Joshua Binag is 19 years old with 6 years of experience, and Mikaela Calapis is 16 years old with 2 years of experience. Joshua, as mentioned earlier, is a novice teacher; whereas, Mickey is a novice student. The reason I placed Joshua in the same skill category as Mickey, who has been dancing for only two years, is because they possess similar characteristics. They both have rather low confidence in their abilities and recognize their inexperience. In addition, they have slow pick up (this refers to a dancer’s ability to learn choreography) and weak body control. They are still in the process of realizing their potential and personal dance styles which pushes them to learn from more skilled dancers who can guide and train them. In terms of teaching, Joshua has only begun to choreograph recently due to mandatory “choreo projects” for his outside teams and for the campus team, Filiment. With only four months of choreography experience, Joshua struggles mostly with his insecurity as a dancer. However, his insecurities has made him very approachable and patient since he is able to relate with other novice dancers. Mickey also admits to similar insecurities: “My first class experience was intimidating. It was during July of 2013 when a friend took me to a class in NYC. I was at the very back, and I barely learned the choreography. But it was very fun, it showed me how much I needed to learn; however, I was able to meet so many other people who shared the same passion as me. It was very inspiring.” In both cases, the novice admits to their inexperience for the sake of wanting to surpass their current state. This desire for learning continues to develop and mature as the dancer increases in skill.
One can NEVER stop learning. No matter that the art form is, there is always something new to be learned. In this case, dance, one can ALWAYS learn from taking class. It is important to have the right mind set when thinking about taking a class. Even if your style doesn't necessarily reflect what is being taught, you can learn something new about yourself and your body through someone else's movement. (Robespierre Dornagon)
The goal of the intermediate dancer is to develop versatility, precision, and performance quality. However, these qualities cannot be taught and must be found through personal perseverance and self-understanding. These qualities belong to the advanced skill level dancers.
Kenichi Kasamatsu is 22 years old with 8 years of experience, Jake Pesquira is 27 years old with 14 years of experience, and Christopher Carbonell Jr. is 24 years old with 4 years of experience. The two teachers in this case are Kenichi and Jake, while Christopher represents the advanced student. The advanced skill level dancers are not common within the community. They are versatile, well adept, posses exceptional pick up, and have developed a mastery over their bodies. They have distinct styles, stage presence, and confidence in their craft. They also articulate their dance careers in a more mature language in comparison to the intermediate dancers. The goal for this level of dancers, as teachers and students, is to push the body as well as the mind:
I would describe my teaching style as "transformational." It's one thing to teach just choreography in a class. It's good that the students come out learning something new with their body. But it's another thing to teach them about commitment, creativity, choice, and the mentality that comes with dancing even before the music starts. That to me is great that the students walk out taking a full body and mind experience that they can take anywhere - to another class, or their careers, even at their next performance. (Jake Pesquira)
Their identities have been established and the goal is to nurture their lifestyle. For the teachers, the goal is to leave their students with a better understanding of themselves and a positive outlet to “...open up to every soul in the class and just move together” (Kenichi Kasamatsu). Students strive to further hone their skills and expand their dance vocabulary. Dance becomes a lifestyle and a language.
All of these dancers, regardless of skill level, have many commonalities. Dancing began as a mere social interaction and later grew into a hobby. After this stage, the desire for creative expression emerged, and at this point an individual becomes a part of the community. Making choreography is a mutual experience for students and teachers. The freedom to create and then share art with other dancers is the heart of the community. The sharing of experiences, emotions, and knowledge is accomplished within the frame of a class or workshop. The community is not for everyone; however, and this reality must be kept in mind. It is very easy to get lost on the way of trying to find oneself: “The dance world...could be a very daunting world to live in. But never forget to believe in yourself, and don't ever forget where you came from. No one started off as an amazing dancer, they had to work their behind off to get to where they are now. So always stay humble, stay true to yourself” (Christopher Carbonell). The desire to create, share, inspire, challenge, and improve transcends all levels of skill. These postulates exist in the dancers who aspire to further understand themselves through dance.