why i love ballet essay

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Translating Your Ballet Experience Into a Meaningful College Admissions Essay

If you’re hoping to major or minor in dance, crafting a stellar college application essay is an important part of that journey. But how can you write about your passion for ballet in a way that is meaningful to college admissions professionals—many of whom may not be dancers or artists themselves? First, recognize that “you are different in a good way,” says Brock Snyder, associate dean of high school academic programs at University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “As a trained dancer, you have a piece of the puzzle that a lot of high-schoolers don’t have. Applying to colleges is not the time to be modest.”

Here are some other tips to help you set your essay apart.  

1. Know Why the Essay Matters

Have you been honing your technique and artistry to prepare for dance department auditions? At some schools, you must be admitted to the college or university as a whole before you can audition to join the dance program or be considered for dance scholarships. That means that the essay, as part of your primary application package, carries a lot of weight.

How much weight, exactly? “It used to be that GPA mattered most, then test scores, and the essay would rank third or even fourth, after teacher recommendations,” says Snyder, who has been counseling prospective college students for 17 years, and high school dance students for 14 years. “Now, I’d say the essay is number two. That’s why it’s so important to put a lot of thought and care into it.”

“There are two main things we look for in an essay,” says Odessa Armstrong, an admissions counselor at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. “One: Can you write? The writing sample shows us if you’re ready to write at the college level. Two: Who are you, as a person? The other parts of your college application don’t tell us much about you. In the essay, you share in your own words who you are, and that helps us see if you’ll be a good fit in our community.”

2. Find the Right Story

In a college application essay, you’re aiming to tell a complete story in a relatively short word count. That said, “You have to dig deeper than ‘I started dancing when I was 6 and I remember my first pair of pointe shoes,’ ” says Snyder.

“A story has to have tension in it,” explains Perri Meeks, dean of the upper school at Brooklyn’s Poly Prep, which offers dance as part of its curriculum. Meeks previously worked in undergraduate admissions at Barnard College in New York City, as well as in graduate admissions at Columbia University’s Teachers College. “An essay that lists your resumé will never read as strongly as a more emotional or reflective piece. Why is ballet important to you? What are the values you’ve gotten from your practice of ballet? Have you developed certain skills, like discipline and focus? What friendships have you made? Was there a time you failed?”

Your essay could focus on something practical, like time management. You could talk about overcoming the odds to follow your dreams. You could discuss finding your way back to the stage after an injury or burnout. Or you could share what you learned from tackling a challenging role or entering a competition.

Whatever topic you choose, strive to include specific, rich details that are unique to your perspective and experience. “I love when writers can paint a picture,” Armstrong says. “Put me in that place, whether it’s the dance studio, a performance, or another setting. Use figurative language. Incorporate all of the senses. When I read an essay that is well-written and tells a story that captivates me, I’m excited.”

Put in the Work

At UNCSA, college essay prep starts the summer after junior year. “We encourage students to go on the common application and review the essay prompts, and then to go ahead and start outlining and drafting,” says Yasmine Bell, a guidance counselor for UNCSA’s high school academics program. Meeks recommends high school juniors and rising seniors jot down notes about what they did and how they felt. “Looking back a few months later, you can find common themes that might have a place in your essay,” she says. 

When you have a complete draft, it’s time to get feedback. Show it to your dance teacher, your English teacher, your guidance counselor, your parents—anyone you trust to be honest with you about what’s working and what’s not. Ask for comments on your themes and the story you’re telling, as well as on the grammar and general flow of the essay. Then, be prepared to revise…and revise again. (And again.) “It’s okay if the finished product is different than what you conceived at the beginning,” Meeks says. “Give yourself time to explore your ideas and to find the best way to express them.”

The goal is to send out something that only you could write. The essay should be about your dance journey, and it should feel like it’s written in your authentic voice. “Your passion, your discipline, your commitment to your art—that will all be transferable to whatever you choose to do in the future,” Snyder says. The college essay is only the beginning.

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What I Learned From Ballet

Editor ’s note: This essay originally appeared on the blog theajennda.com and is reprinted with the kind permission of the author.

By Taylor Gordon

Learning is endless. Learning is to improve. Learning is life.

You live. You learn. You love. You dance. You learn.

I’ll spare you the obvious: ballet dancers learn discipline, hard work, perfectionism, perseverance, physical fitness, competition, and so much more through serious training. But there’s more.

Ballet has taught me how to love deeply.

I am passionately in love with being onstage. It’s terrible. The can’t-eat-can’t-sleep-euphoric kind of love. When you find that love early in life it’s hard for much of anything else to stand up in comparison. And when it does, you fall in deep because that’s the only way you know how.

I don’t always feel that way about ballet itself.

When I was ten I was told I’d never be a ballet dancer because of my feet and turnout. Since then I’ve been fighting to create the same lines, the same technique, the same grace as those much more physically gifted around me.

Ballet has taught me to fake it ‘til you make it.

My Pilates and anatomy training has shown me that the hyper-extended legs I so desperately wanted aesthetically actually do help you to perform certain ballet exercises better. But with the patient guidance of a few amazing teachers I’ve figured out how to work with my body, my tool, to create art. Standing onstage at Lincoln Center’s Metropolitan Opera House in a tutu and pointe shoes pretty much proved the ten-year-old Taylor capable years later.

Ballet has taught me to be hungry.

Hungry for opportunity, for perfection, for attention. Only now am I starting to learn how to satisfy those cravings on my own. As dancers in a professional school, company, or show we are constantly trying to impress our director, compete for roles, jump a little higher. It’s the nature of our work. But I’ve found it very unhealthy to base your personal happiness on one other person’s opinion.

We’re trained to aspire to prima ballerina status with a major ballet company. If you don’t get a company contract by age 18 you’ve basically failed. What I’ve learned from experience freelancing is that there’s more than one track to what you want, if you work hard. We’re trained to aspire to prima ballerina status with a major ballet company. If you don’t get a company contract by age 18 you’ve basically failed. What I’ve learned from experience freelancing is that there’s more than one track to what you want, if you work hard.

