Embracing Failure: A Key to Success 

Welcome to Beyond the StEPS

Failure is a universal experience that touches everyone at some point in their journey. It's a humbling reminder of our humanity and a testament to our courage to pursue our passions despite the risks. Failure isn't just an outcome; it's an opportunity—a chance to learn, grow, and evolve into stronger, more resilient artists.

• Understanding Failure: Let's face it—failure can sting. It can leave us feeling disappointed, frustrated, and even embarrassed. But beneath the surface lies a valuable lesson waiting to be uncovered. Imagine a young dancer, who dreams of mastering a challenging choreography. Despite their best efforts, they struggle to execute the moves with precision. Instead of viewing their mistakes as setbacks, they learn to see them as stepping stones toward improvement. With each stumble and misstep, they gain valuable insights into their technique and artistry, ultimately becoming a more skilled and confident performer. Failure isn't the end of the road; it's simply a temporary setback or a learning opportunity. When we try something new or push ourselves out of our comfort zone, failure is bound to happen along the way. Instead of viewing failure as a reflection of our abilities, we should see it as a stepping stone toward improvement.

• Learning from Mistakes: Every misstep, stumble, or missed opportunity is a chance to learn and grow. In dance, mistakes are inevitable, but they provide valuable feedback that can help us refine our technique, sharpen our skills, and develop resilience. By examining what went wrong and why, we gain insights that can inform our future actions and decisions. Embracing failure as a natural part of the learning process empowers us to take risks and push our boundaries.

• Shifting Perspectives: Our perception of failure shapes our response to adversity. It's easy to succumb to self-criticism and doubt when faced with setbacks. But what if we chose to see failure through a different lens? Take a young athlete who struggles with perfectionism. When they fail to meet their own unrealistic standards, they are overcome with frustration and self-criticism. However, with guidance from their mentor, the young athlete learns to embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process. Discovering that each mistake is an opportunity to grow stronger and more resilient, shifting their perspective from one of fear to one of empowerment.

• Building Resilience: Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adversity stronger than before. Resilience is a valuable asset that can help us weather the ups and downs of our careers. By embracing failure and learning from our mistakes, we develop resilience that enables us to persevere in the face of challenges. Instead of giving up when things don't go as planned, we become more determined and resourceful, finding creative solutions to overcome obstacles.

• Celebrating Progress: Finally, it's essential to celebrate our progress and achievements along the way. Success isn't just about winning competitions or landing leading roles; it's about the journey of growth and self-discovery. Every small victory, every breakthrough, and every lesson learned is worth celebrating. By acknowledging our progress and honoring the hard work we've put in, we cultivate a positive mindset that fuels our continued success.

Failure is not the end of the road but rather a stepping stone on the path to success. It's a reminder of our humanity, our resilience, and our capacity for growth. By embracing failure as a natural part of the journey, you can help not only yourself but others unlock their full potential and achieve greatness beyond their wildest dreams. So the next time you stumble or fall, remember that it's not the end—it's just the beginning of a new chapter in your journey toward greatness. Keep moving, keep striving, and keep embracing failure as a catalyst for growth and success.

Continue your Education for yourself and your students with the StEPS Initiative Course!

About the StEPS Initiative Course

This course started in part with our charity event we created to save dance studios. Then we decided to keep it a free resource for the dance community. You can learn all about it below.

As part of our commitment to education and creating a safe space for all dancers, we are excited to introduce the StEPS Initiative Course. This has been curated by Apolla and donated from experts and professionals in each topic. 

Our goal in creating this course is to give dance teachers continuing education/professional development, give dancers the power of education, and provide parents the knowledge to see red flags. Each section has actionable items that can unite dance studios focused on equity and creating a safe space for every dancer. This course gives evidence-based information, some perspective & qualitative information, dance history, and further resources that can help you learn something new that helps progress and strengthen your studio OR solidify what you already have in place. There is something for everyone! 

This course is free for EVERYONE (Apolla has covered the cost and the presenters have donated the course content). These are meant to be introductions and actionable items for you. We know this is not a silver bullet to fix every issue or topic that needs to be addressed in dance. Each topic is deep and broad on its own. However, we aim for this to be the first step for some of us in these topics and even serves as a small catalyst for change in our industry. You will see there are also many resources that can allow you to expand your journey further in any of the subjects. With all that 2020 has thrown at all of us, we are determined to heal through listening, grow from adversity through action, and rise up by bringing everyone together. In the end, we will create a space open wide for the new generation of artists and athletes to ring in the new decade stronger and safer than ever!

https://apollaperformance-stepsinitiative.thinkific.com/courses/start

Watch the full beyond the StEPS Episode with Kristin Deiss, Michelle Loucadoux* Here!

*Michelle Loucadoux:  has been a professional dancer and educator for over thirty years. She danced on Broadway, in ballet companies, and on film and television and has traveled the world empowering young dancers. Michelle is a published author, has a master’s degree in business, and is passionate about creating a space for a more compassionate and inclusive dance community.

*Kristin Deiss is a dancer, educator, yogi, and mom living her best life through helping others improve theirs. She holds an MA in History, an MFA in Dance, and is currently the Chair of the Commercial Dance Program at Hussian College, Los Angeles. Having battled a JIA diagnosis that changed the trajectory of her dance career, Kristin is dedicated to helping dancers better cope with the challenges of their art form.

Together they have created Danscend, an organization whose mission is to bring mental wellness to the forefront of dance training by providing a space for education, application, and community to dancers, educators, and professionals.