From the first day when we enter school we need to watch out for so many dangers: there are the critical eyes of the other students, there is our tendency to compare ourselves to our peers, and there is our unbalanced confidence which can chase us every day (not to mention studying, grades, and exams). In my opinion, we all need a special support, a magical weapon, which can help us out on those doubtful days: ‘Can I do this?’ ‘Am I good enough?’ ‘Why is everyone else better than me?’ These criticizing voices can’t stop us from constantly creating ourselves. My magical weapon to be more self-aware was ballet.
I have always seen this genre as a sweet mixture between sport and art, which trains and delights at the same time. I’ve always wanted to become a ballerina, but since I started too late I have never got the chance to be a professional dancer. I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t want to neglect my mind and build a career based only on my physical abilities. It’s still my hobby, my form of meditation, and my way of developing. Ballet taught me to see life from a new perspective:
1—Dancing taught me that there are some points in life when you are on your own, and nobody can help you. There is only you and your body as your instrument, and you can only find strength in practice. This is the territory where cheating is simply impossible.
2—Persistence. You need to do the same pirouette for a thousand times before you perfect it. Even then, you will find that there is still someone who does it better than you. So what? You try it one more time. And one more time. And in the end, when you finally succeed you will feel a sweet relief and effervescent energy: you did it!
3—It’s not as easy as it seems. Behind those airy movements, there is a lot of strength involved. When you see a ballerina performing she seems like a finished article, you would love to be in her place, she is not even dancing, she’s flying. What you can’t see are those endless hours next to the barre, the aching pain in her feet, and the never-ceasing concentration.
4—With hard work, you will get rewarded, and I’m not talking about a pendant. You will get the applause, the satisfying feeling. Creating is something that you can be proud of. You didn’t only watch series, you have a passion, you have a hobby and more importantly something that gives you confidence and definitely a more toned and flexible body.
5—You can do anything! Ballet is so multi-faceted. It can be a graceful levitation and a whimsical game with a rock-chic air at the same time. There are endless possibilities in choreography, the only boundary is your imagination.
What is your favorite sport? Tell us in the comment section.