Freelancing is difficult. There are times I’m not sure when I’ll get to be onstage next, and other times when I can’t squeeze all my rehearsals into a 24-hour day. But I am dancing and performing more than I would be had I taken an apprenticeship outside of New York at 18. The hunger pangs are still there (sometimes literally in this expensive city!), but I can sample so much more.

Ballet has taught me that illusion is everything.

Growing up at Boston Ballet, I was fortunate enough to dance in many of the company’s productions. Besides Nutcrackers galore, I was a peasant child in Giselle (my favorite ballet to this day). After my cameo in Act I they allowed us to watch the Willis from the wings each night. It was amazing to feel the whoosh of tutus go past on downstage left. One night the ballerina playing Myrta bourre ’d offstage next to me, veiled, porcelain white, ethereal – and let out a huge BURP as soon as she passed the prop table. I couldn’t believe it. Ballerinas don’t burp! How could she ruin my image of perfection? That was the moment I realized that ballet dancers are still just human beings.

I love playing with the music and timing of a phrase in class. It’s one of the freedoms I love most about dancing professionally, being able to make choices within the technique. But the right timing also can change your life. I’ve been cast for certain roles because I was in the right place at the right time. I’ve missed opportunities because of scheduling. Sometimes I wish I could invent one of those time traveling devices Hermione has to be in two places at once. But the truth is we can only live in the now.

Ballet has taught me how to find home anywhere.

The pops of knees at the first grande plie , the avoiding the cracks in the mirrors, the headache you get from a hairpin out of place – all of these are universal in any ballet studio across the world. Travel has become a big priority and source of enjoyment in my life the past few years. I’ve taken class with several companies in Europe and even when I don’t understand the language, an angry ballet mistress yelling at you to close your ribs is always the same. The U.S. national tour I’m currently on has taken me to the studios of companies out west. It’s comforting to find a community anyplace – Oklahoma, Madrid, New York City – with similar aspirations, challenges, and routines. Ballet has taught me to appreciate today.

Another universal notion is that ballet is painful. I’ve had surgery on my ankle and countless other aches. Sometimes just waking up in the morning and getting to the studio seems like the most daunting task in the world, never-mind making a fifth position. But the reality is that there may come a day where I cannot dance. I’ve learned to be so thankful for each day I’m able to do what I know and work toward an upcoming performance.

Someone once told me to “learn to love the daily-ness of dancing.” We can only be so lucky to have that love last a lifetime.

Taylor is also a freelance writer and received a BA in communication arts and Masters Degree in publishing by age 20. She has written for Dance Teacher , Pointe , Dancer Magazine , movmnt , M Life Magazine , Quick & Simple , ExploreDance.com , and has interned at publications including The New Yorker . She has taught Dance History for The School for Young Performers and Ballet 4 Adults Certification.

An American Council on Exercise Group Fitness Instructor certified in Pilates and the former New York City Ballet Workout, Taylor teaches regularly at Pilates on Fifth, Crunch, Synergy Fitness, Third Street Music School Settlement, and privately. She works as assistant director of the semiannual Performing in NY Showcases at The Ailey Citigroup Theater.

Taylor has been featured in The New York Times , Dance Spirit , Huffington Post , Vanity Fair Online , Answers4Dancers , Media Bistro , NBC News , and more. Read more here .

We accept submissions on topics relevant to the field: advocacy, artistic issues, arts policy, community building, development, employment, engagement, touring, and other topics that deal with the business of dance. We cannot publish criticism, single-company season announcements, and single-company or single artist profiles. Additionally, we welcome feedback on articles. If you have a topic that you would like to see addressed or feedback, please contact [email protected] .

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in guest posts do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Dance/USA.

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Dance Informa Magazine

15 Reasons We Love…Ballet

Ballet has been around for centuries, and all our teachers have always told us that it’s the “foundation of all other dance forms”. It’s beautiful, it gives us technique…why else do we love ballet?

#1. For how far the technique has developed.

Sometimes it’s difficult to believe the amazing things ballet dancers can do these days, compared to even a few decades ago. And we just keep getting stronger…

#2. For giving us true artists… 

Like Carlos Acosta, Darcey Bussell, Alessandra Ferri, Rudolf Nurevev, Gelsey Kirkland, Polina Semionova… The list goes on and on!

#3. For the pavlova.

Yes, it’s true, the iconic summer dessert was named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova – yum!

#4. For those times when it appears in popular culture.

Who doesn’t love spotting ballerinas in music videos and films?

#5. For teaching us about music.

Ballet definitely cultivates a love of classical music and an understanding of the structure of it.

#6. For being the starting point for other dance forms.

Like modern, contemporary, lyrical and neo-classical.

#7. For the incredible costumes.

Tutus, sequins, tulle, diamonds, feathers… What’s not to love?

New York City Ballet’s Emilie Gerrity in Balanchine’s ‘Raymonda Variations’. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

#8. For creating a deep connection.

There are some things you just don’t need to explain to your dance friends. And when you work in a company, you create a bond that can be closer to family.

#9. For the magic.

Helping create the illusion by being part of a show, or sitting in the audience and letting yourself be swept away, the theatre is pure magic, and ballet is the most beautiful form.

#10. For giving us the skills to pick up almost any other dance form with ease.

And most sports, for that matter!

#11. For pas de deux.

A well-choreographed and well-executed pas de deux is incredible to watch – and feels exquisite to do.

#12. For giving us poise and grace.

Who doesn’t love being told, “I can tell you are a dancer”? Thanks for the posture and grace, ballet!  

#13. For expression without words.

Sometimes, words just don’t do the trick. Dancing is the ultimate form of self-expression and doesn’t require you to explain yourself.

#14. For making us hard as nails and able to handle anything.

