Four Things I Learned at Boston Ballet School
5:06 PMMy beginner ballet workshop at Boston Ballet School came to an end a few weeks ago and I miss it already! I didn't expect to fall in love with ballet the way I did and I'm so glad Boston Ballet School invited me to take classes. Along the way I met some incredible women, some talented dancers, and learned a few things...
You can definitely teach an old dog new tricks. While my pliés aren't quite as deep as those of a younger dancer, I'm discovering that with some practice I'm a pretty decent ballerina. Perhaps my dreams of being the next Misty Copeland are a little far off, but I enjoyed challenging myself to learn something new. It's never too late to learn a new skill or discover hidden talents!
Posture is everything. And holy heck, is my posture terrible. My best friend tells me all the time, but when you're standing at the barre with your back straight for over an hour it becomes painfully obvious (literally). I've made a conscious effort to stand up straighter, and to strengthen my back at the gym.
Smile through it all. Your toes hurt? Your legs are shaking? Your calf is cramping? Smile through it. Ballet is all about sharing these elegant, detailed movements with the audience while putting on a beautiful show. So when life gets tough or critics pipe up, I just remind myself to smile through it all. Never let the audience see you sweat (metaphorically that is, cause ballet can get pretty sweaty).
There are no shortcuts. If I want to improve those pliés, I have no choice but to stretch, stretch, stretch, and of course, practice. You won't head into the studio and one day and magically have perfect pliés and pirouettes without hours and hours of practice. Principal ballerinas don't just wake up one day and decide they're going to be the best; they work diligently at it every day. We can learn a lot from these dedicated athletes.
There are no shortcuts. If I want to improve those pliés, I have no choice but to stretch, stretch, stretch, and of course, practice. You won't head into the studio and one day and magically have perfect pliés and pirouettes without hours and hours of practice. Principal ballerinas don't just wake up one day and decide they're going to be the best; they work diligently at it every day. We can learn a lot from these dedicated athletes.
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