How to get dancers more interested

[nikkikesav]

Hi guys!
I'm the captain of a high school team, Gajdi Jawani, in Cincinnati, OH. I have been doing bhangra for about three years now and I am super interested in trying to improve the dancers on the team. I have danced with other teams as well, but this is my main affiliation. I would honestly say that my team is better than a majority of high school teams out there, and we dance with a pretty high level of choreo. A part of the problem is that there aren't many highschoolers in this area that are interested in dancing on a bhangra team. So I can't just say take out the people who aren't working because I will literally be left with maybe three people on our team. It may just be that, being exposed to teams of a much higher level like FCB I want to expect a higher level from my team. So I'm not sure if it's my expectations that are too high or if it's a genuine lack of interest on my team. We have 13 on our team and we lose/gain members every year because seniors graduate or freshman start high school. The current members of my team are good dancers, but most of them don't put in work to get to the level that I know they can reach. Some of them just don't feel like coming to practice, some of them don't take it seriously enough to practice out of the time we have together. They see some amazing teams and they say that they are going to get "super good" and get to that standard, but then the next minute they're texting or snapchatting for a large part of practice. Not many of them focus or really take passion in what they're doing. So my issue is that I know they want to be great but I don't know how to motivate them. I have talked to the team as a whole and as individuals about putting more effort, but nothing really changed. I'm stuck between settling with the idea that I'm just in the wrong setting if I want a serious team and if there's something I can do more. I try really hard for the team but I know there's more I can do without actually devoting my entire life to it lol. Any kind of help is so appreciated.
As that upcoming generation of bhangra dancers, I not only want to be a good leader for any teams I may be on in the future, but I also want to prepare people around me who are interested to build the future of the circuit. And I really need all the help I can get here, so old members please feel free to contact me; I would totally appreciate that.
I feel like I just rambled for a little and I forgot some stuff in this splurge, so I'll probably modify this to add/take stuff out as the day goes on but please leave any comments to help me or point me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance

 

[R_Sharma]

Getting people to be as motivated as you are about something can be pretty frustrating and difficult. I think a big problem ends up being complacency. If the people on your team feel like there is no need for them to get better, then they never will. Find a push. Could be a competition that you guys want to get in to or it could be ranking system. A dancer ranking system for individuals (or jodis) would breed some healthy competition between dancers that would hopefully lead to people wanting to improve their dancing.


Gotta commend you on caring about your team and the circuit as much as you do! The future of the circuit is going to depend on the younger generation being as passionate about Bhangra as the people who came before us.

 

[mafzal]

Hi! Has your team been to a Bhangra competition together? I think once new dancers experience a big competition, even as an audience member, it really gets them excited. It's also fun to take a road trip together and bond and have some fun

Good luck

 

[Guppi]

Definitely have to agree with both the comments above me! Also are these your friends that are a part of the team or are they just students that joined the team? I think team bonding not only in the practice environment but outside of it helps bring that bond closer and hence allow members to dance for one another. All the teams I have been on have been with friends who share the same passion to dance so they end up making a bhangra team. It is hard to get the motivation out of others, there is so much you can really do and have control over! they will have to want it on their own but keep pushing because it's people like you that will carry on the love and desire to do bhangra for yourself and for others!

 

[nikkikesav]

A dancer ranking system for individuals (or jodis) would breed some healthy competition between dancers that would hopefully lead to people wanting to improve their dancing.

We actually do have this kind of system on our team, it's just that people don't really care where they are on this ladder because 12/13 members on our team normally dance when we do a big performance. The smaller ones we sometimes do 8 or 10, but when they're that small people don't really care anyway to do it.. lol

Has your team been to a Bhangra competition together? I think once new dancers experience a big competition, even as an audience member, it really gets them excited. It's also fun to take a road trip together and bond and have some fun

Hi!! We've performed at a bunch of really big events, and we recently just competed at the Punjabi Mela in Virginia. The team saw the level of dance that other teams brought to the comp and were really impressed and got really excited, but that's the thing; their motivation is super short lived. When we came back from the comp, no one even wanted to practice. Like yeah I get that after drilling for so long, people want a break. But it's been almost a month since that competition and honestly we have had one full (11/13 people actually) practice with very few practices w a couple people here and there. We bonded a lot on that trip, but we we're all friends before so it never was like a huge change ya know?

