Bored as Hell
“How I feel everyday I’m surrounded by the other ballet students…. my flexibility is going very well but the fact that these girls are just pulling it out from the get go XD THE BETRAYAL IS TOO MUCH TO BEAR“
This was a post from an adult dancer who was sharing his flexibility frustrations in his ballet class. 😞
Maybe you can relate if you’re struggling to meet the “ideal” flexible dancer image.
See my no holds barred response below.
My response:
Quite honestly. I’m bored as hell with all the flexibility hype (and other tricks of the trade). Now while I do work on my flexibility daily, it’s not my main goal (or one that I want my students to have).
Seeing these kinds of dancer’s pics or videos showing super flexibility or multiple pirouettes – while indeed impressive – makes me always ask, “Yeah, but can they dance?” Can they move and connect with the audience? Can they show emotion? Do they know how to move their body to express the music? Do they connect with other dancers onstage?
I may be impressed with a dancer’s technique and extentions for maybe 2 mins., but if they’ve got nothing else to give – no musicality, no dimensions, no connection and emotion, then you’ve lost me. I’m looking for the nearest exit door. I’d rather leave than have to sit thru a monotonous performance of someone’s high kicks and/or multiple turns. Tell me a story for f**k’s sake. Make me feel something.
The dance world has been too wrapped up in how high you can extend your leg than how beautifully you can present it. I would much rather see a beautifully extended leg at 45 or 90 degrees that has a quality of movement than one at 180 that has no beauty to it.
Keep working on your technique and flexibility, absolutely. It is a lifelong quest. But remember it’s not what makes you an artist. Or what keeps the audience in their seats.