How To Regain Lost Dance Motivation [6 Proven Tips]

Regardless of whether you’re a beginner dancer or you have countless performances under your belt, a drop in dance motivation will happen to all of us at some point. And so the question is not IF this is going to happen to you but WHEN, and what can you do about it when it comes around.

Fortunately, I am going to share six tips with you that you can use to revive your dance motivation. Tips that have helped me throughout my dance career. So let’s get started!

1. Set a Goal That Excites You

One of the best ways to get your motivation back is by setting a goal. That’s because goals have a gravitational pull that move you forward. They give you something to strive for.

It must be a goal that excites you. You should feel at least somewhat enthusiastic when you think of your goal, because if that’s not the case, it won’t benefit your motivation much.

Ideally, your goal also has a deadline. You can, for example, set a goal to enter a competition in six months from now. Or, you could set a goal to master specific choreography in a set period of timeframe.

Once you have decided what your goal will be and by when you want to accomplish it, write it down. The mere fact of writing down a goal can boost motivation and increase the chance you’ll achieve it by 42%.(1)

2. Share Your Goal with a Friend or Family Member

Did you know that sharing your goal with a friend or family member can increase the chance you’ll reach it by as much as 86%? It’s true. And one of the reasons is that doing so increases your drive to achieve it.(2)

Ideally, the person you commit the goal to should be someone you have a good bond with. Examples might be your parents, a friend, a partner, or a sibling. These are also the people you don’t want to let down the most.

3. Create a Plan

Now that you have committed to your goal, it’s time to outline how you will achieve it. This is best done by having your end goal in mind and then deciding the steps you need to take to accomplish it.

For example, let’s say you want to perform at your best during a dance competition four months from now. Some of the steps you may need to take are:

• Registering for the competition
• Consistently turning up to dance class
• Perfecting your choreography
• Developing your speed, sharpness and power
• Optimizing your nutrition so that you recover well
• And so on…

Don’t worry about creating a “perfect” plan. There is no perfect plan, and your course of action will most likely change over time due to altered circumstances.

Also, make sure your plan is sustainable. For example if you can’t adhere to five dance classes per week, don’t make that your target.

Instead, set up your plan in a way that you can stick to it. You can always add more when things are going well.

4. Search for an Accountability Partner

It’s helpful to have a dance partner, a trainer, a mentor or someone else who can support you through your journey.

It makes your experience more fun, which, in turn, makes it more exciting to go to your dancing sessions. Plus, they can hold you accountable, which is especially helpful on days that you’re low in motivation.

Speak to your teacher, friend, or even let me know. I am here to help as much as I can!

5. Eat Well

It’s tough to stay motivated if you’re feeling down and low in energy. But, on the other hand, when you’re feeling good and bursting with vitality, it’s a lot more pleasurable and exciting to dance.

That’s why it’s beneficial to eat well. It’ll enhance your health and energy levels, your dance sessions will go easier, your performance will be better. And, as a result, you’ll make better progress, leading to enhanced motivation.

There’s a lot to proper nutrition – much more than we will cover in this article. But the following steps will help you get going in the right direction:

• Get at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day
• Eat a source of protein with every meal
• Drink at least eight glasses of water per day
• Maintain a consistent eating schedule
• Try to eat healthily at least 80% of the time.

6. Just Get Started

Movement creates motivation. That's because you can see your motivation as one of those stationary exercise bikes with a flying wheel.

It’s hard to get started, but once you get going, it becomes easier and easier to keep going. Then, after a short while, you have gained so much momentum it’s almost effortless to continue.

So, let’s get going. Take the first step. You’ll soon be back on track with your old dance habits, and so will your motivation to dance.