i HAVE to be a dancer!!!!?

Question

Well... a long story short.. im in luv wif dancing. I CAN NOT live without it, its my daily food i just cant go on without it. I really really want to make it as a proffesional dancer, more than anything in the world but, theres so much things that can get in the way of becoming a ballerina. DO you really have to have talent to be a ballerina? i was talking to my freind at dancing and shes a really talented dancer and she said that ballet isnt worth the hard work and pain and that talent isnt worth a thing. this made me really mad as i would seriously put a gun to my head in order to have just the tiniest bit of talent in dancing. I work my *** off everyday at the studio i am there everyday too and i never stop trying. some say that i wont ever be good enough, but i wont let them tell me that, they say that if i have to work that hard to just get a tiny bit better then its not worth it and i probably wont ever be good enough but the thing is, i could neva be happy if i stopped dancing?

Answer 1

Chantelle, I've said it before and I'll say it again: You ARE a dancer. It is very clear that you have the soul and spirit of a dancer. I think you're just stressing too much right now and that is why you've hit a plateau. Plateaus are very normal and so is having to work very hard for tiny bits of improvement. But your stress can be getting in the way of your progress.

Contrary to what your friend says, talent is extremely important in becoming a dancer, but so is having the right teachers. Have you had a chance to attend a summer intensive yet? I think you could use a change of scenery next summer and get out with some new teachers who might inspire you with different teaching techniques. Summer intensives have done wonders for my daughter's advancement, starting when she was 12 years old. (She's 20 now and still gets summer training with a different set of teachers than her year-round/ college program.)

Auditions for summer programs start right after New Years and continue past March. If nothing else, just participating in the auditions will give you an excellent idea of how you actually measure up with other dancers your age from across the country.

In the mean time, I'll also say again that dancing seven days a week on an on-going basis is not recommended for even professional dancers. Your body needs some time off each week to process what you've been learning. Please ease up and I think you might see some improvement in your dancing.

Answer 2

Positive thinking is 50% of the battle, so you have to believe in yourself. If you believe, then you have to follow your dreams, but know that it will take a lot of hard work, practice, pain, frustration, and time. You need to keep your weight down because your toes carry all your weight and it is a strain on your feet and ankles. If you are poised and carry yourself well and you love dancing, then it's probably in God's plan for you to be a ballarina. Just remember that practice, discipline and dedication are all contributors to being a good dancer. Nobody loves doing something that they are not good at, so if you love dancing, then you must be a good dancer. It's a gift from God so don't waste it. Follow your dreams and reach for the sky! "Break a Leg" (that's an old saying that means "dance your heart out and be the very best you can be"!) I'm rooting for you!

Answer 3

Don't let people who are just jealous get you down. It's hard...no one is gonna sugarcoat it. But the thing is...if you really love something it IS worth the pain and tears! I agree with you....if I had a chance to go pro....I'd give up ANYTHING! It sounds drastic but the truth is...I would and I think that you are the same....Ballet is hard...from the moment you put your tights on to when you are dancing on stage in front of thousands. My advice is keep working hard...you may not become the next Paloma but you can be the best YOU can be...Maybe you can dance locally at Christmas recitals or you can grow up to be a teacher and teach other starry-eyed girls. Good Luck and Keep Dancing!
Tina♥

Answer 4

There are obstacles on any path. Especially if you're striving to be really good not just average. If you think there are many things that can get on the way to becoming a dancer I can tell you that there are just as many obstacles if you want to become a scientist. Follow your passion. Don't listen to those who want to discourage you for one reason or another.

Working hard is actually a skill and a habit. You are improving slowly but surely and you know what it's like to work hard and you always do. Many kids who are considered talented don't learn to work hard at the beginning wich means they might drop out or fall behind later on when they actually have to work hard to improve.

Answer 5

If you wake up every morning, thinking about dancing... and every moment of your thoughts bring you back to it, you spend time perfecting your "craft"... then you are MEANT to be that. Nevermind what others think because everyone has an opinion. For example, you speak of talent and how much your friend has. BUT... she's not happy with what she's doing (or so it seems) so it may not be what SHE was meant to do. I find it unfortunate that your friend isn't more supportive of you in this. I think she may actually see you as COMPETITION (Sad, but true). Nevertheless, find out what you are meant to do, and I'm sure you'll be able to go straight from there.