Pointe shoes, auditions, tricky steps… Ballet dancers may make it look easy, but we all know it’s anything but.

#15. For inspiring us since day one.

The lights, the costumes, the makeup, the music… Ballet feeds our inner child and reminds us what it’s like to be a little kid.

By Rain Francis of   Dance Informa.

Photo (top): Amanda Farris. Photography by Richard Calmes.

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319 Dance Essay Topics & Research Questions on Hip Hop, Ballet, & More

Dancing is a universal form of expression and movement. It has been an integral part of human culture for centuries. From traditional cultural dances to contemporary urban dance styles, this art form transcends language barriers and brings people together.

But dancing is not just about entertainment. It is significant in various aspects of society, from its role in expressing emotions to its impact on mental health.

In this article, our expert team delves into the diverse world of dance. Below, you’ll find interesting dance topics to write about and explore the cultural, social, emotional, and physical dimensions of dance. Read till the end to find a writing guide with examples.

🔝 Top 10 Dance Essay Topics

✏️ dancing essays: writing prompts, 🎓 dance essay titles, 💃🏻 argumentative essay topics about dance, 🕺🏾 hip hop research paper topics, 🔎 dance research paper topics, 📜 dance history research paper topics, 🩰 ballet research topics, ❓ dance research questions, ✍️ dance essay: writing guide, 🔗 references.

• Cultural significance of dance.
• Mental health benefits of dancing.
• Gender roles in dance.
• Dance as nonverbal communication.
• Technological innovations in dance.
• Social impact of dance activism.
• Dance education in schools.
• Emotional expression in dance.
• Dance and cultural identity.
• Politics of dance movements.

Why I Love Dance: Essay Prompt

Are you passionate about dance and want to write about it? Consider including the following points in your essay:

• Explain your deep-rooted passion for dance. Reflect on how dance has influenced your life, shaped your identity, and impacted your personal growth.
• Describe the specific styles or dance genres you are passionate about and explain why they hold a special place in your heart. Share experiences that have strengthened your love for dance, such as memorable performances, challenges , or inspirational moments.
• Discuss how dance has enriched your life and contributed to your overall well-being. Convey your dedication to dance and the importance of this art form in your life.

What Does Dance Mean to You: Essay Prompt

This essay is your chance to reflect on the place of dance in your life. Here are some ideas to include in your paper:

• Express your understanding and connection to dance. Describe what dance means to you on a deeply personal and emotional level. Share your unique perspective on the effects of dance on your life choices and identity.
• Discuss how dance has impacted your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Write about its contribution to your personal growth and development. Describe the emotions and sensations you experience while dancing and how they enrich your life. Discuss any memorable dance experiences, performances, or interactions with fellow dancers that impressed you.
• Depict your passion and appreciation for dance. Articulate the role of dancing in your life. Consider how dance has allowed you to express yourself , connect with others, and navigate life.

Hip Hop Essay Prompt

Are you a fan of hip-hop dance? Then you might enjoy writing an essay about it! Consider the points below to cover in your paper:

• Explore the art and culture of hip-hop. Discuss the origins and evolution of hip-hop dance, including its roots in African, Caribbean, and African-American dance traditions. Study the key elements of hip-hop dance, including its unique style, movement vocabulary, and musicality.
• Discuss the impact of hip-hop dance on popular culture , including its influence on music videos, films, fashion, and the entertainment industry. Analyze the social and cultural significance of hip-hop dance, including its role as a form of self-expression, community-building, and activism . Discuss the diversity and inclusion within hip-hop dance, including its ability to bring people of different backgrounds together.
• Describe any personal experiences or connections with hip-hop dance , and discuss how it has influenced your understanding of dance and culture. Convey your appreciation for hip-hop dance’s artistry, creativity, and cultural relevance. Provide insights into this dynamic and influential dance form.

Why Dance Is a Sport: Essay Prompt

There’s been a long-lasting debate about whether dance should be considered an art or a sport. You can present your opinion on this issue in your essay. Here is a prompt to guide you:

• Study the arguments on both sides of the debate and articulate your stance. Discuss the physical demands of dance, including athleticism, strength, and endurance. Compare them to the criteria used to define sports.
• Explore the competitive nature of dance , including competitions, rankings, and performance expectations . Discuss the training, dedication, and discipline required for dance and compare them to other recognized sports.
• Examine the artistic and creative elements of dance and how they may differentiate dance from traditional sports. Discuss any challenges or controversies surrounding the classification of dance as a sport. It might be the lack of standardized rules, funding, and recognition.
• Consider the cultural, historical, and societal factors influencing perceptions of dance as a sport. Present your argument supported by evidence and examples. Provide a nuanced perspective on this complex and debated topic.

Below, you’ll find plenty of ideas for a college essay about dance. Read on to find a suitable topic for your paper!

Modern Dance Essay: Topics

Modern dance significantly differs from traditional dance forms like ballet. Nowadays, dancers prioritize emotional expression instead of following rigid rules. Here are some interesting dance titles & ideas for your essay on modern styles:

• The diversity of contemporary dance styles.
• Psychological determinants of choosing a particular dance style.
• Creative Movement and Dance in My School.
• Sociopolitical concerns through the prism of dance.
• Modern dance as a form of protest against classical dance.
• Modern Black dance: race in motion.
• Significant people who contributed to the modernization of dance.
• Features of post-modern dance.
• Art Therapy: Creativity as a Critical Part of Art Therapy.
• The new American dance forms.
• Modern dance in the US vs. Europe: differences and similarities.
• Injuries in modern dance: career options for dancers.
• The concepts of modernity, race, and nation in the early modern dance forms.
• Oxygen uptake during a modern dance class.
• Physical Therapy Services for Sports Injuries.
• Socio-demographic correlates of modern dance genre preferences.
• Indian modern dance and feminism.
• Self-expression in modern dance.
• National and transnational modern dance.
• Principles of modern dance therapy.
• Regular engagement in modern dance and depression treatment.
• Modern dance pioneers who revolutionized this art: a case of Lester Horton.
• Incorporating Physical Activity into Lesson Plans.
• Mood changes of people attending dance classes.
• Modern dance classes: can one learn to dance online?
• Evolving gay stereotypes in modern dance.
• Dance as a reflection of culture.
• Depression and Physical Exercise.
• German modern dance during the Nazi rule.
• Body image and modern dance engagement.
• Eating disorders in professional modern dancers.
• Significant elements of modern dance.
• Dance as a hobby and professional activity.
• Art Education, Its Role and Benefits.
• Examples of popular modern dance styles.
• Controversial dance practices.
• Is folk dance considered modern dance?
• Does modern dance come with serious choreography similar to classical dance?
• Class and ethnicity reflected in dance.
• Physical Activity and Sports Team Participation.
• Modern dance in France.
• The transformative power of flamenco dancing.

