Assessment Stress?

Assessment week is right around the corner!  We all know these meetings are without a doubt stressful and scary, but there’s no need to freak out!  Keep these helpful tips in mind and your assessment will be a breeze. 

1.  Talk to your friends! 
Everyone is in the same situation, and everyone feels the same way you do.  Talking to your other BB members can help you get rid of some of your own fears and comfort dancers around you.  Sharing your feelings is definitely better than bottling them up and making your problems seem a million times worse than they actually are.  Sometimes some friendly perspective is all you need to see where you really are! 

2.  Be honest with the faculty
We all want to make a good impression on the faculty at our assessment, especially since we only get to talk to them like this once a year.  But don’t worry about getting lost in appearances and get down to the facts.  Don’t be afraid to ask real questions instead of just nodding along, and don’t be afraid to question their comments.  Your honesty will be greatly appreciated by the faculty and you’ll get the most out of your assessment.   

3.  Don’t be afraid of the staff- they’re people too! 

We know that having 6 professors sit in front of you and judge your dancing is a nightmare, but it helps to think of them as the individuals they are.  They’ve all had serious careers, and they’ve probably been in similar evaluations.  They know exactly how scary these situations are and can sympathize.  So don’t feel the need to treat them in that moment as if they’re gods deciding your fate- they’re just like us!

4.   Take the feedback with a grain of salt

The faculty definitely has some helpful corrections to give.  But, at the end of the day, you know how hard you work, you know your own body, you know what you’re capable of, and you know what you need to improve on.  Don’t let their comments completely shatter your world if you feel they’re coming out of left field.  No matter what anyone says, ultimately you are your own best judge. 

5.  Hold back the emotions
Don’t take every single comment too personally.  It can obviously feel like a huge blow, but if you respond objectively it will show your maturity and responsibility.  Just remember that their notes professional opinions, not a personal attack against your dancing.  It might be a good idea to think of some responses to touchy subjects beforehand so you don’t let your emotions control you in the moment. 

 6.  Ask questions

The professors will definitely expect you to ask some questions.  If you can’t really think of anything, don’t just ask how you’re doing or how to improve.  Think of some specific issues you might have and ask specifically what exercises you can do to improve them.  Even if they don’t have an answer they’ll see your initiative.  And don’t be afraid to ask the professors to explain some of their feedback if you don’t understand it, they want to make sure you’re getting everything from this meeting. 

7.  Dress nice

It’s not required to dress in dance clothing or any specific clothing to your assessment, but you should wear something nice or something you know you look good in.  It shows that you care about the meeting and respect the professors for their time.  It’s also nice to show them what you look like when your hair isn’t in a  bun or your in a leotard!

8.  Bring a notebook

I like to bring a notebook to my assessment to write down the notes I get.  It helps to solidify the problems and to look back at them in the future to work on them.  If you’re nervous it will also help you in case you forget everything they say.  But don’t let the notebook distract you from the meeting, just write down a few key words from each correction. 

9.  Enjoy your time off! 

Don’t let your 15 minute assessment ruin your whole week off!  It’s mid-semester, we just put on a whole show in less than a month, and it’s almost time for midterms!  Use this time to relax, get what you need to get done, give your body a rest and be like a normal college student!  Don’t let the stress of the assessment be the only thing you think about the whole week. 

10.  Butler Ballet Formal!!!!!

No matter how well or terribly your assessment might go, you can celebrate or blow off steam at the Butler Ballet Formal at the end of the week!  At that point Assessment Week will be over, and you don’t have to worry about your assessment for a whole year!  In the end, the faculty is here to help us, so there’s no need to worry.  

This article was written by a member of the class of 2018, Alex Tarnowski.