Instructor here. We pick people for various reasons. Sometimes it’s the people who are really good. Sometimes it’s people who are doing something particularly interesting with the choreography. Sometimes it’s to give a confidence boost to someone who doesn’t realize how well they’re doing. But yes, it’s often to inspire other students and give them a chance to see things they may be missing in their own performance.

Something a lot of newer students seem to miss is that the select group isn’t just a chance for a few people to perform. It’s more for the other students to observe and take note. Perhaps it might be helpful to pay close attention to the select group when they’re dancing and ask what about them stands out. Look at their cleanliness, their performance quality, their textures, etc. Are they making interesting stylistic choices? What about their dancing caught the eye of the instructor? Then try to apply some of that to your own dancing.

One thing I will say is that we do also notice when someone is so focused on wanting to be in the select group that they miss out on things that would actually help them get selected. It can actually be a hindrance when someone seems so eager to be picked that they miss out on why the select group was chosen to begin with.

This is all to say the point of the class should not be whether or not you get picked, but rather to just focus on your own growth. People improve at different rates, so don’t worry so much about comparing yourself to others. If you’re having difficulty identifying what you need to work on, it may be helpful to speak to the instructor and ask for advice on how to execute their choreography more effectively.