Saturday, July 18, 2020

Of a New Dream, Of Dance Renewed


@julieballet25

Aspiring Ballerina Julianna Solano in ballet class 

Recently a beautiful, young and aspiring ballerina has joined as a new student of mine.

It was promptly evident that this student has bigger dreams than most, dreams of joining the professional world of dance as a dancer and teaching artist.  Such a life project of hers fills me with hope and joy as another dancer dares to dream big.

I have lately been thinking of the things I want to communicate to my student as she transforms into the artist she seeks to become.  Some seemed so important that I thought it would be better to write them down.  Here are those thoughts, transformed into a letter.

 

Dear Julianna,

Thank you for including me as part of your adventure as your dance teacher, I confess I will learn much from this process too.

These are my guiding thoughts to share with you as we move forward. 


Dance as if you were never to be able to dance again. 

Be grateful for every step, every breath, every dance.

 

Be grateful to your body.

Beauty comes from a place of love.

 

Be humble to learn,

But grand in your dance.

 

Own your space

Fill it with the greatness of your spirit

Honour the vitality of your soul.

 

Be brave,

Be bold,

Be unapologetic.

 

Be powerful as a great Olympian

And delicate and sensitive as the youngest child.

 

Listen to the critics

In their criticism you will find the key to your growth.

But be deaf to those that predict your failure,

They are not God, they do not know.

 

Ignore the snobs,

Be patient with the ignorant

To dance is to be forever vulnerable.

 

Make everything an opportunity for learning.

Nothing is ever a failure,

Unless you quit, unless you stop dancing. 

Only then would you fail, and only then.

 

The most successful dancer is the most resilient.

Whatever life did not give you as a gift in talent,

You can develop and enjoy as a gift from hard work.

 

Find your beauty.

Do not be afraid to feel.

Own the moment.

 

Find the stillness in the movement.

Quiet in music

Peace in the challenge of battle.

 

Find your voice

Discover your pathway

Love yourself with all your imperfections

Celebrate life, love and dance in every single moment.

 

No matter how old you become

And how much gray comes to replace your youth…

Do not ever stop dancing

Dance in the living room

             In the kitchen

             In the hall

             In the garden under the sun and the open sky

 

Be strong Julianna,

May you always find the Song and Joy of your Dance.

 

 

 

Julianna Solano, aspiring ballerina      

@julieballet25 

 


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