I began a new adventure at the start of 2021 with building my own personal WordPress blog! This is the perfect way to combine my skill at creating content with my love for physical movement.
I have always been passionate about dance, and generally about the process of pushing the body to the highest possible levels of physical ability. My aim is to build, in time, to a comprehensive online resource for adult dancers everywhere. I have included one of my posts below, and you can see my more of my writing at http://www.foredancesake.com
July Perspective: Ballet Gifts
POSTED ON BY NATDANCE
My July post comes to you mid-August with apologies for the delay. I’m sure that you understand life sometimes takes a crazy turn. Over the last month, I have given a lot of thought to my closing question of my June post- “What am I good at in ballet?” I believe this question is an important one to consider, especially when the details of correct ballet technique threaten to overwhelmed me- when feel like I am drowning in an ocean of imperfection.
So I kept this question in the back of my mind while making my bed, washing dishes, looking at Instagram videos of other dancers, stretching my feet, standing at the barre… Perhaps, with more concentration I would have come up with better answers than the two that I have uncovered so far. Anyhow, this is all I’ve got for the moment.
While I have always thought of my extra long, and thin arms as a problem, being difficult to control and prone to awkward positions. I have begun to see them in a new light thanks to Facebook’s Adult Ballerina Group. A friend once lovingly described them as “orangutan arms”. While I am not sure whether that was a compliment, my dancer friends on Facebook seem to think they are beautiful! Maybe they are right. My long arms can be an asset for port de bras when I use them well, and I sometimes do! I might therefore be able to conclude that port de bras is one of my strengths. It is a good thing for a dancer to have dancer friends.
My second strength was uncovered, surprisingly, not by working with ballet, but in another kind of dance altogether. I took a little time to choreograph a routine in a different style, with some movement that came a bit more naturally to me. In the process, I realized that one thing I am good at, is connecting with music. I can’t easily compare my ability in this area to others’, but I somehow know that I am very good at it. Music is a big part of why I dance. Dance allows me to merge with music physically and mentally for a while. And for me, this is one of the most enjoyable things in life. I also inherently connect with music while dancing ballet, but not as easily when the steps are challenging for me.
There was no flood of positive ideas on the question of my strengths in ballet. The skies did not open. But in taking a moment to focus on the two points just mentioned, I’ve found new reasons to keep pushing forward. If you are a dancer or dance student, or a person struggling to master a technically difficult skill, I encourage you to reserve a bit of your thought for looking for your strengths. It might just lead you to a new perspective on why you do what you do, and encouragement to keep pushing forward.
In creating the routine below, I was able to express my connection with the music, which brought me to the realization that this ability to connect deeply is, in itself, one of my strengths. While I am still very critical of my dancing here, it was fun to work on this, and I hope to do more like it. Have a look and enjoy!