Coping with Rejection

[Clara 76]

The following is Pointeprovider's post, and it was so good we thought it would make a good sticky for parents to refer to to help their dancers through auditions:

 

Imagine that you have gone shopping for a new dress. The store is full of lovely dresses, but, after eliminating the vast majority by size, style, etc., you narrow it down to 2 dresses. One is a lovely navy dress that suits many occasions and can look classy or casual, and it fits perfectly and has many lovely features, more than the other dress has.

 

The other dress fits less well and has less wonderful special features, BUT, ever since childhood, periwinkle has been your favorite color, and you just love periwinkle; it is also harder to find than navy on the racks.

 

If the economy were great, you might buy both dresses and find good uses for both and would happily buy both. But, you can't buy both. You choose the periwinkle dress because, although the navy dress is wonderful and perfect in many ways, it doesn't make your heart skip a beat like the color periwinkle does. The periwinkle dress might not fit as well or have as many attributes, but you just love periwinkle and choose it when you can find it.

 

I really think that many A.D.s just have certain deep-seated preferences. If they had enough money to hire more dancers, they could hire a wider range who would all be great, but, when money is tight, those inexplicable preferences, which we all have, win out. It's nothing personal. If you're lucky enough to be the periwinkle dress, you will be chosen a that company. Another company might absolutely love navy.

 

Edited to add: If you are the navy dress, don't be upset because you are not periwinkle. You can't turn into a periwinkle dress. Let the periwinkle dress be the periwinkle dress, and concentrate on becoming the most wonderful, marketable navy dress in the store. Someone will buy you and be delighted, and you will be happy for being loved as you are.

[Victoria Leigh]

This topic is open for discussion on the Career General Discussion forum, so the Sticky is closed. The title of the topic is Career Paths and re-grouping.