It's been awhile, and I say that every time, don't I? I found some time to write this morning, and partially also because I was inspired by a conversation I had with a junior of mine.
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I come from a secondary school where CCA takes precedence over just about everything else in your student life (yes, that often includes academics). Heading to your CCA after school was common, and trainings/practices go up to 4-5 times each week. On days we do not have CCA, we head home with people in our CCA as well. It was a community built over shared passions/interests; it felt like home away from home.
If you were ever in the same situation as me, you'd find it normal to have a life like this. However, as I grew to meet people outside of my social circle beyond the years of my secondary school life, I came to realise just how insane we were.
In plenty of schools, it was common to skip CCA if you had something more interesting planned. Nobody will opt for 4 trainings a week, lest it's competition period. Attaining a leadership position in your CCA was not mandatory at all, in fact many people couldn't care less for it. If your juniors had practice and you didn't, you simply don't head down to CCA just to watch them and assist.
That was common, among most people I came to know post 2012.
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Now, in my CCA (which most people already know), it was common to have overflowing passion. We give our all during practices, and shout our loudest if we have to. We cry a lot, in fact, during performances period and even on bad days. We run with our bare feet in the sun, and we don't complain a word. School holidays were only fun if we had practices (9am-6pm) at least 2 out of the 4 weeks, 5 out of 8 weeks, or 4 out of 5 days.
In my CCA, there was a certain hierarchy that we followed - Laoshi, Seniors, then Juniors. Simple and common, isn't it? But here's the difference. In my CCA, we couldn't step over the boundaries with the next level of the hierarchy; this simply means that you tend to be less of a friend to your senior or junior. We lived with that fine anyway, we really did.
My CCA has a relatively strong alumni that pops by practices once every while to check on the new batch of juniors and help out wherever we can. This sometimes include teaching gymnastic stunts, an old dance from our time in the school, or simply catching up with our instructor/teachers.
Here's something interesting about my CCA though, there is one common line that is always spoken from batch to batch, seniors to juniors. It comes in varied manners of expression, but usually goes like this: Dance has changed, and the standards have dropped.
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In fact, today a junior of mine told me that.
It is common for seniors in my CCA to point out the flaws that our juniors are making in handling the CCA, most commonly toward the leading batch (secondary three). They'd bring out occasions where our CCA has soared during their time in dance as examples of how the CCA has somehow gotten worse over the years.
I, too, jumped on that bandwagon years ago. I'd go back and tell my juniors about how dance has changed, and bring up memories about the happier and crazier days we had. I'd joke with my juniors, and give advice on how they can improve dance.
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with pointing out flaws and trying to help your juniors improve their way of handling matters. Indeed, we could be more matured with our additional years of experience both in dance and life. (Note: could be) However, this has indirectly caused a certain unspoken expectation on every upcoming leading batch from generation to generation.
"We must be as good as our seniors."
It's always good to have a role model, and it's easier when you have someone or something to look up to and work toward; However, to always pressure yourself to be as good as your seniors is simply no leadership at all.
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With changing times, handling a CCA of over 100 people isn't the same as it used to be. In the past, there were only 2 members in the executive committee; now, we have up to 14 each batch. Parents used to give their children more independence in handling their school life - to balance studies and CCA commitments on their own. Now, parents have voiced their displeasure with their children putting more effort in their CCA, indirectly resulting in the drop of their academic performances. This has led to complaining parents, which leads to the school having to implement measures that will restraint the powers held by the executive committee of the CCA.
Is it possible to lead a CCA the same way we did back then? Is it feasible to restrict your juniors from going home at 6pm and dragging debrief until 6.30pm despite protests from teachers/parents? Is it really ok to make them do 100 push-ups? Where is the line drawn, and what are those we can keep and the ones we have to adapt with times?
I believe that's up to the current leading batch to discover on their own.
There are certain methods in handling dance which has to be protected from changing regardless of times, and some that we have to reluctantly admit, can be a little old fashioned. You can't scold the boys into listening to you now, sometimes you have to be a friend to them. You can't bend the rules as and when you want to, sometimes you should discuss it with a teacher.
While I continuously urge juniors to ask seniors for advice on solving problems they are facing, there's a difference from taking advice with a pinch of salt and acting accordingly to instructions. Your seniors are more experienced, but they don't know the CCA today like you do; They don't understand how your juniors work now, and they sure as heck don't understand how you could get into serious trouble for bending the rules today.
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This is why I believe that each batch should definitely seek advice and have an example in mind when they are leading the CCA. However, their aim shouldn't be to be as great as their seniors were, but to make a difference however way they can. Their aim should be to make the lives of the dancers a little better, and their time in the CCA more enriching/fulfilling. It should be focused not on meeting expectations of alumni members whom your leading methods have no impact on anymore. It should be focused on the people that will be affected by the way you lead - your current dancers.
If you could find an effective way to make your juniors understand the importance of safety when practising stunts, or to let them understand how to run as fast as they can when keeping props/gym mats; then by all means, do it. Whether it is the traditional way of drilling it into their heads via scoldings, or a softer approach by talking to them about the importance of safety and efficiency, do whatever works for you.
Don't take the standards of your seniors as a form of pressure to meet their level, because the measure of standards can be subjective in the minds of different individuals. It's important to make your own difference, and leave your own legacy in the place you call home. If you felt like it was a home to you, make it feel like a home to the new batch of juniors who may not feel that way yet.
Through the scoldings and tough times, we found a way to call each other our family. Even with the screamings and constant pumping, we managed to hug each other at the end of our SYF performance and cry together. If you could find a way to make your dancers feel like they belong, you've succeeded in making that place a home for everyone who comes for practices every week.
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Whatever I said above is just my thoughts, and I'm definitely sure that there are people who feel differently about these stuff. But that's fine, because we can always share our opinions and keep an open mind; By doing so, we only have to gain.
To end things off, here's something that reminds me vaguely of home.
Joanna