Also are these your friends that are a part of the team or are they just students that joined the team?

Hii! Yeah most of the people on the team were pretty good friends before we ever joined. In theory, that should make people want to work harder because you're having fun with your friends so I get what you're saying. For whatever reason, that's not the case and people just don't take it seriously despite how much I insist we work harder.

 

[Nimit]

This is by far the hardest part of leading any organization. Since you are leading it, inevitably you will be more invested than everyone else. Different methods appeal to different people but in the end you kind of need to be straighforward with people. If you don't practice you won't be good. It is hard to get kids to be self motivated at anything (let alone bhangra) so you have to see this as an uphill battle.


If you want any ideas of what to do start with this one: don't blame your team. Being in high school, this is a perfect time for you to hone some leadership skills. Take some of the blame on yourself and try and figure out what helps your team mates pick up the pace. Work on motivating individual members one-on-one and trying to establish a set of goals that your team can get behind. If you treat this more as a challenge than a road block to success, I think you will end up gaining something from the experience as opposed to anything else.

 

[nikkikesav]

Different methods appeal to different people but in the end you kind of need to be straighforward with people. If you don't practice you won't be good.

I feel like I've communicated that fact to people but it hasn't really seemed to work too well. I'll give some people credit; there are some pretty good dancers on the team but I feel like they've settled with the level they're at and stopped trying to improve.

If you want any ideas of what to do start with this one: don't blame your team. Being in high school, this is a perfect time for you to hone some leadership skills. Take some of the blame on yourself and try and figure out what helps your team mates pick up the pace. Work on motivating individual members one-on-one and trying to establish a set of goals that your team can get behind.

I definitely feel like this is super important. I do try and see what I can do better and I continue to come up with new ideas to motivate people, which has helped me grow so much over my time as captain. I feel like I hit a roadblock here though; I'm kinda out of new ideas to motivate them. I don't know, there must be other ways though and eventually I'll find them... haha thank you Nimit

 

[hsdeol]

to have a high school team that has survived for several years, while dancers are rotating in and out is very impressive. a lot of college and independent teams arent able to do this.

as was stated before, high school is a different time. you guys are probably different ages, from different schools, may not live that close to each other, and run on different schedules. when i was in high school i played a few different sports, danced, was in a bunch of clubs, and juggled the "school friends and indian friends" thing- im sure a lot of the kids on your team do the same thing. maybe bhangra is your main interest, while others are more invested in different activites. i dont think its a reasonable expectation to think everyone will be as involved as the captain.

what you can do:
- have practices on weekends and plan after practice things like going for dinner or everyone chilling at someones house.
- be as prepared as possible so that you run practices efficiently- if youre not on top of things at practice, then you give your dancers more time to goof around.
- ban phones from practice except during break times. when you practice practice hard for 20-30 minutes straight, take a 5 minute break- people can check their phones if they want/need to, then get back to work.
- give tasks and responsibilities to your teammates- put someone in charge of finding new songs, someone of making shirt designs, someone to make a website, someone to schedule team activities, someone to manage finances. random stuff like that. do it on a volunteer basis and take ideas from everyone.
- get them on btf

 

[Jusi.Sahota]

Hey!! So I read your starting thread, and you know what - I had the exact same problem as you. I underook the role as Captain this past academic year at my uni - and we had people sign up - people attend regular sessions, people attend for the first few months then never again and people who attended now and then.


We had a competition coming up and people signed up - I had the responsibility of doing mix, choreo and everything and it was really hard to keep people motivated as well as teach and go to uni lectures. We were behind because of issues with the team. People dropping out and also formations/choreo changing. It got bad to the fact that 1-2 weeks away, we hadn't done formations. Luckily it was only a 5min performance lol. At the end of rehearsals - everyone was pumped asf and we placed second at the comp! This is how I did it.


Getting people to sign up is hard, but over exaggerate everything - make out that youre going to do socials (which you should do), meet new people make new friends etc.


Sessions - keep it fun, simple and enjoyable. Mix up tasks and keep things interested. Eg; get people into groups and dance to a routine.


