Why I am not a fan of the famous Competitions between dancers.

Yeah, yeah...it s all a business deal, after all. For most of the people working in Oriental Dance nowadays. And I do respect business oriented individuals, even wishing I could be like them and yet I am not.

There is no festival in the world without the the cherished COMPETITION between dancers. I get it: women feel validated if they win one of these and the organizers get more participants if they allow them to perform and win prizes and titles.

Yet here s where the scene goes wrong:

Competitions - specially between women and even more specially between dancers - feeds the already destructive environment present in this Art. Aiming to be better than everyone else is not the goal, for me, but BEING your BEST SELF while learning from other dancers is the thing you should follow through with. I know, I know...this is not fashionable or diplomatically oriented but it is what I believe with full conviction.

Sure this attitude does not bring me friendly supporters, neither commercial opportunities but I would be lying if I said I am PRO-COMPETITION when I know it pushes dancers in the wrong direction and adds negativity to the heavy environment they deal with. They are pushed to dance from their EGOS, not from their HEARTS (where all the HONEY and PURE WATER are stored waiting to be released through Dance).

Secondly, the fact that any dancer wins a competition DOES NOT validate her as the best artist. Juries opinions are often relative to their own tastes and preferences and do not represent the ACTUAL professional value of the competitors.

You want to know what you re REALLY worth as a Dancer?! Then WORK on stages to different audiences, organize your own events and prove what you can do, SHOW WHAT you are worth in front of people who know nothing of dance competitions and see if your career grows or fades away. This is THE test.

ONLY the PUBLIC can make,validate and judge a DANCER, in my opinion.

ONLY when you aim to be better than your limited self you can REALLY improve your skills and feel accomplished. Being considered better than your colleague is just too little, too superficial and weak to make you a recognized ARTIST.

With all due respect to the organizers of dance contests, this is my humble opinion:

Do not compare yourself to other dancers. Respect them, learn from them, help them out as you wish they would help you (and most of them will not!) but NEVER measure your own value according to others. YOU ARE UNIQUE and the one you have to compete with is: YOURSELF and the limits you impose on your artistic/personal growth.

Take care of your own garden without comparing it to the neighbour´s. If the TALENT, PASSION, DRIVE and HARD WORK discipline are with you, you´ll FLOURISH.

Amen.;)