Grace & Confidence: Staying Motivated Through Injury
A Conversation with Jazz Khai Bynum
By Gabrielle Lilly, Brown Girls Do Ballet Ambassador
Having confidence during injuries and setbacks can be tough! In these moments we feel like giving everything up, but we shouldn’t! My mentor and friend, Jazz Bynum of Ballet West, has great advice for dancers working to get back to dancing after suffering a setback. Jazz has a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), that has presented her with several challenges during her dance journey. Most recently, she suffered a third tear to her ACL.
Related: Brown Ballerina Advice: Jazz Bynum on Resiliency, Faith, and Healing
Photo: Jazz Bynum; shot by Amanda Farnsworth
I know that you have EDS; was your ACL tear related to that condition?
Yes. With EDS my joints and organs are susceptible to injury. Part of what happens in the joints is the constant stretching of ligaments until eventually they tear. It is an ongoing journey, but as medicine and understanding advance it becomes easier to manage and prevent these things from happening.
After having an injury, do you find yourself having new confidence and motivation? Or, did you find that you were less motivated?
I found myself in the middle. It wasn’t a question for me to recover and get back to dancing. I knew it would be very challenging, but I also knew I could get through it. In the beginning of recovery I felt very defeated which was hard to navigate. There wasn’t much I was able to do on my own which was very frustrating. And, when I could start to do ballet movements again I found new frustration with not being able to dance the way I was used to. In fact, the first day I gave myself barre I almost stopped at pliés and felt like quitting.
With all of that, quitting was not an option. Even when those thoughts took over, I knew there was no way I would actually go through with it. I tried to remind myself and remember what it feels like to make it past every milestone, what it feels like to take a full class, and what it feels like to perform again. It was a recurring process; each milestone motivated me and the Lord grounded me.
What are three tips you have for aspiring dancers to help them stay motivated?
Always give yourself grace. Everyday you won’t be able to give 100%; what you can do is give 100% of the percentage you do have. If 70% is working that day then give 100% of that 70%. Each day is a new exploration. Give in to the struggles and work with them. Yes, some days will feel impossible and that’s okay. Keep moving forward, keep being resilient.
Keep your joy! We all have our own foundation for it. For me, it’s in Christ. However joy grounds you, hold on to it.
Embrace your mistakes. You’re going to make some; acknowledge them and learn from them. It’s okay!
Jazz Bynum is not only a dancer, but an instructor, and a choreographer. Through the ups and downs, she has never let her condition stop her! She is truly inspiring!
For more information and to follow along with her journey, you can follow Jazz on Instagram.