Passion – A powerful force that cannot be stopped is the plaque that hangs on the wall in my office. Of all my motivations, dance moves me the most. Let me fill you in, as you might be wondering why my passion for dance should matter to you. My hope is that this will inspire you to reflect on the life you lead.
When I was five years old, I said, like many little girls do, “I’m going to be a ballerina when I grow up.” That declaration, combined with my tenacious spirit, has brought me to where I am today: still a ballet dancer. I grew up in a mid-size town in Texas and went to a small dance studio. My early years in dance were pretty typical. A ballet class here, a tap class there, but that all changed when I was nine and auditioned for my first ballet company. This marked the beginning of my career as a dancer—for better or worse. My pursuit for dance became very serious at this point, and my daily schedule would revolve around my evening lessons for the next seven years. This included the many hours spent on weekends rehearsing in the ballet company of which I was a member until high school graduation. Determination is something I don’t lack, nor conviction once I’ve made a decision. I performed three times a year including an annual Nutcracker, and I attended summer intensives at renowned schools across the nation such as the Boston Ballet.
It’s at this point that my story turns atypical of a young dancer. I chose to go to college for dance. At the time, this was considered professional suicide as the likelihood of employment in a ballet company decreased significantly when I removed myself from its world and entered into higher education. I’ll explore the topic of college dance in a future post, but for now note that when I made this choice I did it with the same determined spirit as I had done everything else in my life. I believed it was wrong that dancers pursuing higher education were often denied professional opportunities. I was determined to challenge and change this antiquated notion. Fortunately, I was accepted into the highly acclaimed program at Butler University that had already started changing the attitudes of companies across the country.
From Butler, I moved to Alabama to perform with the Alabama Ballet. At 23 years of age, I’d done what I’d set out to do, but the realization of that life-long dream had left me burned out and discontent. As a result, I quit. I walked away from my dream, searching for a new identity. So, I realize how this sounds and you might be thinking what happened to your determination, your passion for dance. Well, it was gone, just like that. However, I need to pause here and draw your attention to some important things in my story this far. From my early ballet company, time at Butler, and ultimately my time in Alabama there were some constants that left deep impressions on my identity.
First, my faith. I’m a Christian and if not for my faith I would never have made it as a dancer. Though God gave me the talent and ability to dance, he also created me to be incredibly introverted. The fact that I could perform on stage in front of crowds is something I attribute solely to God.
Second, I had the privilege of learning from extraordinary teachers. Suffice it to say, I’m the teacher I am today because of these people. They invested in my career and my life far beyond their responsibility. They guided me with integrity and true concern for my well-being.
Finally, I shared a career with amazing colleagues. Motivated by an intrinsic force to be excellent, dancers are the best co-workers. Above and beyond is our norm. Powering through despite injury or illness for the sake of our shared goal is just in the DNA of dancers.
Stepping away from the dance world for three years allowed me to gain valuable perspectives on my own identity and the world of dance. My passion for dance returned, but this time it was not about the adrenaline rush of performing or dancing to beautiful music. For me, it became about training future dance artists. I teach strong technique and refined artistry, but I also think I teach something that’s unique. The training values I work to impart are to Work Hard, Be Humble, and Respect Others. I teach my students to care about WHY they are doing what they do. WHY they avoid shortcuts, even when available. WHY when they learn choreography that they don’t take creative license to just change what doesn’t feel good. WHY when they have the chance to elevate themselves at the expense of a fellow dancer that they don’t. At the end of the day, being a good person is paramount to being the best dancer. It is from these values that the culture of Metamorphosis was formed. We embrace every dancer and every dance with artistic excellence and integrity. To see what we offer in classes, click here.
I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity about what I have to share about dance and life in general. Our vision at Metamorphosis is to reshape the world of dance one dancer at a time. The combined efforts of the Academy and Company, work to make this vision a reality by putting our dancers first. Their health, growth, and the opportunities we provide to perform, guide our decision making at Metamorphosis.