On Dance

While my previous post seemed to display my dislike for dance itself, I would like to assure you that this is not the case. In fact, I enjoy dancing as much as I ever have. My glee at not having to dance yesterday was a result of a number of factors that currently affect me at the studio. First, my teachers, formerly kind and gentle people with intentions only of providing a fun atmosphere in which to dance solely for the joy of it have become so engrossed in their productions that they no longer care about us as dancers. I respect teachers that are strict, and believe that many benefit from them, but my teachers seem to take an approach somewhere halfway in between their previous ways and those of traditional Russian teachers, which happens to be a horrible mix. For example, on Saturday, one teacher commented to my friend that she "couldn't tell whether or not she was trying to make her dancing look bad, or if she just had bad technique," after which trying to redeem herself by declaring her fondness for our entire class. Personally, I think they should choose one side or the other. They could choose to focus less on our massive shows and instead revert to the warm and fuzzy environment of the past, or they could create a more strict, intense environment meant for the serious dancer. Either one would be perfectly fine with me, as I would become a far better dancer under strict conditions, while I would enjoy myself more under less strict ones. In addition to their failure to create a workable studio, my teachers have failed to notice the anger that has been developing since last year, when the girls chosen to play "Clara" in "The Nutcracker" were chosen again to play Cinderella in our production of "Cinderella." The same two girls have gotten the same parts in "The Nutcracker" and "Cinderella" again this year, which is ridiculous. If my teachers wanted to create a good, welcoming environment for us to dance in, they would have given us all equal chances at becoming the leads, no matter our height or ability, as our height can be dealt with and our ability can improve with attention. In addition, while the girls who have received the leads have been excellent dancers, they are neither the most talented nor the best actresses, which are both important parts to leading a ballet. I have received almost identical parts in every show I have been in, which I wouldn't mind if it was clear that the other girls were far better than me, or if my teachers had a stricter environment for us to work in. However, as neither of these are true, my frustration has grown to a point at which I'm not sure if I will be continuing with my dance education with my studio. As much as I would hate to abandon the studio that has gotten me this far, and to betray my first teacher, I am not sure how much more of this I can stand. And my mother agrees. So while I will continue dancing, somewhere, after Nutcracker season I will be seriously considering my dancing options. I truly appreciate your tolerance of my angry rant recorded here, and express my hope that you can do what you love without fear or unhappiness. Yes... And have a wonderful day!