We are just about halfway through the dance year, so now is a great time to check in and evaluate your progress. In the beginning of the year we talked about setting realistic, achievable goals for this dance year, and how to make a road map to achieving them so now it’s time to take a look at how far you’ve come and how far you may have to go.

Here is a checklist to help you figure out where you stand for each goal you’ve set:

• Review your goals as you laid them out in the beginning of the year. Take each one on separately so you don’t get overwhelmed.
• Each goal was broken down into smaller steps that would gradually get you to where you wanted to be. How many of those can you cross off? Did you make some progress but take a step backward? That’s perfectly fine, and being honest about it will help you know what you need to do to get back on track.
• Check in with your teachers and get their input on what steps you’ve completed and maybe even break the next steps into smaller parts. Every time you check something off of a “To Do” list, the feeling of accomplishment is a great motivator to continue working!
• Make sure to ask your teachers if your goals are still realistic. Should you reevaluate and make them more or less challenging at this point?
• Take what you learn from your self-evaluation and your teachers’ input to re-draw that map to your goal
• Place your “road map” in a place where you can see it easily and often so you are reminded of what you are working for. If you need a little extra motivation, maybe find a fun way to celebrate each time to take a step toward achieving your goal!

Don’t forget to cut yourself at least a little slack. You can’t always control everything in life, and sometimes illness, injury, or those times when you are crazy busy may set you back. It’s okay, because there is no expiration date on these goals. Once you achieve these goals you’ll be figuring out which ones to tackle next and they will always be evolving. Good luck and we hope you have fun along the way!