Pointes and Perspective #20 There Is No Holding Back

There Is No Holding Back

Last week I was teaching an advanced Ballet class, and asking for a full out run through of the combination I just taught, including performance quality, and every last ounce of energy they had left. One student raised her hand to share, “I remember last season you told us that, we were going to be tired whether we marked it, or did it full out, so why not just do it full out!?”

I smiled, pleased that someone actually remembered things I talked about in class! Yes, I often relay some advice that my teacher, Dermot Burke, Joffrey Ballet dancer and director of American Repertory Ballet Company and Dayton Ballet, gave me when I was a student. He explained that whether you danced with half energy, thinking you were reserving it, or you danced full out, you were STILL exerting energy. You were still going to sweat. You were still going to be tired. So would you like to go home sweaty and tired, having put half the energy into your work, and making only half progress, and feeling like you did simply “OK” in class today? OR, would you like to go home sweaty and tired, having put everything you had into class, experiencing abundant growth and progress, and feeling like you “KICKED BUTT” in class today?!

There is a definite place for “marking” movement, but all too often I see and hear of dancers who aren’t giving it their all in class! I tell my students they must push themselves each and every exercise and in each and every movement to progress. Your body isn’t learning anything new if you sit comfortably in the status quo. You may think it is easier to keep coasting along doing the minimum, but why bother sweating over the minimum!? Don’t get stuck in that mindset. Don’t just exist in class, live! Dance fully, and passionately! What are you there for anyway?! Go big or go home!

Focus on not letting class slip by. Make every class count. Make a commitment to both yourself and your craft to continue to work as hard as you can and learn as much as you can. A strong commitment to practicing full out, with every ounce of your energy, mental focus, and passion will allow you to steadily improve.

As George Balanchine memorably stated, “Why are you stingy with yourselves? Why are you holding back? What are you saving for—for another time? There are no other times. There is only now. Right now.”