26 Aug 5 Life-Changing Facts I Learned As A Ballet Dancer

If you know me, you know I was a former ballet dancer, and it was my LIFE! Coming out of that world, I’ve learned so many things from dancing and the ballet world that have helped me in the real world! It’s not all about femininity, but note that ballet is feminine and I took a very masculine approach to it. So when I entered the real world, I had an interesting view of using the feminine side of ballet in my everyday life and seeing how I can use my masculine approach in a business setting.

1. If you really want it, you’ll do the things you don’t want to do to get it.

All I wanted to do was perform when I was a dancer. I just wanted to be in rehearsals and performing. I enjoyed taking technique classes, but it wasn’t my goal to be in classes. I wanted to be on stage! I had a realization early on that if I didn’t take those classes I couldn’t be on stage because I wouldn’t have strong technique or refined details. If being on stage is really worth it, then I’ll take those classes. And it was worth it! In the end, I also really enjoyed taking technique classes, too.

In life, we have goals and ambitions we want to chase after, but if we aren’t willing to do the things we don’t like for that goal, then it wasn’t really worth it to us. With my coffee shop I’m working towards, I have had to remind myself that my ballet philosophy still applies here.

2. Show other people you are interested in what they have to say or what they are teaching you.

In ballet, especially in rehearsals, if you are at the side of the room just sitting down or chatting, you will not be picked for those big roles in the next ballet. If you are in rehearsal practicing your choreography the whole time, the choreographer knows that you are willing to put in the effort and will trust you with bigger roles!

Similarly, when you are talking with a person who’s teaching you something or giving you advice or giving you a task, showing interest and putting in an effort goes a loooong way. That person builds trust in you, and will trust you in the future with bigger projects! Whether it’s at work, or relationally, this is a tip that can’t go wrong!

3. Making something you are passionate about a job, isn’t always the best option.

I trained in ballet for 11 years, imagining my life as a professional ballet dancer. When I was 17, I entered that ballet world and it really woke me up! The ballet world is its own ministry and it took a lot of adjusting for me. For some people, having a ballet career works for them, and they can remain passionate about it! But for me, I was getting too focused on the excesses of the ballet world and not the dancing. I decided to quit dancing, and now I get to teach it and share my passion and continue dancing as a hobby.

Many people growing up play sports or work hard towards something and then realize that it wasn’t for them in the long run. That’s okay! You can still be passionate about it and not do it professionally. In fact, I think that’s very healthy to do that. Find a job you love and do the thing you are passionate about BECAUSE you are passionate about it!

4. It’s important to take constructive criticism well.

In ballet, a technique class is comprised of a series of steps given in a very specific order, and between combinations, you are given “corrections”. A correction is when a teacher tells you what could be better with the step you just performed. It’s very good to get a correction! When I first started dancing, I took every correction personally and thought my teachers didn’t like me, but then I realized that they saw me trying and wanted to help! After this realization, I took every correction like it was a piece of gold. It was encouraging to see that my teachers believed in me and wanted to help me get better.

In life, this way of thinking still stands! If someone is giving you constructive criticism, it’s because they believe in you. If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t say anything at all. Learning how to shift my thinking when taking criticism was so worth it!

5. Don’t take anything too seriously!

Looking back, it’s funny to think how serious I was about dancing. Dancing is supposed to be so fun, and I thought of it as life or death! I would get stuck on some step I couldn’t figure out and it would tear me up! Even my teachers were trying to cheer me up and tell me it doesn’t matter that much.

Once I quit ballet, I decided I wanted to laugh more. I let myself laugh at the things that I thought were funny, and I have found myself to be so much happier and much more feminine!