8 Tips For Sisters Who Dance

With the right mix of love, friendship and healthy competition, a sister act can be even better than a solo. How can you make the most of having a dancing sister? Here are some pointers from dancers who’ve been there.

Be a team.

“When you’re in it together, any accomplishment for one of you feels like a win for both of you.” —Jacalyn Tatro

Be honest.

“You can trust your sisters to give you both genuine encouragement and the blunt truth when you need it.” —Nicole Von Enck

Be inspired, not jealous.

“I pick and pull from what I love about Taylor’s dancing. Why be envious when I can learn from her strengths?” —Payton Ackerman

Take risks.

“Since my sister and I are so close, I’m not afraid to try new things in front of her, even if I embarrass myself.” —Julia Ruth

Cheer each other on.

“To this day, watching Kate dance is my favorite thing. She’s hands down my favorite ballerina.” —Emily Kadow

Be an individual.

“Finding your own true self will help you feel less competitive with or jealous of your sister.” —Taylor Ackerman

Protect your stuff.

“The hardest thing about both of us being dancers is that sometimes I catch Julia stealing my dance clothes!” —Devin Ruth

When all else fails, have a dance battle!

“Once, while arguing about something in rehearsal, Jacalyn and I broke out into an impromptu dance battle. She was hitting me with turns and I was kicking toward her with a leap. It turned out to be a lot of fun.” —Abby Tatro

Want more sisterly advice from dancer siblings? Click here.

A version of this story appeared in the July/August 2017 issue of Dance Spirit with the title “Sisterly Advice.”