From student to Professional…
The long path of the student years
Becoming a professional ballet dancer is a very long path full of “sweat and tears”.
And this is definitely not a legend, it’s the truth.
Ballet is an exigent discipline, which means making ballet your life is not a given.
First, you will have to succeed in each year's examinations at the ballet school, and then, finally, when you reach graduate year, you will have to get your first contract in a crowded market with very few jobs.
So what are the keys to making this dream successful ?
Here are my 10 tips that you should know and never forget:Be sure you have the natural physical predispositions to be a ballet dancer. I know it’s harsh, but ballet is harsh enough. If you don’t have a tiny figure, good proportions, nice flexibility, a nice foot arch, and an ideally long neck, you will struggle like no one else, and maybe you will also not find a job easily. Think about how to orient yourself towards a more flexible discipline like modern dance. They don't have all these specific criteria; actually, they don’t have physical criteria.
Train early…. Don’t wait to be 15–18 years old to start training every day because it’s already too late since you are supposed to get a job around 18 years old. When you are young, the body is also much more malleable, so you can shape it more easily.
Work always bears fruit. It’s going to be hard. You will doubt yourself, and not only once. Remember, everyone goes through this, but if you believe in yourself and work hard, everything will happen !
Have faith. Believe in your dream. If you choose this and deeply want to do it, then believe in it by believing in yourself. You are the only one who can always believe in yourself.
Work hard, but don’t forget to rest too. A healthy body means a healthy mind. You get the job done easily when your mind is at peace. Sleep well, eat healthy, find time for yourself, and do not become too extreme in a fanatical way.
Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Everyone is perfect with their own imperfections, and it’s normal ! Accepting yourself the way you are is about realizing your strengths and weaknesses without evaluating them. Actually, the whole picture is "what makes you truly who you truly are, which means unique.
Everyone makes mistakes, and it’s ok because it’s part of the process. Growing is about making mistakes. If you try, you rarely do it the first time, and you can easily fail, but the more you try, the less chance you will have to fail.
Don’t forget, you have one body. At a young age, you feel that you can treat him the way you want because you are young, but traumatic movements create traumatic long-term consequences. Classical work in en dehors is already not natural, and if you train improperly, you can destroy your articulations (especially your knees and hips), the same for pointe shoes (and feet). But if you work conscious, which means smartly, while you are young, then later everything will be fine.
Being human makes you a great artist. Go outside and get inspired. Don’t watch or do only ballet, explore the world, fulfill yourself from impressions, share with others, and you will be able to give on stage as an artist, to give emotionally.
Be free. Enjoy what you do, it’s the key to discovering a natural way of moving and getting out of the strict rules of movement that shape ballet. Don’t forget, it’s an art, and people come to enjoy watching you. The more free and easy you dance, the more enjoyable it will be for others to watch and for yourself.
i hope these advises will be helpful for you and even useful on your path.
don’t hesitate to contact me and share you wishes, if you are interested by specific questions, i will be glad to answer.
all my love.
