BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The Freedom and Limitations of Dance

By: Elizaveta Istomina

he lights are blinding. There are hundreds of people watching you, but you can’t make out any of their faces. Your body is finally at its limit.

As with many other careers in sports, dance, although it might not be considered a sport, dance is a hard profession to get into. It is financially, physically, and mentally taxing. While your body is doing one thing, your brain is several steps ahead. The amount of practice that goes into one show is immense. Dancers train most of their lives, starting at a young age and retiring earlier than most others. For a profession in dance, you have to be prepared to perfect your movements for several hours a day, look at yourself in the mirror almost every second that you practice, and perform with the honed down skills you earned and be ready to put on a show no matter what is happening in the moment. Some career pathways in dance are easier to get into than others. “There’s a bunch of different pathways to go. They’re all very different as far as time commitments, expectations, and income. So it all kind of varies on that as well. So you kind of have to figure out where your passion is,” said Dianne Stoffel, the owner of a competitive dance studio in Buda, Texas. Going into different fields of dance would mean different responsibilities to take care of, but sometimes they can overlap too.

“You have to be really ded- icated,” said Kirsten Kemp, a former professional ballet dancer. “I think the most important thing is to have a professional attitude.” Vivien Farrell, a current professional dancer in the Ballet Austin Company, expressed her thoughts on the standards that go into having dance as a profession. Even though the two things that were said are different, they still portray the same kind of attitude and characteristics that you should have in dance.

Most professionals start training early in their lives, working hard to eventually compete on stage for the chance to win scholarships and awards. Like many of the kids that aspire to be professional dancers in their futures Vivien Farrell started dancing at a young age. In spite of the fact that she trained a lot growing up, she still managed to balance her dance and social life. When she grew up, she finally made her dream a reality. Vivien tried out for a ballet company and started performing. Some people might lose what they once had or even not understand why dance is something that people enjoy professionally. “It’s probably the freedom of expression,” said Vivien. “And since I was like a little kid, it was something I always dreamed of. So it feels like I’m still doing that super fun hobby, but now I’m getting paid as an adult.” For some, it is just something that makes them happy.

Kirsten Kemp, a former professional ballerina who currently works part-time as a ballet instructor at Balance

Dance Studios in Austin. As a person who used to do it full-time professionally, there are many things that could be reflected on.

A successful career in dance is something to be proud of, and that is exactly how Kirsten deal with a lot of people thinking that I wasn’t intelligent because I am an artist... You know, people have all sorts of misconceptions. But what I was most proud of or how I felt about it is that I was very proud that I knew what I wanted to do since I was little and I did it, and it’s so hard to make it.” While what the public sees more often is a performance on stage with costumes, makeup, and lights all ready, most of a dancer’s time is spent in rehearsals and technique classes. While many might not enjoy it that much in the beginning, they still come to enjoy their lives filled with learning dances and rehearsing them with others. felt about her time as a professional. “I was very proud, and I still am doing it part-time. I’m very proud of it, and some people don’t get it.” Kirsten said as well, “I did have to

“It’s hard on the body. In training, the schedule is extremely rigorous. Everything was extremely strict in my training.” explained Laura Osburn, a dance teacher and former professional ballerina. Dance is very taxing on the body, and some risks do come with that: “Everyone gets injured at one point, and most dancers, if you’ve been a professional for a few years, you’ve had at least one surgery.” Kirsten explained. Even though there is pain that goes into dance and more than just physical pain, there is also a reason why so many people stay in dance. “A lot of dancers struggle with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem because it’s very high stress, and it’s a very competitive field. Now at its best, if you have good support and if you really do have good mental health, it’s very joyful and amazing, and there’s a reason why we do it.” Kirsten commented, “And performing is so joyful. And for the most part, we stay in it because the joy outweighs the pain, but it’s very hard... It’s weird to be so strong but also to have used your body so much that you literally need new joints”. For a professional dancer their schedule can vary depending on their company but but what stays the same for most is that after a long day of training and working, they go home, and while they might be sore, they still enjoy what they do and come home to take care of their bodies so that they can continue to do it every day. Many people who are just starting off might get tired of aches and pains in the muscles, but for those who have done it for a long time, it isn’t so bad. “I used to dread going to work after having, like, an exhausting day. But now I’ve kind of trained myself. Now I just think about being able to try to stay very present and do the best I can for the next day,” said Vivien. “I try to, if I know I had a really rough day, I can tell I’m going to be sore or I’m already going to try to go to bed as early as possible to try to get my muscles to heal,” Vivien suggested for those who are still in the state of figuring out how to take care of their bodies after long practices. Another problem dancers often face is a lack of recognition, because of which, can lead to a multitude of personal complications. A dancer’s financial situation is a difficult one, depending on the dancer’s company and line of work in dance. Many strive to be at the top of the industry, to perform on big stages, and have many people watch them but not everyone can make it. While that is the reality, it’s not so bad when you do what you’ve always wanted to do your entire life.

“I think across the country it’s been just like the starving artist, like that stereotype you hear. There’s not a crazy amount of money in dance and ballet, especially since ballet is not necessarily a popular thing for young people to go to,” explained Vivien. When starting off, people will need the support of their families to make it work. Many would also need to do work outside of dance too. “It’s exhausting, and you don’t make a lot of money, but that does get better once you do have a more established contract. But that takes time, and you are still living around the poverty line wherever you are.” Kirsten explained. There are also fears and worries that pressure the minds of many dancers. Professionals work for a company and perform for the company, but they dance for themselves. Their dreams and goals outweigh their fears.

Not having control over all the things happening on stage is definitely scary and oftentimes worrisome, but when it’s over, it wouldn’t matter because it stays with you.

“When I was a student, sometimes I would blank on stage.

When you get really nervous and my mind would just go blank, and I forget where I am or what the steps are,” said Vivien, as well as following up with “These days I’m 26 now,and maybe once every few shows, it’ll happen. But now I’m able to snap out of it a little bit quicker. But it still scares the daylights out of me when it happens and I get lost on stage.” It gets better the longer you train and the more you focus on the things that are the most important.

Performing onstage is something many people are scared of, but for a dancer, it can be one of the most fulfilling moments in your life. “The moments where I would feel totally present on stage, and I would feel the energy coming through me of my passion for what I was doing, and I could feel that the smile that I had on my face was bringing a smile to other people’s faces.” Kirsten explained how she felt on stage. “It’s just those moments of, honestly, magic. Like, I can’t believe I’m right here, right now, on this stage. And the story that we’re telling feels so real that those are the moments that were my favorites.” said Kirsten. Those aspiring to be professionals in dance should keep an open mind and learn from the experiences of others. Strive for your dreams and remember why you do it, and if you’re ever thrown off your path to a professional career, keep going but keep an open mind. No one ever knows what it will be like when you reach it, but go out and experience it. Some are made for a professional life in dance while others are not, but that is not always a bad thing.