The past few months I’ve been blessed with the experience of sharing information- some would call it teaching but I like to think of it more as creating a space for new things to be learned and discovered.  The role of teacher is something I have great respect for- many people in my life had offered the suggestion earlier to teach dance, but I felt it wasn’t the right time.  I’ve had such complex relationship with ballet, some of my highest highs and lowest lows, that I needed to work some things out first before I felt I really had something to give.  The world of ballet can be so daunting, so elitist, so judgemental and these are characteristics I don’t always want to share a space with.  With an art form that has such high standards, does that leave a place for everyone else?  

I taught morning ballet class in Hamburg over the recent holiday break, and was lucky enough to entice a lot of people of a lot of different levels to trust me for class.  One of my favorite moments was when a beautiful ballerina from the Dresden Semperoper was standing next to a physical theatre actor and both were equally absorbed and living in the moment of their dancing.  This was perfection.  I also loved how responsive those with less experience with ballet were- I guess I am not the only one who gets locked up with the rules and rights/wrongs of ballet and sometimes needs to be shaken up a bit.  We ‘trained’ dancers have a tendency to take ourselves so seriously- of course as a professional training is a serious thing, but sometimes I think we forget to feel the joy.  Or maybe our egos are in the way of fully being in the moment.  At any rate, I think I was able to express a great wish of mine- to do ballet in a way that is also self-loving.  To take out the extreme criticism, the ‘I’m never good enough’, all the negativity and replace it with an utmost gratitude that you’re body is able to do what it’s doing in that given moment.  In a conversation with Anna Grip about my feelings on the convoluted world of ballet (mostly the strictness that restricts the enjoyment as well as the expectation of certain body requirements to be capable of doing ballet well) she said three words I will never forget- ballet is innocent.  The art form of ballet is pure, wonderful, and meant for everyone.  It’s just the people who have turned it into an insider/outsider party with an almost demonic strive for perfection.  Of course there is so much beauty in the dancing of someone who’s dedicated their life to the art form, but sometimes I am equally as inspired by someone who’s taken it up later in life, just for the pure enjoyment of it.  

  • To continue on the theme of open minds and breaking through preconceived notions, over the holidays I also had the pleasure of meeting Adrienne Canterna, fellow Interview En L’air blogger and ballet superstar.  I have to admit that in the years before I was a bit skeptical- I didn’t know much about her but the stardom 
    she had acquired seemed somewhat out of place and strange in the ballet world… I was judgemental about the rise of competition dance and TV dance shows (when in reality it is a huge plus to make dance more available mainstream for those who might otherwise never have the opportunity for exposure).  So I was gearing myself up for tricks and turns, and was caught completely off guard by her performance with the Bad Boys of Ballet.  She achieved making ballet accessible and fun for all with ease and grace.  I was completely moved- of course by her unbelievably outstanding dancing but more so with her emotional movement language- the relevancy of her themes on human relationship and how her feelings were so transparent through her dancing.  She was embodying so many of the ideas I was expressing in my ballet class- be thankful for your uniqueness, enjoy the beauty that you are without apology, enjoying the freedom within the dance.  Her and the company’s performance stunned me in so many ways and even more so her easy going, grounded nature when meeting her backstage.  She has taken the snooty eliteness out of ballet while still expressing all the beauty of it’s innate technical core.  Lesson learned, as always, judgements usually never get you anywhere.  Thanks Adrienne for your generosity and an unforgettable evening.  Thanks to my dancer friends of Hamburg for giving me the opportunity to share my love of dance with you all.  Peace and Light.