. And sometimes that makes for really frustrating scenarios. You often feel like you are failing because of the impossible standards you have set for yourself and forget to see the bigger picture. You're in grad school to learn, to get better. If you were doing this work outside of graduate school at a small company, it would probably seem brilliant. But that's not the point of graduate school. The point is to identify your weaknesses, build on your strengths, learn from others, and keep working towards a goal. Letting go of that impossible standard and allowing yourself to accept your growth as being important as being the best at something is the key. And that's a hard thing to do. I am constantly struggling with it.

There are some key quotes that I focus on when I forget why I got into graduate school in the first place and question every bit of my ability. Which sometimes is a daily occurrence.

"Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"

"Don't get upset over oversights, get upset over laziness"

"God grant me the strength to accept that which I cannot change, the courage to change that which I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"

"There's a difference between being the best and being your best"

"Before you go changing everything about yourself, you got yourself this far and you're doing just fine"



This might be the hardest thing you ever do but it will be one of the most rewarding. And there's a reason we're here. We're here to learn, to grow, to fail, to succeed, to feel vulnerable, to feel protected, to support, to feel support, to laugh, to enjoy and to become the embodiment of our art form. We literally live our art. And not everyone is lucky enough to get to follow their dreams like that.