Get S.M.A.R.T About Your New Year's Dance Resolutions
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January is the PERFECT time to work on setting goals. Coming out of 2020 madness makes our New Year’s Resolutions all the more important this year! We know our students have big dreams, and we LOVE encouraging them to reach for the stars each week in our dance classes. That’s why today’s blog is all about getting S.M.A.R.T about New Year’s Resolutions!
Have you heard of S.M.A.R.T goals? If not, check out this awesome article! George T. Doran coined this acronym in 1981 and it has since been widely accepted as the most effective way to set goals that actually get accomplished.
Today, we’re taking you through the S.M.A.R.T acronym with a very common dance goal that we hear from our students ALL the time: improving flexibility. Flexibility is one of those skills that requires personal dedication and consistent work at home, rather than just in the studio. So we can’t wait to get clear on how to make it happen!
S is for Specific
The more detailed you can get, the better! Break your goal down into smaller pieces and choose one or two things to really hone in on this next year. This will help you stay focused on the vision!
Flexibility for Dancers
There are many different ways to improve flexibility, so it’s important to hand-pick one or two specific stretches that you’d like to make strides with. We always recommend working on splits because they are helpful for a wide array of dance moves. But if you have a specific dance move you’d like to improve on, ask your instructor for stretches that will lengthen the exact muscles you need for it!
M is for Measurable
Making sure your goal is measurable comes into play when you are tracking your progress. Goals take time to accomplish. Detailed tracking can help make small victories feel like big ones.
Flexibility for Dancers
When stretching, the best way to quantify your progress is to use a measuring tape to measure your body’s distance within the stretch. For example, in a split, you can measure the distance between your pelvis and the floor. In a pike stretch, you can measure the distance between your head and your knees. Keep a log of your measurements to help track your progress!
A is for Achievable
This one is all about making sure that your goal is realistic by taking into account where you’re at now vs. where you want to be by the end of 2021. Make sure you can really make your goal happen!
Flexibility for Dancers
Everyone’s body is different, so it’s important to focus on the progress rather than the product when it comes to flexibility. Keep your goal centered around how many centimeters or inches you’d like to move, rather than a flat split. That way, you’ll make sure that it’s personalized and achievable for your own body.
R is for Relevant
Making sure that your specific goal is directly related to a bigger picture goal is important. This will keep your motivation and focus on point when things get difficult.
Flexibility for Dancers
It’s important to be aware of what achieving greater flexibility can do for you as a dancer. Maybe you’ll be able to hold your leg for 10 seconds on stage. Or maybe you will finally nail that toe touch you’ve been dreaming of. In addition, no matter what the stretch or dance move is that you’re working on, being more flexible will reduce the chance of injury. Win, win, WIN!
T is for Timely
Creating a timeline with checkpoints, reminders, and even deadlines will help you really take action. Make a plan and stick with it!
Flexibility for Dancers
For flexibility, stretching at home needs to become a consistent habit in order to see results. We encourage sticker charts or accountability checklists for our younger dancers who are working on forming the habit. Set a goal of stretching for 10 mins per day after dinner. Add a sticker to the chart when you make it happen! Measure your progress at the end of each week and watch yourself soar!
While this list is centered around flexibility for dancers, these S.M.A.R.T concepts can be applied to ANY New Year’s Resolution, dance-related or not! We encourage our students and families to use the acronym for their own personal goals. We know you’ll thank us later!
Here at Positions Dance Studio, we are our students’ biggest cheerleaders. We love setting goals with them, helping them progress, and keeping them accountable from week to week. If your child could use that extra support, we’d love to welcome them in one of our weekly dance classes! Check out the schedule HERE and register today!
Happy New Year, Positions Families! 2021 is going to be another fabulous year of reaching our dance goals with our favorite students.