Dance Critique Essay: Topics

A dance critique essay requires you to evaluate carefully a particular dance performance or a specific aspect of this art form. Check out some dance titles for an essay to inspire your critical response :

• Degradation of dance quality in the 21st century.
• Passion versus physical characteristics in dance performance.
• Racism and gender discrimination at the dance competitions.
• Gender inequality in professional dance.
• Subway dance – a subculture or simply a weird place for practice?
• Dancing and Its Effects on Self-Esteem .
• How did industrialization contribute to the departure from classical dance?
• The rise of burlesque as a rebellion against ballet.
• The Role of Music and Movement in Education.
• The ideology and importance of radical dance.
• The Wigman technique of dance.
• José Limón’s contribution to contemporary dance.
• The place and influence of the American Dance Festival in modern American dance traditions.
• Art, Music, and Dance in Therapeutic Treatment .
• Combination of choreography and multimedia in Alwin Nikolais’s works.
• The flaws and loopholes of early modern dance.
• Popularization of African American dance across the world.
• Ballet elements in contemporary dance.
• The Importance of Arts in the School Curriculum .
• The contribution of Grete Wiesenthal to modern dance development.
• What place does concert dance occupy in the dance typology?
• Place of women in dance – now and then.
• Differences between modern and contemporary dance styles.
• Pole dance’s potential for inclusion in the Olympic Games list.

Dance Reflection Essay: Topic Ideas

Are you looking for thought-provoking dance topics to talk about in a reflection paper ? Check out the list below:

• What features and character traits should a good dance teacher possess?
• What does it mean to be a dance revolutionary?
• What did modern dance pioneers do to create new dance types?
• Should professional dance be taught in college?
• Sports Psychologist: Working With Athletes.
• The national dance of my country.
• My first experience in a dance class.
• My music preferences for dancing.
• Dances with Wolves Essay – Movie Analysis .
• Dancing as a personal form of relaxation and meditation.
• Why do some people prefer dancing alone at home and others need an audience?
• My favorite movie about dancing.
• Ballet as my passion and my greatest disappointment.
• My opinion of dancing as a profession.
• Music in the Service of Social Movements.
• Importance of dancing in my culture.
• What I think makes a good and bad dancer.
• My experience of participating in a dance contest.
• The role of dance in my family.
• My fascination with Indian dance.
• My dream is to become a hip-hop dancer.
• Benefits I see in regular dancing.
• The pros and cons of professional engagement in dance.

There are some controversial issues related to dance you can explore in your paper. Below, you’ll discover a list of dance topics to express your reasoned opinion about.

• Dance can be a tool for social change .
• How can culture be reflected through dance?
• Should College Athletes Be Paid?
• The impact of the environment on dance perception.
• The importance of dance styles and types for specific cultures.
• Dance as an intangible cultural heritage.
• Is dance a kind of sport?
• Sports-Related Problems and Conflicts .
• Why do people start to dance?
• Why is the audience attracted to dance performances?
• What is the motivation behind starting to dance at an early age?
• Why is contemporary dance more popular than classical dance today?
• The Cognitive Performance and Physical Activity Link.
• Are modern dance styles, like hip hop, easier than ballet dancing?
• Dance training is highly traumatic and shouldn’t be practiced at an early age.
• The risk of trauma and permanent injury among professional ballet dancers.
• Street dance is not serious dance.
• Exercise – The Mind and Body Connection.
• The impact of motivation and self-confidence on dance performance.
• Dancing positively affects the physical and cognitive health of aging adults.
• Dance is a tool against aging .
• Different dance styles and genres require different physical endurance and energy expenditure.
• Music Incorporation into Classes.
• Importance of choosing your dance style according to your BMI and bodily peculiarities.
• Partner dancing is healthier for motor control and coordination than solo dancing.
• Benefits of ballroom dancing.
• The economic effect of dance development.
• What is the hardest dance style?
• Cultural Appropriation in Music .
• Ghost dance as a religious movement.
• Electronic dance as a new subculture.
• Techniques of dancing to jazz music.
• Flamenco dance as a reflection of Spanish passion.
• Students’ Motivation and Satisfaction of Music Festival .
• Cultural significance of feminist dance films.
• The impact of proper nutrition on dance performance.
• The art of staging a dance performance.
• The social significance of street dance.
• Creative Art Therapy for Mental Illness.
• What does dance have to do with math?
• Belly dance as a recreational activity.
• Interpretative dance as a strong therapeutic tool.
• The use of dance therapy for individuals with Down syndrome.

