Growth Mindset and dance – a powerful tool for teachers. You may have heard the term growth mindset and we all understand praise – but what do they mean for our work with young dancers, what is the relationship between growth mindset and dance? As dance teachers we want to give our dancers the tools to be the best dancers they can be, to help them succeed. We work on their technique, we give them correction after correction, we spend hours finding that perfect piece of music or designing that one special costume BUT, what if there was a way that we could do something really, REALLY simple, that could help put them in a position to achieve even more. What if WE could change their mindset and change the way they react to their perceived ‘failures’ so that even those ‘failures’ become successes. Good news! Just by making a slight change in our teaching practice, WE can help them to achieve all this. The key is the way that we praise our dancers. Wow! That simple you say? Just in the way we praise them? Well, not quite that simple, you have to be very careful with how you word your praise but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with! The connection between praise and achievement comes from research on mindset by Carol Dweck. There is a huge body of research that is really really interesting and incredibly valuable. You can read more about it in her book. However, I know we dance teachers are super busy and I totally get that you just want to understand how this praise thing is going to work out for you. So I’ll cut to chase. In the meantime, if you’d like to discover some growth mindset resources designed especially for dancers, check these out. Fixed versus growth mindset. Basically, the research tells us that there are two types of mindsets, fixed and growth. I have created this handy dandy infographic to break it down for you as it relates to dance. Interesting hey?! So how does this research on growth mindset relate to dance? Imagine your dancers at a competition. They’ve been having a bit of success lately They have gone to all their classes, they have practiced but then, they stand side stage and they watch the person before them and they are REALLY good and later on in the day, when they are standing on stage that same person walks away with the trophy. This happens, it happens all the time but it is how they process this situation that is important. Do they think, I’m just not as good as them, I’ll never be as good as them, I went to class, I practiced but it didn’t work. I can’t do any better than I did, actually, I don’t want to do this particular competition again, I’ll just stick to the ones I won at. If I see that girl’s name in the program again, I’m not coming. It’s not even worth turning up, I’ll never win. OR do they think, mmmmm what am I missing here? I really need to work harder. if she can do it, I can do it. You know what, I’m going to go away and work super hard. I want my arabesque to be just as good as hers. I’ll ask my teacher for some tips. Just give me 6 months, I can’t wait to compete against her again. She is so inspiring and one day I just might get there. The kind of dancer we as dance teachers want to encourage is the kind that fronts up to a competition or a class or workshop or wherever and is inspired by those around them. The kind who, when they don’t succeed, want to try harder, make a new plan, they know it’s going to take a while but they are willing to work for it. They aren’t afraid to try new things in class, even if they know they aren’t very good at it and they aren’t afraid to go out and compete because it’s all just a learning experience for them and they are willing to keep working for their own personal success. Growth mindset and dance – not all praise is created equal. So how does this relate to this praise thing? I think it is best summed up by one of Carol Dweck’s studies and so I’m just going to explain it to you. Basically, a team of researchers gave a bunch of kids a simple IQ test which they all did really well in. The kids were then praised in one of two ways. Either they were praised for their intelligence – you must be really smart at this OR they were praised for their efforts – great job you must have really put in a lot of effort, Then the kids were presented with a second test but given a choice. They were told they had the option of choosing a harder test that would give them a great opportunity to learn and grow or they could choose an test the same as the first one which would mean they would surely do well on it. 67% of the kids praised for their intelligence chose the easy test while 92% of the kids who were praised for their effort chose the harder test. This is really quite astounding and you can see already the implications this has for kids both in the studio and at competitions. “People always say I’m really flexible, I don’t want to try this new exercise because I might not be able to do it and then everyone will know I’m not really that flexible. I think I’ll say I hurt my back or I’m just going to be silly so people don’t notice I can’t do it. Maybe I’ll ask to go to the toilet.” But there is still more! After the second test, the kids were then given a third test which was at the same difficulty level as the first easy IQ test. The kids who were praised for their intelligence actually did worse on the third test, infect, their scores dropped by 20%. Meanwhile, the kids who were praised for their effort raised their test scores by 30%. This is a 50% difference in performance, just through a few simple words of praise! Pretty exciting right!? Carole Dweck explains why this happens. Growth mindset and dance – praise the process So what can we as dance teachers take from all of this? Well, it means we have to try really really hard to praise the process and effort and not to praise ability and talent. Unfortunately for us, the dance world is full of praise for talent and ability. I can hear it coming out of my mouth ALL the time. From the, “Oh she’s got those beautiful ballet feet, she’s naturally flexible, she so good at jumps, she’s a natural turner” to the trophies and prizes around every corner that don’t necessarily recognize the process or the effort but sure do reward talent and ability. Fortunately, we can help our dancers in the right direction by focusing on all the right things. We can constantly focus on the process, on the effort, on their individual achievements. Luckily for us, mindsets aren’t set in stone, they can change and we can help change them. How to praise your dancer and build a growth mindset. Some examples of praise might be “I can really tell that you’ve been working on your arabesque”. “Your solo has improved so much. You can really see how hard you have been trying in class” “I saw how you really tried to fix that step.” “Gosh, remember when you first started that solo, how difficult that step was. All your hard work has really paid off.” So there you have it! Mindsets and praise for dancers. Praise the process, let your dancers know how important their effort is. Encourage them to see challenges and failures as opportunities for growth. When you get back to the studio after a comp, sit down with them and brainstorm new ideas and plans to help them achieve their goals. Celebrate the effort, celebrate the process and they’ll learn much more than just how to dance!

