Being a dancer takes a lot of work. For those of us in the world of ballet – or who have been in the world of ballet until our later years, we have found that it can be difficult to keep up with training without knowing where to go. Up here in Vermont, those places get even fewer and further between. Why?
I live in one of the only states that does not have a professional ballet company. Companies that aspire to train professionals, yes. Actual professional dancers – not quite so many.
Now look at Boston – the city I grew up near. Boston Ballet has adult classes every night of the week. At every one of their three studios. An advanced class in Vermont is equal to a Boston Ballet Beginner class technique wise. If your in Advanced down in Boston, you’re either a current or retired professional dancer. To say that moving from one classroom setting to the next means that I have to remember that I’m the higher end of the scale in Vermont when I am firmly in what is termed intermediate in Boston is a bit of a jump. Especially when the advanced classes in Vermont are often below my level of ability.
I’m going to stop here and remind you that when I say advanced classes, I am talking about classes aimed specifically at adults. Vermont does have a few dance companies that are actually quite good and training young dancers to advanced levels is their forte.
I have been thinking a lot lately about going on to get my Masters degree somewhere. I have spent a lot of that time thinking about the what. What am I going to do with the Masters degree? What am I going to get the degree in?
I was thinking for the past couple of days of maybe going into theatre. But a sudden revelation between yesterdays events and today has got me thinking. A Masters in theatre would require me to travel elsewhere anyway… Why not just go for dance?
I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking that what I really should have done in college was get my Bachelor’s in dance. Granted, I definitely wouldn’t be in Vermont right now if I had, so I can’t come to regret that at all. Dance is just such a huge part of my life, and a part of my life that is really my passion. Listening to classical music – the known study aide – was no good for me because I would be thinking about choreography instead of focusing on school work. Journaling through dance helped me sort out some of the personal stuff going on in my life when I needed it.
Sometimes, the path we should take – no matter where it ends up leading us – is right in front of us. It can be difficult – Lord knows that dance can be rather trying as both of my knees became victims of my pointe training. But the one piece of advice everyone gives us again and again – follow your heart. Passion is an expression of the heart. It really is one of the only ways to go.
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And on that note – I’ve decided to work on a potential “frame layout” for a studio website. When I finish it, I will be posting the link here at FoxtrotFirefly.com. If I’m proud enough of it, I will be offering web design work for local Vermont studios. (I’m beginning to cringe at the look of most of these websites.)