Hip-hop dance is a popular street dance style that emerged in the second half of the 20th century. It encourages freedom of expression and is characterized by freestyle movements, particularly drops to the ground and sharp turns. If you seek to write a paper on hip-hop, here are catchy dance titles to inspire you:

• The role of dance in hip-hop culture.
• Chinese Hip Hop and Identity .
• Hip-hop dance and body power.
• Hip-hop as an African diaspora dance style.
• Meanings and messages in hip-hop dance.
• Genders, Sexuality, and Hip-Hop .
• Origins of hip-hop.
• Injury incidence in hip-hop training and performance.
• Commercialization of hip-hop dance.
• Core elements of hip-hop dancing.
• The Uprising of Hip-Hop: Music History .
• Hip-hop dance in modern ballet choreography.
• Low back pain in hip-hop dancers.
• B-boying in hip-hop.
• Motivations of hip-hop dancers for professional engagement with this dance style.
• The “breaks” concept in break dancing.
• The Evolution of Hip-Hop Culture .
• The roots of hip-hop choreography.
• Battling among hip-hop crews.
• Hip-hop scandals – sex and violence in hip-hop content.
• Theorizing hip-hop dance.
• Hip-Hop’s Response to Crime Analysis .
• Hip-hop dance consumption: who is the target audience?
• Globalization and hip-hop dancing.
• Principles of hip-hop dance codification.
• Hip-hop as a black social dance.
• Metaphors in hip-hop dance moves.
• Black feminism in hip-hop dance.
• Concepts of Elite Culture and Popular Culture .
• US Ebonics as the language of American hip-hop choreography.
• Extreme kinematics in hip-hop performances.
• What injuries are the most common among hip-hop dancers?
• Can hip-hop be a professional career?
• Basic rhythmic movements of hip-hop dance.
• Hip-hop practice’s impact on the dancer’s mood.
• Body poetics in hip-hop performances.
• Standards for judging hip-hop contests.
• Cultural Movement: Hip-Hop Related Films.
• Le hip hop – a French hip-hop subculture.
• The hip-hop culture in New York.
• Perceptions of race in the hip-hop community: white vs. black dancers.
• Hip-hop theater in London: a new level of dance style’s legitimization.

Do you want to learn more about dance? Then why not write a research paper on that? Below, you’ll discover a list of engaging dance topics to research.

• Novel approaches to dance: a blend with architecture at the Barnes Foundation’s exhibition.
• Dance from an anthropological perspective .
• Politics and poetics in dance.
• The biology of dance movements’ language.
• Teaching dance: should it be art or sport?
• Dance ethnology.
• Women in dance since antiquity : the images of sylphs and sirens.
• Philosophy of the dance: universal or nationally bound?
• What is a dance movement?
• Dancing and the brain.
• Psychology of dance.
• Dance as a mighty psychotherapeutic tool.
• Should national dance be included in the school curriculum?
• Living through psychological trauma in dance.
• The role of dance improvisations.
• Reform and revival of old dance styles.
• The role of space and subjectivity in dance.
• Shakespeare and the dance tradition of England.
• The social anthropology of dance performances.
• Theories and methodologies in dance research.
• A Eurocentric approach to the study of dance.
• Dance and the body.
• Dance as a method of self-study.
• Computer technology and dance.
• The evolution of Irish dance.
• The contribution of Merce Cunningham to modern dance.
• How does dance stimulate social fantasy?
• Partner dancing as a way to strengthen relationships in a couple.
• Verbal language of dancers and choreographers.
• The political side of national dancing.
• Dance and physics.
• The mind-body concept in dance.
• What can be regarded as contemporary dance?
• Dance imagery in various dance styles.
• What makes people dance? The philosophy of bodily movement.
• Dancing out one’s emotions: the dance of anger or happiness.
• The neural basis of human dance movements.
• Isadora Duncan’s revolutionary dance theory.
• The challenges of the interactive dance genre.
• Dance from the position of existential phenomenology.
• Dualism and body-soul separation: a dance perspective.
• Dance and embodiment.
• Dance and self: a philosophical perspective.
• Body as object vs. subject in dance.
• Freedom and intention in body movements during dance.
• Staged dance: the concept of created body.
• A tension between the personal and the universal in dance.
• Health benefits of recreational and professional dance.
• Japanese dance as an embodiment of culture.
• Turning body and identity into dance choreography.

The history of dance dates back millennia. So, there is so much to explore! Check out possible dance research project ideas for your history paper:

• Approaches to rethinking dance history.
• The elements of early European modern dance.
• Feminist perspectives on dance history.
• Dance at the dawn of history.
• History of somatic education and its relationship to dance.
• History of classic theatrical dancing.
• New media use in dance history reconstructions.
• The evolution of dance and sexuality relationship.
• Tools for capturing dance from the past.
• Dances in prehistory.
• Early records of dance performances in historical manuscripts.
• Ancient Greek dance traditions and forms.
• Dancing in Ancient Rome.
• Dance at court: the 16th-17th centuries in Europe.
• Evolution of dance from royal court to theater in the 18th century.
• The early dancing traditions in the 17th-century US.
• Dancing genres in Medieval Europe.
• The history of waltz: origin, evolution of dance elements, and traditions.
• How did the tango dance emerge?
• The emergence of belly dance.
• Flamenco dance history: a style born in Andalusia.
• Historical perspectives on dance research.
• The Ojibwa dance drum: history of the practice.
• Yoeme performs as a narrative of Yaqui history.
• The evolution of African American dance.
• The African roots of Latin American popular dance.
• Ethnographic elements of modern dance performances.
• The dance halls of Britain, 1918-1960.
• A historical overview of social dance.
• Global history of dance development.
• Dance in the French baroque opera.
• The history and meaning of tango dancing in Argentina.
• What materials to use when studying dance history?
• A cultural history of dance in the troubled areas: a case study of Palestine.
• The hidden history of capoeira: intersections of battle craft and dance.

