By Olga Bessarab There is a lot to be learnt from ballet dancers, actually. While we may think of them as skinny, tutu or tights-wearing nymphs, there is definitely more to them than meets the eye. Ballet dancers taught me the importance of eating. Ironic, isn’t it? How does one connect that lean body with the absurd idea of food being enjoyed? Ballet dancers do eat, they just do so with more wisdom than the typical student who makes a trip to the nearest convenience store and returns with cup noodles, soda, and a packet of candy. These are the key ingredients in a dancer’s diet: whole grains, lean meat, vegetables, fruit, water and consistency. They don’t skip meals, they don’t gorge themselves on fatty food (indulging in the occasional cookie or ice-cream is acceptable), and they exercise regularly. Eating right, eating regularly, and exercise. That’s all there is to it. The reason that this generation is so obsessed with diets? Beauty. Physical beauty, to be more specific. The standards on beauty have shifted drastically over the years, but I’m not here to wax lyrical about beauty and its various definitions. I’m here to talk about the connection between beauty and effort. Ballet dancers arguably, are fit. They look good in almost anything and have a pretty amazing figure. This is accredited largely to a roughly seven-hour training regime. That is 42 hours of ballet training, Pilates, yoga and dance rehearsals per week assuming they get Sunday off. The point I am driving at here? You work for beauty, and beauty works for you. Speaking of effort, did you ever start something—maybe an exercise regime, a small business, a sketchbook—get disappointed at the seeming lack of obvious results, and quit halfway? Monotony is no reason to quit an endeavor. Monotony presents itself to a dancer in the form of ‘barre work.’ It involves a set of repetitive exercises that are meant to strengthen a dancer’s muscles and prepare him or her for dancing on the stage. Barre work is oftentimes tedious and repetitive. But it is essential for a dancer’s success. Likewise, if you would like to eventually succeed, you should keep going. Persevere, you might just surprise yourself. And if you think that you’re too old to start something or continue doing something, think again. While most ballet dancers typically have short careers—fifteen to twenty years at most—there are a few stunning exceptions. Take Maya Plisetskaya, a magnificent prima ballerina assoluta, one of the greatest stars of the Soviet era. She danced well into her sixties. If at sixty a dancer is still able to dance while standing on the tips of her toes, I should think that we should all rethink the connection between ‘age’ and ‘limits’. Furthermore, if forty year-old ladies aren’t ashamed to put on leotards and give recreational ballet a shot, perhaps you too can pluck up enough courage and try something new—regardless of your age and expertise. Sometimes though, it isn’t so much about what we think of ourselves that stops us, but what others think of us that keep us from pursuing our passions. Ballet dancers, especially male dancers, aren’t new to this at all. Their dance attire—more specifically their tights—often make them the recipients of prejudice that stems mostly from ignorance and well-established gender stereotypes. However, being laughed at for dancing a ‘girl’s dance’ and for wearing ‘embarrassing clothing’ has never stopped these danseurs from doing what they love—and excelling at it. Roberto Bolle, principal dancer of the American Ballet Theater, guest artist with the Royal Ballet as well as the La Scala Theatre Ballet, has made quite a name for himself. So let loose and do what you truly want to do; don’t let society stop you from being yourself.
However, while you might wish to prance off to do your thing after being so inspired from reading this, do remember that while people can make our lives very frustrating, they are still extremely important. Some of us have colleagues that annoy us to no end, teammates who love to challenge deadlines; some of us might even have spouses with a penchant for midnight drumming sessions. The ballet world has its people-hating days too. Perhaps a ballerina had a spat with her partner, she would never dream of taking it on stage. Why? She needs her partner to be there to dance with her and stabilize her during their pas de duex. So, what’s the key word to take back here? Professionalism. There is an endless debate with regards to this particular term: ‘Stars are born, not made.’ Some people are simply more successful than us at doing certain things, and that can be hard to accept. The same goes for ballet dancers. Not everyone who makes it into a ballet company will get the highest position of ‘principal dancer’. Some may never even have the opportunity to rise to a soloist position. Does this mean that all the very passionate and talented people in the corps de ballet remain bitter their whole lives and quit dancing forever? On the contrary, they put in just as much—if not more—effort into their work. Not solely because they dream of eventually being promoted, but because they are respecting themselves by dedicating themselves into doing what they truly love. Reality bites, but there is something noble in ‘biting back’—being honest and genuine with yourself and your work; you stop being defined by your role, but rather begin to define it. And that, is arguably the greatest lesson taught by people in the ballet profession--dedication. a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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