Time management to purse my dream as dancer and instructor is the most essential part of how to carry on with your passion dance, in my case Kathak dance.
My biggest help here is my husband. I would be no where without him.
Now, the most important thing to make your dream of a dancer and instructor come true, also if you are above 30 years, like I am, besides being a mother, and full time employee: you need support.
If you are in a relationship, then, it would be the best, if its your partner.
My first priority is my daughter. So I weave every commitment and organise around and with her.
As a mother, I trust my husband as a father 100%, that he is a great father! He does a lot of things different than I do, but is it the right thing how I am doing?? No! He is damn right as well. So he may have a different idea of negotiation with 2 yrs toddler or the way he baths her or put her to bed, but it works! And the best part: our daughter gets both of us equally. I trust my husband, he is doing the right thing, even his ideas are different. I let him do!
An evening for yourself per week is one the greatest agreement we have. I just can do whatever I want in that evening, which means for me, working on my choreographies, practicing Kathak, sewing dress for our daughter, meeting friends, or simply do nothing! Aw how I love my Thursdays.. But there are also some additional hours, where I teach Sundays, or similar.
I practice Kathak often simply by reciting the bols, anytime. Mean, if I am in the lab, and I need to wait 5 to 10 min for a reaction, I start reciting or practice to recite the tough ones. Also when I wait for the bus, go for a walk or whatever time there is I am alone, I utilize. I practice footwork, while brushing my teeth, cooking or anything similar. So if you don’t have time for practical training (I have to rent a room for that), then atleast, start eating up the theory and the recitations of your bols while you wait for somewhere for something.
Money is an important factor as well. When you start small as I do, you need to start calculate carefully and invest money, time and effort. Room rent to practice, No-profit classes, where you start with few students just to start somewhere, flights to Kolkata, inviting my guru to Basel/Cologne, invest in your dance education, exams and costumes. Everyone has to make their own calculations for that.
Drawbacks are there where my husband and me need to work on: its basic household like cleaning, laundry, looking after household’s administrativ work (tax, bills). I have been thinking of some help here as well, I guess with the second baby, we look for someone who could help out.
One important thing is there: Set yourself a goal and ask yourself if, how and when you are able to realise it. This is the main thing I learned this year! I was struggling a lot, with the decision, what to really achieve, and if it is a realistic goal. Well, I guess, I am not going to be a superstar Kathak dancer touring around the world. I should have started somewhere in my early 20s I guess. But, I have certainly my talents in music and dance and my aim is to become a great dancer. Everything has its own time and pace. My goal for now, is to become an expert, lets see how far and how long it takes me.
It’s a journey, and I am ready to take it!
Why my husband has a crucial role here for my decision.. more in my next post!