Ballet is a highly formalized dance form with rigid rules and predefined positions. If you’re interested in this classical type of choreography, check out the dance research topics below:

• Is free dance a subtype of ballet?
• The evolution of ballet traditions by Isadora Duncan.
• Russo-American ballet at the start of the 20th century.
• Emerging American ballet: the 1930s onwards.
• Romantic and classical ballet traditions in the 19th century.
• Classical ballet in Russia.
• Classical ballet vs. modern dance: key similarities.
• Injuries in professional ballet.
• Static and functional balance in ballet dance.
• Ballet as a form of ethnic dance.
• The impact of ballet dance attire on female dancers’ self-perception.
• Endurance of pain among ballet dancers.
• The concept of the ideal ballet body.
• Methods of preventing hip and knee injuries in professional ballet.
• Physiological eligibility characteristics for classical ballet.
• Evolution of ballet dancer identity in the process of training.
• Incidence of sprained ankles in ballet dancers.
• Physiological responses to active ballet exercise among dancers of different ages.
• Importance of artistic performance ability in ballet dancers.
• Disordered eating patterns among ballet dancers.
• Management of stress fractures in ballet dancers.
• Ballet dancer career: an international perspective.
• Incidence of scoliosis in young ballet dancers.
• Travesty dancing in the 19th-century ballet tradition.
• Gender issues in ballet.
• The cultural power of ballet.
• Degenerative joint disease risks among female ballet trainees.
• Hip arthrosis as a long-term consequence of ballet training.
• History of the “Apollo’s Angels” ballet.
• Sleep quality in professional ballet dancers.
• Heteromasculinity images among male ballet dancers.
• Postural stability before and after a ballet injury.
• Dance classicism as an ideology.
• Royal Ballet’s dancers and body perception.
• How do professional ballet dancers perceive injury and aging?

Are you looking for research topics about dance in the form of questions? We’ve got you covered! Look through the list below to find good dance topics to research:

• How does dance education foster creativity in children?
• How do feminists view belly dance?
• What is the impact of technology on dance performances?
• How to preserve indigenous peoples’ traditional dance forms?
• How have traditional gender roles been challenged through dance?
• What creative strategies do choreographers employ?
• What is the impact of dance on community building?
• What factors contribute to the commercialization of dance?
• How does dance function as a means of storytelling?
• What is the link between dance and spirituality in different religions?
• What is the role of costumes and stage design in dance performances?
• What are the cognitive benefits of dance for older adults?
• How has ballet adapted to modern artistic movements?
• How has globalization affected the cross-cultural exchange of dance styles?
• What dance styles have been influenced by flamenco?

Do you need help writing an essay on dance? Below, we’ve prepared a short guide with examples. Read on to learn how to write each section of your dance essay.

Dance Essay Introduction

The introduction is the opening paragraph of an essay that should engage the readers. Use a hook to grab the readers’ interest and introduce your topic. It can be a catchy quote, interesting question, or controversial statement.

Hook example : Imagine a world where bodies move in perfect harmony, telling stories without words. That’s the magic of dance, an art form that transcends language and culture, captivating audiences for centuries.

After that, you can provide some background information about the subject. End your introduction with a thesis statement .

Thesis Statement about Dance

The thesis statement outlines the central argument or purpose of the essay. It is the last sentence of your introduction, summarizing the whole paper. Your thesis should include all the main points mentioned in your writing in the same sequence.

Dance thesis example : Dance is not only a form of artistic expression but also a means of communication, a tool for personal growth, and a reflection of cultural identity.

Essay about Dance: Body Paragraphs

The essay’s body contains paragraphs that provide evidence and support for the thesis statement. Each section should begin with a topic sentence that presents a point related to your central argument.

Topic sentence example : One significant aspect of dance is its ability to convey emotions and stories through movement.

Evidence, such as examples, facts, or research, should support the topic sentence. The evidence should be analyzed and explained to show how it supports the thesis statement.

Evidence example : In classical ballet, dancers’ graceful movements and facial expressions can portray a wide range of emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and anger.

Dancing Essay: Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part that summarizes the main points made in the essay’s body. It should also restate the thesis statement in a paraphrased form without introducing new information. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression and a sense of closure.

Conclusion example : In conclusion, dance is a powerful form of expression beyond mere movement. It is a universal language conveying emotions, facilitating personal growth, and reflecting cultural identity.

How to Describe Dancing: Words & Tips

When describing dancing in an essay, use vivid and sensory language to convey the experience. Words such as “graceful,” “rhythmic,” “expressive,” and “dynamic” can capture the movement and style of dancing.

Emotive words like “joy,” “passion,” “energy,” and “freedom” can convey the emotional impact of dancing. Describing the physical sensations of dancing can make the description more immersive. You can write about the feeling of one’s body in motion, the sound of feet tapping, the swish of skirts, or the rush of adrenaline.

Metaphors or similes, such as “floating like a butterfly,” can add depth and creativity. Overall, using vivid language that engages the senses and emotions will benefit your paper.

We hope you found a perfect essay topic in this article. Use our free online title generator to get even more creative topics about dance and writing inspiration.

• Dance 260: Introduction to Dance: Dance Topics | BYU Library
• Dance: Topics in Dance and Dance History | Utah Tech University Library
• Research Areas | UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts
• Dance | PBS Learning Media
• Dancing Styles | Boston University
• Dance 260: Introduction to Dance: Research Help | BYU Library
• Writing a Dance Critique | Utah Tech University Library
• Glossary for Dance | Connecticut’s Official State Website
• Guidelines For Writing a Dance Review | Human Kinetics

414 Proposal Essay Topics for Projects, Research, & Proposal Arguments

725 research proposal topics & title ideas in education, psychology, business, & more.

