No one said it was going to be easy...
When you're a little girl, being a ballerina seems like a pretty easy job... Perform in pretty dresses, get flowers, receive standing ovations... what could go wrong? Well, let me tell you, actually pursuing a career in the arts- is no walk in the park. And I haven't even started my career - I'm still in college!
I watched a video a few weeks ago of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon talking about what it was like growing up in Eau Claire (our shared hometown). Something he said about being a musician really stuck with me though.. "Some days you don't like music. And I think that's the biggest thing that's proved to me that I love this, is that I continue to do it even though sometimes it feels like it's killing me."
This totally struck a chord! I was thinking about it for days afterward, and still am! Some days I HATE dance; like ready to quit, convinced that I was not made to be a dancer, actually in tears, HATE dance. But, I stick with it - because it's the days where I figure something out or have a really great class that make it all worthwhile.
I'm still unsure of where I want my dancing career to take me; there are so many options! I could be a teacher, a choreographer, a performer... the list goes on! And they all seem just as exciting and just as scary as the next. So, whenever I'm feeling down about my dancing "skillz," I just need to remember Justin Vernon's words of encouragement.. "do it, even though sometimes it feels like it's killing [you]"
