July 2011
191 posts
- preballet
When i were a little 5 year old girl i asked my mother to start taking ballet classes.She sent me to the dance lessons of my school and i liked it sooo much that she afterwards sent me to a “real” ballet school.I don’t remember many things about how i felt but my mom says i always came back happy.What i remember very well was when at the age of 7 i was about to have my first ballet show and it was cancelled.I felt horrible.
- 8 years old
I wen to a new school for better potential.There,every two years we were about to have a ballet performance.I didn’t pass an exam to be placed to my class,i was placed with children my age.My teacher,after a week changed my class and placed me with older girls(9-11 years old,if i remeber right).I was reaaaally pleaced,because she said i shouldn’t be wasting my time.After a month,i was moved another level of class and i were with girls 3-4 years older than me.That was my last change for now.And that was the year of my first performance there.It was amazing.My teacher placed me to central positions which i liked very much.After watching the video,i noticed maaany mistakes and that was i think the most important factor which made me think that i will overcome these problems,take advantage of my opportunities given and be the perfect me.
- 9 years old
This year a year of improvement,as there wasn’t a show to get ready.
- 10 years old
Another year of a performance.This year,the style is more “contemporary” which i enjoyed much.It is also my final year with my old teacher,who teaches younger children.
- 11 years old
A veeeery special year for me,as it is the first time i am on point!I was reaaaly excited that i was allowed and i proved my thankfulness(sorry for my awfull english :P) with more hard work and more dedication.
- 12 years old
I am finally placed to the highest class,with children 4-5 years older than me,the pre-professional.So,i am playing the swan to this year’s performance “swan lake”.Of course i am not odette/odile but i am happy to be a swan :).After all,i take advantage for another time from the opportunity given and try harder to keep up with our odette.This year,after watching the video,i start to realize that i am becoming a better ballerina.No more silly mistakes or wrong style etc.My only problem,my streches!And i am determined to improve them.
- 13 years old
After my promise to myself to do perfect splits and an arabesque of under 90* i am working very hard to achive it.I am also feeling really comfortable in my points and starting to do more complicated things.My arabesque becomes how i want her,but my splits are not perfect at all :P.So i keep working.Finally,i have my right splits perfect but anything more..
- 14 years old
Well,i can admit that this was such an important year in my life.As the new season for the new performance begins,and we learn our roles,i take my first solo,auora’s variation act 3.I am suuper excited and i am finally absolutely determined to suceed and prove my teachers i was worth the opportunity and the role.I am starting to realize what really hard work and really feeling tired means but i don’t care at all.I am improving more and more.And here comes the day of the performance.First of all,i would like to say that it is imposible to be perfect on such a floor as it was(it was reaaaly slippy).But with smile,i overcome my first and second slip and move on.I was feeling horrible.I knew i could have done this reaaaly good if i were in my studio.The audience said the didn’t realize any mistakes but i knew i could have done it better.I should now learn how to overcome my difficulties on stage,because i was young and had no experience at all.And here comes my biggest promise to myself.I should learn to overcome my difficulties and not stick to them.I should learn to be more “cool” on stage and be the best me.I was determined not to be made a lier.
- 15 years old
And here i am,after this promise to myself to make it happen.I know i have to go to a professional school so not to waste my time.I am going to one of the best professional schools in my country(after many prayers and begging to my mother who didn’t like much this idea at first).I can take summer intensive lessons but i don’t succed to persuade my mother to take them so i ask my dad to make me a barre to work in the summer alone.He makes it to me(my dad is the one who like most ballet and watching me) and i start taking classes alone in my bedroom.Barre,streches just to keep in shape and achieve my perfect splits.And it happens!I am super excited as i was never flexible but as it seems with hard work anything can happen.
Now it is summer and i can’t wait for september to come to learn were i will be placed.I should now pass a small examination,as it is a professional school.The teacher said i will probably be placed to the preprofessional classroom but anything is sure until it is done.So,Until september goodbye,and when it comes,i will inform you :)
I apologize for offending anyone in advance, but I think if anyone out there is a true dancer they’ll agree with what I’m about to say. With that said, fasten your seat belts… it’s about to get a little crazy.
Posers bother me. I feel rather insulted when a ‘dancer’ claims to be 100% dedicated to dancing and claims that it is his/her life while many actions actually go completely against that. Just to get it off my chest, I’d like to list the things that make me cringe most…
i have been reading your text and i was like “well,thats another person who has the passion and is not only based on the physical talents she might have”.you said things i wanted to say to people offending me and treating me like a stupid child because they were older than me(i was the youngest in my class).you are an incredible writer!you almost made me cry with things you reminded me.and a really big thank you for also reminding me that the courage and dedication can work better than people who just strech easily. :)
I am now beginning to realize just how out-of-place I am as a dancer in a “normal” setting. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and friends, but the people in my life that are not involved in the ballet world don’t understand me at all. I’m constantly being judged, misunderstood, questioned, etc….
well,i totally understand how you feel
last year,everyone who i knew constantly told me that i won’t ruin my life to become a ballerina and i am just a girl taking ballet.after my first solo,this year,i made everyone realize that i won’t ruin my life by becoming a ballerina ,and that i am not just another girl taking ballet,that i have tried so hard that they can now see it.
i don’t wanna tell you my whole story :P but i will tell you this
if you are know you can make it go on and ignore everyone.ballet is a difficult form of art and many people misunderstand it.don’t blame them,some times it is the fault messages from the society and from people who want everything to be done easily.also think about that some of them just don’t want you to get hurt.prove them that they are wrong and remember me,when your parents realize you have taken this seriously and you can handle it and be happy,they will suport you
don’t give up!thats the point not just in ballet but in your life ;)