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Dance Related Studies |
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In a national survey of almost one thousand
dancers, conducted by Dr. Linda Hamilton, a clinical psychologist who writes for
Dance Magazine and has written the book "Advice for Dancers", three out of
five dancers were excellent academic students irrespective of their grade level;
only 5% were C students, and a mere 1% got D's. Carol Dweck, a Columbia University psychologist, says that her studies show that gifted children who go on to excel in thier area of talent have a unique outlook: the believe that the harder they try, the better they get. In contrast, less successful but equally gifted children believe that they have a fixed amount of talent and ignore the power of elbow grease. 1) Successful students: These children follow an "incremental theory," believing that effort - rather than perfection - is the biggest factor to their overall success. If they fail a task, they look at it as a problem to solve rather than a reflection of their ability. As a result, they tend to seek out new challenges and learn from past mistakes. 2) Unsuccessful students: Unlike the first group, these students go by an "entity theory"; they see themselves as having only a fixed amount of their special gift. When they make a mistake, they interpret this as a sign that they are less gifted in their eyes and in the eyes of others. It's impossible to be perfect, so these children often hold back, a trait that makes them less likely to succeed. "Dance training teaches dancers discipline, excellent work habits and an ability to use feedback - attributes that are going to be assets everywhere." Dr. Linda Hamilton Dr. Jmaes Nicholas, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, found that ballet is more physically and mentally demanding than sixty sports, including professional football and hockey.
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