Growth mindset is a total game changer for dancers. Once they let go of their fear of failure and stop seeing their abilities as fixed and out of their control, their progress is astonishing. Jump on board with our resource packs!

Recent studies indicate that parents can increase the odds that their children will flourish in life simply by changing the way of how they praise them and talk about achievements. Praise is a powerful thing, and we should use it wisely.

Help your dancer succeed by learning how to praise them to promote a growth mindset.

Research has proven the words we use to encourage students when focused on the process can turn a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.

Introducing your preschooler to the world of dance is an exciting journey. Dance helps young children develop coordination, creativity, and confidence. While mastering movements and routines is important, fostering a positive mindset is just as crucial. Positive affirmations can encourage self-confidence, joy, and resilience in your little dancer. According to a study published by the

I made these posters to highlight some of the inspirational messages from popular artists that are currently trending in my classroom. I love using lyrics in my classroom! My students’ music is very important to them, so I try and incorporate it into my classroom when I can. For better or worse, a lot of young people look up to their favorite artists. What's Included: 8 unique lyric posters from currently trending artists (Ariana Grande, Post Malone, Panic at the Disco, Childish Gambino, Drake, Shawn Mendez, Xxxtentacion, and Lizzo). 2 poster versions- color, and black and white. Reminder: The preview of version 2 (black and white posters) is in color to show you what it might look like when printed on colored paper, the pdf file for version 2 is only black and white! Warning: There are clean versions of all of these songs available on youtube, many of which we listen to in my classroom. However, be aware the the full version of some of these songs have explicit lyrics. You know your classroom best! Credits: Font license purchased from KG Fonts and PB Fonts on TPT. Thank you! All clipart is thanks to PB Font Doodles.

