Roughly 15 years ago, I was a little ballerina, ecstatic to be receiving a perfect attendance trophy for attending every ballet class of the year during my first year of ballet at our year end recital. Seems crazy, right? Two years later, I quit after I switched to a new studio.
Now, 15 years later, I’ve completed my first year of ballet again. Except this time, there’s no perfect attendance trophy (although my attendance was far from perfect), no year end recital, no moving up in class level. But, it has been worth it.
I never thought when I first walked into the studio in my brand new ballet shoes a year ago I’d ever be in love with ballet the way I am today.
No, I don’t have perfect splits yet.
Yes, I still stumble over my own two feet.
No, I can’t dance en pointe yet.
Yes, it has been tough.
But it’s been worth it.
Ballet is tough, and although to an outsider it may seem like I haven’t improved much in a years time, I can tell I’ve come a long way. My pirouettes are almost there and my tendus don’t look nearly as sloppy as they used to. I’m improving. Slowly, but surely.
I’m hoping the next year brings more ballet classes. More ballet friends. More improvement.
More fun.
Although my future is uncertain–I graduate in May and don’t know where I’ll end up–although I hope to stay in Philadelphia because of all the wonderful things it offers (including a plethora of ballet classes)–wherever I end up, whatever I end up doing–I know it’ll include ballet.
How do you celebrate milestones in your training?
