Perhaps one of my most loathed experiences in my youth was dance workshops, which was a shame, because the opportunities to learn from those was immense.

It actually didn’t matter if I was in a large room full of hundreds of dancers and a well-known teacher instructing us via a make-shift stage and a microphone, or if I participated in a comparatively small summer camp at another local studio. Without the comfort of my studio, my teachers, my close friends, and my preferred spot in the room (front right corner), I felt out of place and awkward, despite being a decent dancer. I don’t know how many workshops and dance camps I attended in my teen years. It had to have been at least 50, maybe more. That’s 50 different teachers I could’ve learned from.

That was probably the worst attitude to have as a developing artist. To me, art is where a certain technique is used to express our emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Learning from other teachers, even if only for an hour or two, broadens the language we use to express ourselves and can therefore only benefit our development of our art.

Whether you’re trying an art form for the first time, like a beginner recreational dance class, or you’re seasoned at what you do, always remember that you have a lot to learn from other artists in your field. Don’t believe that you have to know it all in order to do well. Believe that you have to trust yourself in order to do well. Then watch your art fly.