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Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

The French Comedians

Antoine Watteau

A Dance in the Country

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

The Rehearsal Onstage

Edgar Degas

The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer

The Ballet from "Robert le Diable"

The Dancing Class

The Dance Class

The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage

Dancers Practicing at the Barre

First Arabesque Penchée

Dressed Dancer at Rest, Hands Behind Her Back, Right Leg Forward (Second State)

Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot (Fourth State)

Dancers in the Rehearsal Room with a Double Bass

Costume Study for Vaslav Nijinsky in the Role of Iksender in the Ballet "La Péri" (The Flower of Immortality), first performed in Paris, 1912

Jean Sorabella Independent Scholar

October 2004

Since noblemen and noblewomen were expected to appear dignified and effortless in all their movements, their dances demanded an upright carriage and majestic grace. Fast footwork, high jumps, and dizzying turns were the province of professional dancers, who gained increasing prominence in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Louis XIV instituted a school for dancers at the Académie Royale de Musique, founded June 28, 1669 (later called the Opéra), and here the vocabulary of the classic dance was established in terms still used today. Ballet technique, like other classical Baroque figurative arts, favored symmetry, dynamic balance, and the harmony of the entire body. Much choreography of the period was closely related to contemporary social dances, such as the minuet depicted by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo ( 1980.67 ). The costumes worn by dancers, like those worn by the players in a painting by Watteau ( 49.7.54 ), were based on court dress , with tight corsets for women and short skirts for men. As a result, female dancers’ movements were considerably restricted, and male dancers dominated the stage.

By this point, performances usually occurred on a stage with the audience seated in front; from this vantage point, the set design and dancers indeed looked like a moving painting framed by the proscenium. The close correlation between painting and ballet was noted by the influential theorist and teacher Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), who encouraged choreographers to study painting in order to compose effective stage tableaux. Like the theorists of Neoclassicism in other genres, he advocated natural expression over decorative aesthetics. His ballet Les Horaces , based on a tragic episode in Roman history, was first presented in Vienna in 1774 and later in Paris, where it may have inspired Jacques Louis David in his painting of the same theme, The Oath of the Horatii (Musée du Louvre, Paris). Antique sculpture, which many eighteenth-century artists sought to emulate, also informed ballet. In 1734, Marie Sallé (ca. 1707–1756) enchanted London audiences with her staging of the classic myth Pygmalion, in which she danced the role of a statue come to life.

The Romantic Ballet The rise of Romanticism in the early nineteenth century brought transformation and new prominence to ballet. The contemporary interest in fairy tales and ghost stories filled literature, the theater, and the opera with exotic locales , spellbound maidens, and weightless spirits suitable for enactment in ballet. A lasting trend was launched in the Paris staging of Meyerbeer’s opera Robert le Diable (1831), which featured a ballet set in a moonlit convent haunted by white-clad ghosts of nuns ( 29.100.552 ). The leading dancer was Marie Taglioni (1804–1884), whose performance made her an international sensation. Her seeming weightlessness and ethereal grace perfectly expressed an ideal of Romantic femininity, and this came to replace the earlier emphasis in ballet on masculine bravura and athleticism. While the status of the male dancer steadily declined, ballet itself gained unrivaled popularity. Ballet was considered necessary to any successful French opera of the period, and several self-contained ballets integrated fine music and subtle effects achieved by gaslight with inspired choreography and ravishing performances. Many of these ballets, such as La Sylphide (1832), Giselle (1841), and Coppélia (1870), had typical Romantic story lines, while some, like Pas de Quatre , choreographed by Jules Perrot (1810–1892) in 1845, was a plotless showcase for four of the most popular contemporary ballerinas in Paris. Pointe technique, which requires the performer to dance on the tips of her toes, was a hallmark of Romantic ballet, as was the layered gauze skirt known as the tutu.

The widespread appeal of ballet in the mid-nineteenth century made it a frequent subject for popular prints and caricatures, including some by Gustave Doré. By the 1880s, however, the inventive energy of the ballet establishment in Paris had declined along with its popularity, while the enthusiastic patronage of the czars of Russia made Saint Petersburg the new capital of the dance world. Here Marius Petipa (1818–1910) and Lev Ivanov (1834–1901) choreographed ballets to exquisite scores by Tchaikovsky and created three enduring favorites in The Sleeping Beauty (1890), The Nutcracker (1892), and Swan Lake (1895). Most of the dancers who performed in these ballets were graduates of the Imperial Ballet School, which was known for its strict adherence to classical technique. Petipa’s ballets adapt this language to portray dramatic situations, social and national dances, as well as Romantic themes that featured ensembles of Snowflakes and Swan Maidens.

Classic Dance and Modern Art Ballet is a deeply traditional art form, in which fixed steps, linked to each other in canonical ways, may be combined to create an infinite variety of dances. Lively choreography therefore demands inspired handling of the standard vocabulary, and proper performance requires disciplined training. In the late nineteenth century, academic ideals were actively rejected by artists in every genre, including dance. Ballet, however, survived the modernist movement. Its traditions, gently modified, have proved a continuing source of strength and invention.

In the twentieth century, the rigors of Russian training produced reform as well as renewal. The freedom and fire of the Ballets Russes astonished the West when Serge Diaghilev (1872–1929) brought his troupe to Paris in 1909 and every year thereafter until his death. His productions displayed to the world the integrated impact of a vigorous modernism expressed in the choreography of Michel Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, and George Balanchine, the music of Stravinsky, Poulenc, and Prokofiev, and the set and costume designs of Léon Bakst ( 22.226.1 ), Natalia Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Pablo Picasso , and Henri Matisse , among others. The impact of the Ballets Russes reverberated throughout the art world: Olga Khokhlova, one of the company’s dancers, married Picasso in 1917, and many artists, among them John Singer Sargent , Auguste Rodin , and Marc Chagall, attempted to capture the sinuous motion of Nijinsky, who was the epitome of the modern male dancer. The legacy of the Ballets Russes is still alive in the work of such companies as the New York City Ballet, founded by Balanchine in 1948.

The visual artist most closely associated with the ballet, however, is Edgar Degas (1834–1917), whose depictions of the dance seem to probe the very bases of the form. His large classroom scenes ( 1987.47.1 ; 29.100.184 ) juxtapose different types of movement, both natural and choreographed, and imply the transition between the two that dancers are continually making. In other representations, he fixes the transient poses of dancers stretching or practicing and captures the paraphernalia of the nineteenth-century practice room, including musical instruments , the barre fixed to the wall, and a watering can for moistening the floor ( 29.100.34 ; 29.100.127 ). Some of Degas’ works display particular poses in the ballet repertory, demonstrating his comprehension of technique ( 29.100.398 ); others probe the details and the consequences of the dancer’s life ( 29.100.370 ). Few of Degas’ works depict performances, although a notable series of pastels features a rehearsal on stage, in which dancers in costume execute their combinations around the ballet master who coaches them, while on the far right, two portly male observers sit artlessly in chairs ( 29.160.26 ; 29.100.39 ). Like the classroom pictures, these point out the contrast and the link between dancing and mere movement, but they also show Degas repeating and refining the same composition, very like a dancer practicing the same time-honored motion.