Competition - this is where it gets more relevant for you. The main thing is to keep everyone motivated, also happy, excited and also comfortable. Create a Whatsapp group, share jokes, talk about things OTHER than Bhangra and keep the social aspect of the group alive.


Tend to try and not be strict in rehearsals - but use your authority. In my classes, people were like I want a break - when we hardly had even done anything. Then they would play on the phones and was frustrating for me. Tell them to do sections 3-4 times medium emphasis then take a break. Gives them time to rest and also analyse how well they do the routine.


Breaks away from Bhangra are necessary as if the entire focus is on bhangra rehearsals - they wont enjoy it when it comes to the day. Take them to a competition, performance or watch performances on YouTube. Take the group away for a social activity as well - and try to create a bond between the group. Eg; Pizza, ice-cream. movie etc - we did this several times and it lifted the spirit. Keep them motivated by telling them what they did good. Eg; when the whole group was in sync - I told them that and made them feel good - whole team spirit lifted after that. After each session i messaged in the whatsapp group and told them how happy I was for the session and congratulated them.


Not sure if this is applicable to you, but after I fully finished my mix - I emailed it all to them at the same time. They all started messaging in the group saying this is getting me hyped, this is fire etc - which again got them more excited for the comp.


If worst comes to worse, sit them all down and talk about how you feel and also ask how they feel and want they want. I did this and told them that after that day, they were to come to practices with a fresh mind and also fresh attitude.


I feel your pain and i was in the exact situation. I showed my frustration sometimes too lol - so try not too. Maybe call in another dancer of your calibre who isnt on the team that can help you motivate the team. If they dont listen to u, they'll listen to someone else.


Hope that helps! Let me know how you get on or feel free to PM.

 

[Bajwa99]

- give tasks and responsibilities to your teammates- put someone in charge of finding new songs, someone of making shirt designs, someone to make a website, someone to schedule team activities, someone to manage finances. random stuff like that. do it on a volunteer basis and take ideas from everyone.

Hey Nikki wassup wassup! I read through everything above and all of it will definitely help lift that team spirit. But one thing for sure for sure makes a huge difference as a dancer is feeling like you've done something to help the team. Rather than just showing up to a practice, learning, dancing , and repeating. So like i've quoted from an above comment. Give tasks to your teammates, the one task everyone usually enjoys is helping with the choreo, it's just fun. Pick a song out, play it, have a practice choreo session. When a dancer is dancing to a segment they choreoed they're going to be excited that they've accomplished that and will be hyped up for it. Have every single member on your team doing some kind of "job" for the team. At practices as you guys get formations down and are just doing runthroughs, give a younger member a chance to watch and critique make them feel like they have authority. When it comes to critiquing every member on the team should be respect every other member no matter age or experience. Personal example is me and Kuntal Shah have a 9 year age difference but since day one any critique from me to him or him to me was taken seriously. Try to bring that feeling of authority and respect to everyone on the team.


Hit me up with any questions always glad to help!


Good luck

 

[nikkikesav]

i dont think its a reasonable expectation to think everyone will be as involved as the captain.

This is definitely where I feel like I'm expecting a little too much from people who aren't in my position, 100% agree here. Thank you for giving me those specific things to do--really helped

Hope that helps! Let me know how you get on or feel free to PM.

HI THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS-- super helpful!! Seeing it from someone who had to go through the same thing I did with flaky members or people who aren't serious, I feel like you definitely handled it so well and it gave me a really good mold to try and lead with. ;D

But one thing for sure for sure makes a huge difference as a dancer is feeling like you've done something to help the team. Rather than just showing up to a practice, learning, dancing , and repeating.

Ayee Harry!! This is a really good point that I never really thought of too much before. I tried to start doing that and I used to just throw out stuff like "hey if anyone has a song idea for this segment please let me know!!" or "i'll be in the studio today around this time please come through and help me choreo!" and no one really does lol. I feel like people have ideas, and just aren't too confident to put them out there or don't feel like their input will improve anything. But I think if I encourage it more and almost assign tasks, it'll force people to grow out of their comfort zones and into a solid level of dancing and being part of a team. Thank you!!