Over the next two months, I’m embarking on a new dance adventure, something I’ve never done before as an adult dancer. Even though it’s a new experience for me, that very fact makes it fit naturally into my lifelong dance journey.
While dance has always been a source of great joy for me, it has also served as a vehicle of personal growth. Every time I try a new dance style, attempt that challenging move one more time, or push myself outside of my dance comfort zone, I improve my dancing skills while also gaining confidence and self-awareness. I’ve learned how to handle anxiety and recover from mistakes while learning new choreography or practicing technique.
It doesn’t matter if you’re considered a professional, an amateur or a hobbyist. Dance offers these benefits to anyone willing to try moving their bodies to music. The brilliant thing is dance also doesn’t care how old you are. You can gain more confidence as an 80-year old dancer just as much as you can as a 15-year old dancer.
Since moving to Maine, I’ve been able to challenge myself with dance styles other than ballroom, including ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop. Ballet has been my most consistent study. It is my chance to work on the more technical aspects of my dancing, while my weekly Zumba class allows me to let the joy flow freely.
My usual ballet class is every Tuesday night, but a couple Thursdays ago, I decided to drop in at a different ballet class. I was taking the strength training class right before it, so I figured it was a good opportunity to meet another dance teacher. The class covered mainly basics, but slowly, and if you have ever done anything en l’air (meaning ‘in the air’ as in holding your leg off the ground) slowly, you know the extra challenge it brings! Especially after an hour of strength training…
After class, the teacher told me I did great and that I should consider being in her production of the ballet Coppelia happening at the beginning of April.
Say what now?
I had seen the open audition flyer, but dismissed it as an opportunity I would not be qualified for. The teacher was persistent and handed me a registration form before I could mumble something about needing to check my calendar.
I’ll spare you the details of the nervous chatter that went on in my head for the next couple days. I had a great conversation with my main ballet teacher, who had also been asked to join the production, and that helped calm things down. The first rehearsal was that Sunday, and honestly, I only went because my main ballet teacher was going as well to check things out. I wasn’t ready to say yes, but I also didn’t want to say no yet. The teacher putting on the show was kind enough to let me join the rehearsal with a “maybe.”
The casting hadn’t been finalized yet, so everyone was taught the same chucks of choreography as samplings of what the ballet included. I quickly felt in over my head as I fumbled through steps that the 9-year olds picked up easily.
Side note: jetés make my brain shut down. I don’t know why. There are moves I think are harder that I’m still able to do. It’s just one of those weird things.
Two hours later, the teacher was again telling me I did great and I couldn’t stop myself from blurting out an incredulous “Really?!” She really wanted me to join the production. I learned I would only be doing a dance called the Mazurka, and other adult dancers I knew from Tuesday night ballet (including two teachers) would also be in it. Sooooo if you haven’t guessed it by now, I finally agreed.
I am going to perform in my first ever ballet production!
Here is the dance I need to learn:
The funny thing is this dance is actually done in heeled dance shoes, so I brought my ballroom practice shoes to yesterday’s rehearsal to see if they would be appropriate. I spent two hours learning my part in a ballet wearing my ballroom shoes!
Another amusing-to-me moment – the one part of the Mazurka that I nailed almost immediately is the heel-toe step that starts at 0:39 in the above video. I think it felt more natural to me because it reminded me of the toe-heel swivel in swing. The rest of it is another story, but I’m sure I’ll get there.
We have only six more rehearsals to go before a final dress rehearsal and then the actual performances on April 6 and 7! It feels a little crazy when I see it written out like that. The nice thing is several of the women dancing the Mazurka are also in my Tuesday night ballet class, so we’ll be sneaking in some extra practice before or after.
This adventure is a definite stretch for me, but that means I will grow from it, and like I said in the beginning, that also makes it a natural fit for my dance journey. I love how dance challenges me, both mentally and physically. It’s amazing to look back a couple decades and realize how much I’ve changed as a person because I kept saying yes to the scary or difficult dance things and then I actually did them. It’s amazing to watch myself now take on more scary and difficult dance things and be able to have fun along the way. I still feel the fear, but it doesn’t overshadow the joy anymore. That in itself is significant growth.
Stay tuned for updates on my Mazurka adventure! If you’d like to support this part of my dance journey, head on over to Ko-Fi. Let me know what challenges you’re taking on in your dance journey in the comments.
The Girl with the Tree Tattoo 