why everyone should take ballet

I've always had a love-hate relationship with ballet.

Wearing a leotard and tights is not just uncomfortable on the body, but also on the mind. I used to think if I would ever have kids, I wouldn't put them in dance because it's the most mentally and physically exhausting thing you can ever do to yourself. And if you don't have thick skin, then forget it, you won't make it anywhere. 

But with the start of the new season, I have been thinking a lot about how my thoughts have changed. A previous director once told me that ballet might not make you the best dancer, but it'll make you a great human. 

And now, I understand why. 

I have always wondered why people would take ballet with no intention of becoming a professional dancer, but the longer I teach, the more I realize how beneficial ballet can be to a person whether their goal is to make it a career or not. 

I take the integrity of ballet very seriously. And I mean seriously. There is no yawning in my class, no leaning on the barres, no talking and no crossing arms. For anyone who doesnt know, the etiquette of ballet is strict I guess you could say. There is proper attire and after every class the students thank their teacher by bowing or curtsy-ing. 

But it's more than that. It's this:

Students gain more than technique and stage performance. They gain tools that will help in the "real world"—things that will help them grow and succeed in every aspect of their lives no matter what path they choose and here is why:

Respect. As cute as it is to see 20 bunheads in a row pirouette-ing, it's more about the discipline and the dedication. Every student of mine knows that respect is important—respect toward themselves and towards their teacher. It's something I feel that the younger generations are lacking (even my generation). 

Work ethic. Learning work ethic is the most valuable skill a human can possess in my opinion. Students can see for themselves that hard work pays off, but you have to be motivated, willing to take criticism and determined. Whether you're in the studio, classroom or conference room, you have to work to stand out, and in order to grow you have to push yourself to the extreme. 

Leave it at the door. As dancers, we're trained to leave our problems outside of the studio. It doesn't matter if we have a bleeding blister or that we didn't get a good night's sleep, all that matters is that we show up and do our best. It's not that we don't have compassion, but it's about know what needs to get done and not letting obstacles get in the way of our productivity. 

The three C's. Ballet gives us coordination, confidence and control. Without confidence, we're just people hiding in our shells—there will never be an opportunity to show ourselves if we aren't comfortable in who we are. Now that we are in the digital age, I have found that people are less coordinated because we're used to sitting on the couch while engaged in a video game or social media. However, being coordinated also needs control. You're essentially working almost every muscle in your body to create movement that looks effortless—and let me tell you, it's not effortless—but in order to manipulate our bodies and minds, we need to have control.

Awareness. Ballet gives us the tool of awareness, not only body awareness, but also for our mind. We're constantly in the present because one thought about the future or past, can mess up one step—it's just screaming out: domino effect! Staying aware of our minds and our bodies will allow us to proceed through life more gracefully. 

Establishing a healthy lifestyle. The most obvious one is learning about fueling our bodies. The longer we dance the more apparent it is that food is fuel, and in order to maintain a strong, yet lean figure we must exercise, drink lots of water and provide ourselves with nutrients. Learning this at a young age will be helpful whether we're dancing or just living life. 

Although ballet is physically and mentally hard, it's also rewarding. As a teacher, I know that not every one of my students will become ballerinas or professional dancers even, but what I am focused on is producing strong, well-rounded individuals who are poised and determined to make the best out of life. 

I credit a lot of who I am toward my ballet training because it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and has allowed me to overcome obstacles gracefully. It wasn't an easy ride, but the reward is much greater than the blood, sweat and tears and the things I take away from my experiences in the studio will always be priceless.