5 tips to get more out of your dancers As dance teachers, we are always looking for ways to improve our dancers. We want them to be the very best they can be, but achieving that is easier said than done. There are so many things to consider, technique, musicality, discipline, performance skills, self-belief…..the list can seem overwhelming. However, there are two simple words that can make a mind-blowing difference to your dancers – Growth Mindset. Before we get to the 5 simple tips to help you get more out of your dancers, tips that can truly transform your dancers, let’s first recap what Growth Mindset means for dancers. Growth mindset for dancers – the research Carol Dweck’s research on Growth Mindset stresses the importance of emphasizing effort over ability. In her study, two groups of children were given a simple IQ test. They all did well but the kids were then praised in one of two ways. They were either praised for their intelligence – “you must be really smart at this” OR they were praised for their efforts – “great job you must have really put in a lot of effort”. Then, the kids were presented with a second test but given a choice. They were told they had the option of choosing a harder test that would give them a great opportunity to learn and grow. Alternatively, they could choose a test the same as the first one which would mean they would surely do well on it. 67% of the kids praised for their intelligence chose the easy test while 92% of the kids who were praised for their effort chose the harder test. This is really quite astounding and you can see already the implications this has for kids both in the studio and at competitions. “People always say I’m really quick at picking up choreography but this seems really tricky. I don’t want to try it because I might not get it right and then everyone will think I’m not quick at all. I think I’ll say I’m not feeling well or I’m just going to be silly so people don’t notice I can’t do it. Maybe I’ll ask to go to the toilet.” But wait…there’s more! After the second test, the kids were given a third test which was at the same difficulty level as the first easy IQ test. The kids who were praised for their intelligence actually did worse on the third test. In fact, their scores dropped by 20%. Meanwhile, the kids who were praised for their effort raised their test scores by 30%. This is a 50% difference in performance, just though a few simple words of praise! Pretty exciting right!? Carole Dweck explains why this happens. “The child or adult that hears: oh you think I’m brilliant and talented. That’s why you admire me — that’s why you value me. I better not do anything that disproves this evaluation. As a result, they enter a fixed mindset, they play it safe in the future and they limit the growth of their talents.” Obviously, when it comes to how to get more out of your dancers, we want to avoid this fixed mindset. Instead, we want to promote a growth mindset. Dancing with a growth mindset means that dancers are willing to take risks, they are willing to operate outside their comfort zone, to try new things, and to persist when things get hard. These are EXACTLY the kinds of dancers we want in our studio! The good news is that there are concrete actions that you can take to promote a growth mindset and get more out of your dancers. 5 ways to get more out of your dancers 1. Praise This may seem obvious but there is more to praise than first meets the eye. To really get more out of your dancers, it is vital to pay attention to the words you choose when praising them. According to Carol Dweck, it is important to focus on effort over ability. In the world of dance, we are rather smitten with natural talent and comments about it are hard to get away from. “Oh she’s got such great feet,” “or “she’s naturally flexible”, or “he’s got such beautiful lines”. I’m sure you hear comments like this every day and maybe even say things like this yourself. It can be a process to retrain yourself but it is oh so worth it. The difference in my students has been phenomenal. When praising your dancers, always seek the effort, the work. Here are a few examples. 2. Growth mindset activities to get more out of your dancers Words are hugely important and backing them up with specific growth mindset activities supercharges your words. Hang posters around the studio that emphasize the importance of effort and start regularly including some growth mindset activities for your dancer. You can find a wide range of Growth mindset for dancers resource packs here. These are specifically designed to help you get more out to get more out of your dancers. There is a range of posters, activities, and ideas to help your dancers connect effort with achievement, to help them to push past their comfort zone, and to help mould them into truly coachable dance students, To help you get started enter your email below to download this free growth mindset for dancers printable. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Name * Email * Email Submit 3. Remind your dancers of how far they have come When I watch my dancers master steps or skills that they previously struggled with, I am elated and I quickly jump in to remind them of how far they have come. In fact, when we are first learning something new and they are struggling, I often say something like “ahh in a few months, we’ll look back on this and think, how did I find this so hard?” When the day comes that they are beginning to master that new step, I remind them of the day we first started working on it. Even better, if it is something like flexibility, I always remind myself to grab my phone and take a quick snap of their starting point. I later make a before and after collage. It is incredibly powerful for dancers to see concrete evidence of their effort and commitment. 4. Teach your dancers to set dance goals Teaching your students to set dance goals is like a magical elixir when you are aiming to get more out of your dancers. Not only is it a valuable skill for their dancing journey but it is also something they can take away and apply to all areas of their lives. You can find some great goal-setting resources for dancers of all ages here. This pack is designed especially for dancers and helps to scaffold the process of goal setting for dancers. 5. Give your dancers teaching opportunities When dancers become teachers it really helps reinforce the effort required. It enables dancers to see how skills build up step by step and when they see younger students improving and developing they can relate it to their own training. Student teaching or assisting is great for this purpose but there are many other mini teaching opportunities that you can implement in your studio. When I know there is a class of even slightly older girls waiting in the hallway to go into their next class I will often throw open the door and invite them in. The younger children are delighted and it helps them as much as it does the older girls. I quickly divide the class into smaller groups and hand them over to the older girls to work on whatever we are learning. For example, when I am teaching my beginning ballet students the polka I will invite the older girls in each week to work with their young charges. The results and rewards for all involved are immense. There are many more ways, large and small that you can utilize a growth mindset to get more out of your dancers but this gives you a great start. You can find more Growth Mindset resources for dancers here and some more great articles here The Power of Yet – a tool for dance teachers Success Mindset for Dancers Growth Mindset for Dancers – turning can’t into can

