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BOOK TEXT:
Ballet Journeys is a collection of personal stories from ballet professionals around the world. Each story is revealed in the form of a letter addressed to Ballet which expresses hidden treasures within each person’s intimate relationship with ballet.
No two paths are alike yet every path shares the love for the artform.
By sharing these stories- lessons can be learned, guidance can be given, clarity can be remembered, and love can be experienced.
This gathering of journeys starts with the seed of ballet which is of course, passion. The only reason why people begin their ballet journey is because it feels good to dance and twirl and leap and fly. Dance brings life to life and every child who falls in love with ballet understands this deep within their body.
If you were called to ballet and feel most connected to life when dancing - then your journey is real. You and ballet have been intertwined in some fashion.
For some people, ballet is a holistic experience that flows easily with their personal progression, for others it is not so. Many people have been excluded, degraded, and traumatized by their ballet environment and this is why I choose to gather these stories weighted in experience of endurance and resilience.
One person’s story is not everyone’s story. However, we can relate to and learn from each other’s stories which can therefore help to inform our choices and actions. Two people can attend the same school or work for the same company and have wildly different experiences but even so - how do we support each other? Do you feel the humanity within ballet? I believe that in order for humanity to coexist with the artform there must be an acknowledgment of the human journey within the ballet journey.
Ballet is Us. It is the people. We make the choices. We choose what to normalize and how to react. We choose to see or to turn away. We choose to speak up or stay silent. We do have a choice to push boundaries or help those who are pushing boundaries. We have a choice to join together, to connect, and to acknowledge each person’s journey.
The sharing of stories is an age-old tradition and ballet is not excluded from this human need. Take these stories and absorb them, make them your own and let their wisdom guide you while you continue to shape your path.
How is your journey unfolding? I encourage you to write your story - shape it, live it, and love it. Your story is unique and only you can direct it.