It always breaks my heart to hear of children being discouraged from their artistic expression by rigid teachers, and it’s all too common. Would-be dancers, writers, visual artists, you name it, told that they aren’t doing it “right,” and possibly forever feeling inferior, not “good enough” to practice an art. To me, that attitude from instructors is wrong! In dance, it is our responsibility to instill healthy practices, but otherwise, I feel it is also our duty to encourage students and build up their self-confidence along with their proficiency. Here’s a story of one person’s triumph over their childhood nay-sayer. How to Paint a Donkey by Naomi Shihab Nye She said the head was too large, The hooves too small. I could clean my paintbrush But I couldn’t get rid of that voice. While they watched, I crumpled him, Let his blue body Stain my hand. I cried when he hit the can. She smiled. I could try again. Maybe this is what I unfold in the da...
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