It’s Only an Opinion

Competitions play an important role in a young dancer’s training, and the results often feel like a big deal, especially when they’re competing regularly. The competition scene has changed significantly in recent years, with new events regularly emerging. As a result, there are more adjudicators, each with their own opinions, leading to increasingly diverse results from event to event.

At the heart of it, though, competition results are just that—opinions. It can be tough when the results don’t reflect your performance, but it’s important to remember that one judge’s opinion doesn’t define your worth as a dancer. It’s their perspective, based on what they value as a winning performance, but it doesn’t mean it’s the ultimate verdict.

The truth is, it’s often the “bad” results that leave the biggest mark. The ones that sting, the ones that make you question yourself—those are the moments when resilience is built. It’s in those times that you learn the most about yourself as a dancer: how to keep showing up, how to take it on the chin, and how to grow from what didn’t go well. Those experiences shape you, teaching you that it’s not the outcome that matters most, but how you respond to the challenges along the way.

And yes, sometimes you might not be someone’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. We can’t be for everyone, no matter how hard we try. It doesn’t mean you’re not good enough or that you’ve failed—it just means you weren’t for them. And that’s a lesson in itself.

I have a clear memory of being a 13-year-old dancer at a competition, and things weren’t going my way. The adjudicator wanted more from me, but I was giving it my all—at least, that’s what I thought. After tears in the car and feeling like I didn’t want to go back, my mum encouraged me to give it one last go. I went back in with nothing to lose, took some risks, and this time, actually gave everything I had. When I received the feedback for that routine, it said, “I knew you had more.”

That one experience left a lasting impression on me. It taught me that you might think you’re giving it your all, but there’s often more left in the tank than you realise. It was a learning moment wrapped in upset and discomfort, but it pushed me to a new level as a dancer—a lesson I’ll never forget.

With the rise of social media, a new layer has been added. After a tough result, it’s easy to feel frustrated and lash out—whether it’s at an adjudicator, another competitor, or even a studio. It’s important to remember, though, that resorting to online abuse or defamation only hurts you. It doesn’t make anything better.

So, when you don’t get the result you were hoping for—what do you do next? Do you turn to social media to vent your frustration? Or do you take a step back, reflect on the experience, and use it as a learning opportunity for next time? It’s the same when you go for an audition and it doesn’t work out. Do you take it as a lesson and fuel your desire to be better, or do you let it define your worth as a dancer and overshadow all the hard work you’ve put in?

In the end, competition results, whether positive or negative, are just a small part of a much bigger journey. The true measure of success isn’t in the trophies or scores—it’s in the lessons we learn, the resilience we build, and the growth we experience along the way.

So, the next time things don’t go as planned, remember that it’s not the final judgment on your ability as a dancer. It’s simply another opportunity to learn, to improve, and to come back stronger. Keep showing up, keep taking risks, and above all, keep believing in yourself. The journey of a dancer is never just about someone’s opinion; it’s about how you grow through the years to become the performer of your dreams.