Scrolling through dance social media, it’s easy to feel like there’s a “right” and “wrong” way to take class, or even a “right” and “wrong” reason for being there. One post says you shouldn’t film. Another says you shouldn’t take an easy class. Another insists that if you’re the best dancer in the room, you’re in the wrong place.
Dance doesn’t work that way.
Dance is personal. People show up for different reasons, in different seasons of life, with different goals and needs. And a strong dance community makes space for all of it. If you’re stepping into class with respect for yourself and others, your reason for being there is valid.
There Is No One Right Way to Be a Dancer
Dance is not a one-size-fits-all experience. The reasons we step into a studio, the goals we carry with them, and the ways we define growth can vary widely. When we recognize that every dancer’s journey is shaped by our own needs, experiences, and season of life, it becomes easier to release comparison and rigid expectations. From why we take class to how we measure progress, there is more than one valid way forward.
Everyone comes to class with a different purpose
Some dancers come to class to train seriously and refine technique. Others come to move their bodies after a long day. Some are rebuilding confidence. Some are trying dance for the first time. Some are chasing joy, community, friendship, or a creative outlet. None of these reasons cancel out the others. Dance can meet you where you are, and your goals are allowed to shift over time.
Progress does not look the same for everyone
Social media often pushes the idea that growth only happens through constant struggle. In reality, growth can also look like consistency, confidence, or simply showing up. Sometimes taking a class that feels manageable is exactly what your body or mind needs. Other times, challenge is the goal. Both are valid parts of a dancer’s journey.
Why Black-and-White Dance Advice Misses the Mark
In today’s digital world, it’s easy to encounter strong opinions about what dancers should or shouldn’t be doing in class. Social media is full of bold, oversimplified statements, but these posts often reflect one person’s perspective rather than universal truths. When advice is presented as a rule, it can create unnecessary pressure, self-doubt, or comparison. Understanding that not all guidance applies to your own journey helps you stay focused on what truly matters: your goals, your growth, and your experience in the studio.
Social media isn’t the full picture
Posts like “stop taking class just for the video” or “don’t take an easy class” are usually rooted in one person’s personal experience. The problem comes when these experiences are framed as universal rules, implying that anyone who doesn’t follow them is doing something “wrong.”
For many dancers, filming a class is a way to track progress, celebrate growth, feel like they’re performing, or boost confidence. Taking a familiar or less intense class might provide a safe space to experiment, rebuild strength, or simply enjoy moving your body. These choices are intentional, valid, and just as meaningful as more technical or intense approaches.
Seeing posts like this doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. In fact, it can be an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your own reasons for dancing. Social media is only one perspective, and it doesn’t define your journey. Your goals, your joy, and your growth are what matter most.
The key is to take inspiration, not instruction, from what you see online. Keep showing up for yourself, in ways that feel right for you, and continue to explore, challenge, and celebrate your dance journey exactly as you want.
Comparison can pull you away from your own goals
It’s easy to look at other dancers, social media posts, or strict “rules” and start measuring yourself against them. Absorbing too many rigid “shoulds” can pull your focus away from your own journey. You might begin questioning classes you genuinely enjoy, feel guilty for dancing in a way that works for you, or pressure yourself to meet someone else’s definition of success.
The challenge with comparison is that it shifts your energy outward instead of inward. Dance is most rewarding when your attention is on your own body, your own growth, and your own goals.
Instead of letting comparison discourage you, use it as a moment to check in with yourself. Ask: Why am I taking this class? What do I want to get out of it? When you reconnect with your personal goals, you can move confidently, enjoy the music, and make choices that truly serve you. Comparison doesn’t need to hold you back—it can simply remind you to tune into your own path.
Listening to Yourself Is a Skill Worth Building
Know why you’re taking class
Taking ownership of your dance journey starts with intention. Before class, ask yourself what you want out of the experience and which benefits of taking dance as an adult matter most to you right now. Are you here to sweat and move? To improve technique? To feel more confident in your body? To reset mentally?
Your dance class is for you. Powerhouse dance instructor Zachary DeBevec begins each of his classes by reminding dancers that they are in a safe space. As he puts it, “my class is a safe space, meaning I am not here to judge or critique you, so whether you are here to work on your technique, work on your choreo retention, explore your artistry as a dancer, or you’re here to have fun and move your body, that’s amazing, that’s to be celebrated. Feel free to explore that without my judgment or the judgment of anyone else around you.”
When you know your goal, it becomes easier to release unnecessary pressure. If your intention is to move and enjoy yourself, perfection does not need to be part of the equation. If growth is the goal, you can challenge yourself in ways that make sense for where you are and the season of life you’re in.
Respect the environment while advocating for yourself
A class environment serves many dancers at once. Instructors often need to teach to the majority of the room, especially in faster-paced or higher-level classes. That doesn’t mean you don’t belong. It simply means the class may not always be able to adjust to every individual need in the moment.
While studios do have basic codes of conduct and etiquette to help keep classes respectful, safe, and enjoyable for everyone, those guidelines are about shared responsibility, not rigid rules for how someone should take class. Within those best practices, there is no single right way to show up.
This is where personal ownership comes in. Modify movements when needed, choose your placement thoughtfully, focus on performance quality, or ask questions when appropriate. Learning how to adapt within a shared space, while honoring both yourself and the room, is an important part of growth and helps create a supportive experience for everyone.
Community Over Gatekeeping
There is room for everyone on the dance floor
Healthy dance spaces thrive when dancers support each other rather than judge each other’s choices. No one needs to justify why they’re in class. There is room for everyone in an inclusive dance studio. Whether you’re filming or not, taking a beginner class or an advanced one, your presence matters when it’s rooted in respect and self-awareness.
Your journey is yours to define
Dance is not about proving anything. It’s about building a relationship with movement that supports you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Choosing classes that align with your needs, energy, and goals is not a weakness. It’s a form of self-trust.
Dance With Intention, Not Permission at Powerhouse Dance
There will always be opinions about how dancers should take class. You don’t need to follow all of them.
What matters is that you stay connected to your own reasons for dancing, respect the shared space, and allow your journey to evolve. When you do that, every class can offer something valuable, even if it looks different than someone else’s experience.
If you’re looking for a space that encourages choice, self-awareness, and growth, consider giving a dance class at Powerhouse a try. Whether you’re coming to train, move, explore, or simply feel good, there’s room for you here. Sign up for a class and see what showing up for yourself can feel like.
Written by Rachel Ehrenberg