5 Cognitive Distortions Potentially Getting in the Way of Your Dancing

These thoughts were due to the anxiety I was experiencing. Seeking out cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) helped. CBT helps to identify and reframe thought patterns that cause troubling feelings and actions. DBT, a form of CBT, focuses on mindfulness, skills training, and dialectal thinking (allowing for more than one possibility to coexist within a thought or situation). As a dance teacher, I was more aware of these patterns of thinking and would frequently remind my students about the power of a positive mindset. Now that I am a graduate student studying school psychology, I’m learning how to help students change their thoughts and behaviors.

Automatic negative thought patterns can be common, especially for dancers who feel they have little control over casting decisions, hiring, or even their dancing. If your mindset needs a tune-up, here are five cognitive distortions to be aware of.

1. Mind Reading and Fortune Telling

I’m sure many of us can think of a time when a teacher looked at us wrong, or the director didn’t say hello in the hallway like they usually do. This might lead you to panic and assume they are thinking the worst about you or not casting you in the next program. That’s called mind reading: When we try to assign an explanation to someone else’s behavior, even when we really don’t know what they’re thinking.

Similarly, fortune telling is when we see an action or decision and assume we know what will happen because of it. It can also prevent us from trying our best, because we have already predicted the future. I used to think this way as a young professional if a stager walked out halfway through observing company class—I’d automatically conclude I wasn’t going to be cast, so why bother working so hard? If we can recognize mind reading and fortune telling, and challenge them as cognitive distortions rather than fact, we can stop the thought spiral that may come after it.

2. Catastrophizing

Catastrophizing happens when you make a small mistake and, instead of thinking about the logical consequence, you assume the absolute worst-case scenario. This seemed to come into play for me when audition season rolled around. The stress of not knowing whether I was keeping my contract, of needing to secure another one if I wasn’t asked to return, and of figuring out how I would find the next job, is a challenge many dancers can relate to. Audition season and contract renewals are no joke! However, it’s one thing to be prepared and another to always be thinking about the various ways things could go wrong.

When we are stressed, it’s far easier to fall into cognitive distortions, like thinking messing up a combination in front of the director means you’re going to be fired and will never dance professionally again. That’s a really big jump, and why catastrophizing is sometimes called “jumping to conclusions.” We’ve all done it, but the important thing is to recognize and reframe your thoughts. Remind yourself that the actual consequence of a mistake is far smaller than what your brain is trying to make it.

3. Guilty Thinking

Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s difficult enough when we compare ourselves to our friends and peers. But social media can add another layer of insecurity; while it allows us to support friends from afar, it can also make any feelings of inadequacy feel that much stronger.

Do any of these thoughts sound familiar?

• “I should already be in a trainee program.”
• “I should be doing more cross-training.”
• “I should already have gotten into the corps.”
• “I should be able to do that as well as she can, so I must not be any good after all.”

When we “should” ourselves, we’re really creating a self-inflicted guilt trip. Is that really going to help your dancing? Likely not. While it’s great to have goals, make sure what you’re expecting of yourself is realistic, and give yourself grace if you’re not quite there yet. Not reaching a milestone at the same time as a peer or colleague means very little about your dancing or your career trajectory. Practice catching yourself if you notice a lot of “should”s creeping into your thinking, and evaluate what you’re really doing: adding more pressure.

4. Emotional Reasoning

Your emotions are valid, but it’s important to remember that our feelings are not facts. Just because we feel something, it doesn’t mean that our thoughts are automatically true. Though you may be disappointed that you weren’t cast in a certain role, or accepted into that coveted summer intensive, make sure the resulting emotions aren’t driving your thoughts.

For example:

• “I’m feeling guilty that I was put in second cast, so I must not be working hard enough.”
• “I’m feeling embarrassed that I didn’t get into that summer intensive, so it was stupid to even audition.”
• “I’m feeling frustrated that I didn’t get that role, so my teacher must hate me.”

Feeling embarrassed, guilty, or upset is normal when we put ourselves out there and results don’t go our way. Instead of letting those feelings drive your next thought or action, allow yourself to sit with the feelings. According to research by neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, your body’s physiological response to emotions, even uncomfortable ones, only last around 90 seconds. Let yourself ride the wave and then see how you’re feeling. You might surprise yourself when you delay your next thought or action!

5. Discounting the Positive

Our brains are hardwired to prefer the negative; for dancers, this can be an issue when thinking about their own dancing, taking compliments from peers, or hearing positive feedback from directors and teachers. We too easily make excuses for the good things we’ve done, or improvements we’ve made.

I distinctly remember a favorite teacher, Harriet Clark, complimenting me on my return from injury in front of the whole class at ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. That should have made me feel proud—I’d worked hard to return to dance after being out for several months. Yet I remember thinking, “It’s not that big of a deal” and “I still don’t have the same extension that I did, so it doesn’t really count.” When you feel the urge to discount the positive, pause and give yourself credit. Validating your own hard work is not the same as boasting; try to appreciate how nice it feels to have your improvements recognized. Practice saying “thank you,” and meaning it!

Consult an Expert

Everyone can use a mental tune-up at times, particularly those pursuing ballet, which can be as mentally challenging as it is physically. If you’re noticing that cognitive distortions are getting in the way of your dancing and your life, it might be time to talk to a professional. Seeking help from a therapist or counselor, particularly one who is trained in CBT or DBT, can be an excellent tool to raise your dancing and well-being to new heights.