One of the hardest things for me as a teacher and educator is watching my students get frustrated in class. I design my lessons to push them and challenge them, but my goal is never to discourage. Dance should be a source of joy, growth, and confidence. When I see a student feeling frustrated, flustered,

Growth Mindset for Dancers Program II Have you heard of growth mindset?  Would you like to use this game changing resource in your studio but are not sure where to start?  The Growth Mindset for Dancers II Program and Printables gives you al the tools you need to scaffold the transformation of your dancers and prepare them for new levels of success.  Implementing Growth Mindset into my teaching has totally transformed my students.  Help your students let go of their fear of failure and their self doubt.  Say hello to students who embrace goal setting, are intrinsically motivated, hungry for corrections and are constantly striving for success, say hello to truly coachable students. The Growth Mindset for Dancers II progracontains 5 Units and 16 worksheets giving you all the tools and information that you need to implement Growth Mindset into your studio.  The program comes complete with instructions and ideas and provides you with an overview of powerful growth mindset research, guiding you in how guide your students towards a growth mindset. This program is perfect for workshops and can also easily be integrated into regular classes and given as take home assignments.  The kit comes with a collection of posters, worksheets and motivational tools such as resources for  the Banana Split club which will give you the skills and confidence to change the way you teach and change the way your dancers think about themselves, their abilities and their potential. Unit 1 covers Corrections is is particularly helpful in helping dancers understand what corrections are, why they are given and how to apply them.  This unit helps dancers understand that they and their teacher are a TEAM, working towards a common goal. Unit 2 covers Praise - the way we praise our students is KEY in the development of a growth mindset and in helping students let go of the idea that their ability is fixed. Praise the process, not the person.  Included in the praise unit are growth mindset praise cards for you to use with your students. Unit 3 covers Persistance - Persistence is an integral component of growth mindset.  Beautiful hand drawn graphics help scaffold the process of goal setting.  Encourage your students to join the Banana split club with these beautiful illustrations and reward certificates. Unit 4 covers Success - success is not alway that which we see.  Again, custom designed graphics are used with worksheets and posters to show students that the success they perceive is only part of the equation and encourages them to dig deeper and explore the power behind that success. Unit 5 encourages self reflection - it helps dancers put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and reflect about what they are good at now and what they would like to aim for in the future. Testimonials Nicole - "Hi - just wanted to say thanks and great job on the growth mindset series! I just bought the second one. Last week I used some stuff from the first series and my team LOVED it! It opened a dialogue that was not only inspirational but also helped us to bond even more! What I didn’t know was that one of my senior girls was having a really tough day (she never showed it) and after our work with your product, her mom called to tell me that whatever we had done in class totally turned her day around and she came home excited and in a better state of mind! So thank you! I am looking forward to round 2 tonight!" Samantha- "I love your programs so much!  Can't wait to use this one.  I never realised what a difference growth mindset can make!  Can't thank-you enough!" Jillian- "I received this PDF - printed them today and put them in every room for teachers to use. The response was overwhelming and so positive. Great tools to motivate students to be their best without others feeling "left out". THANK YOU!" Want more Growth Mindset for Dancers Resources - check out the original pack.

Growth mindset in art education is imperative. Students praise "talent" over hard work & dedication, developing a negative "self-theory." Those who employ a growth mindset believe that effort and dedication will lead to success. Click through to learn more!

Growth mindset posters can be a great way to encourage a positive and open attitude toward learning and challenges. These are printable growth mindset