Sorabella, Jean. “The Ballet.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/balt/hd_balt.htm (October 2004)

Further Reading

Au, Susan. Ballet and Modern Dance . 2d ed. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2002.

Béhar, Pierre, and Helen Watanabe-O'Kelly. Spectaculum Europaeum: Theatre and Spectacle in Europe (1580–1750) . Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1999.

Cohen, Sarah R. Art, Dance, and the Body in French Culture of the Ancien Régime . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

De Vonyar, Jill, and Richard Kendall. Degas and the Dance . Exhibition catalogue. New York: Abrams, 2002.

Additional Essays by Jean Sorabella

• Sorabella, Jean. “ Pilgrimage in Medieval Europe .” (April 2011)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Portraiture in Renaissance and Baroque Europe .” (August 2007)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Venetian Color and Florentine Design .” (October 2002)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Art of the Roman Provinces, 1–500 A.D. .” (May 2010)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in Baroque and Later Art .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Nude in Western Art and Its Beginnings in Antiquity .” (January 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Monasticism in Western Medieval Europe .” (originally published October 2001, last revised March 2013)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Interior Design in England, 1600–1800 .” (October 2003)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Vikings (780–1100) .” (October 2002)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Painting the Life of Christ in Medieval and Renaissance Italy .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Birth and Infancy of Christ in Italian Painting .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Crucifixion and Passion of Christ in Italian Painting .” (June 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Carolingian Art .” (December 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Ottonian Art .” (September 2008)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ Baroque Rome .” (October 2003)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Opera .” (October 2004)
• Sorabella, Jean. “ The Grand Tour .” (October 2003)

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Why I Love To Dance (Essay Sample)

Dancing is the best medium to express yourself. It is deeply personal and it’s an expression of something within ourselves that is only shared through actions. Dancing is like taking a holistic approach towards life-long mental and emotional health. I love dancing because it’s more than just moving your body for fun and joy. It’s a way to relieve stress, break free, and enjoy life. Speaking about life lessons, mastering any style of dance takes hard work, determination, patience, and consistency to become better. In this essay, I will discuss why I love to dance and why everyone else should also dance.

Table of Contents

Why Do You Dance Essay – 700 Word Long Essay

Dancing holds a special place in my life. There’s just something about grooving to the beat that takes all my worries to go away in a jiffy. There’s just something magical about dancing that takes me out of this world and I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s the rhythm, the beat, the flighted body motions whatever it is I just love to dance. Whether onbeat or offbeat everyone loves to dance no matter their age, origin of birth, body size, or status. In this essay, we will discuss why we all love to Dance.

Since I was a little girl, I have always loved dancing because it fills my heart with joy. Dancing is a unique art that only requires passion. Dancing is my life and has changed my life in numerous ways. For me, it’s one of the amazing ways of exercising. One of the most obvious reasons why I dance is that it keeps me fit. Dancing like a pro in any style including breakdance, hip hop, ballet, jazz, etc is very hard to master. To become a better dancer people spend years on the dance floor and practice every day. To become an amazing dancer, a dance teacher has to teach this art to you for years. Dancing with fellow dancers is just a part of becoming good at this art. Generally, dance is just a freestyle movement of the body, but if you want to look good while dancing then it requires a lot of dance classes.

Dancing like a pro is harder than many people think. It leaves you sweating and tired but in the end, you feel great and refreshed. Dance also teaches us not to give up. It’s about practicing every day until you learn the right moves. Dancing is about hope, hope enables one to perfect his moves and perform better next time. I love dancing for several reasons; dancing makes me feel free, it helps me express myself, it also makes me forget my problems. On top of all these benefits, dancing improves our mental and emotional health . I sometimes join dance parties to have fun and enjoy the moment.

Dance promotes a healthy lifestyle and has many health benefits. Healthwise, dance helps in body sculpting, relieving stress, and increasing stamina. It also improves memory , mental and emotional health and improves the cardiovascular system.  Whenever I feel stressed or angry I dance away the pain to make me feel better. Speaking of benefits in social life, dancing makes me forget about my bad day at college. Through dancing, I have met some amazing friends in my social life. The best part of being a dancer is you will always meet people and share your experience. These are some of the reasons I love dancing and never want to stop dancing any time soon.

I dance because there is nothing that can engage me physically, emotionally, and socially like dancing. It’s a journey of growth that helps you understand the world from a different perspective. Dancing is the best way to spend my free time. Compared to other leisure activities, dancing helps me achieve more; it gives me hope, freedom, confidence and shapes me into a better person in many ways. I would not be who I am today without my passion for dancing.

In conclusion , dance may not be your thing or you might think that you are a bad dancer but even then you should just give it a try. You might not dance like Michael Jackson but it sure can help you get better emotionally, mentally, and healthwise. 

Why I Love Ballet Essay – 300 Word Short Essay on Why I  Love to Dance

There is no doubt that ballet dance is one of the most graceful and technical forms of dance. The good thing about this dance is that it’s universally known and also fit for all ages. I like all styles of dance but I just love ballet dance a lot more. This style is very hard to master because all the little things like footwork, balance, turns, timing, and flexibility all play their part in the outcome. In this essay, I will discuss why I love ballet dancing more than any other dance style.

People watching ballet dance in their spare time also start to recognize the dancer as a celebrity. Ballet dancing is just delightful to watch. Dance classes for this style of dance are very strict and difficult. When it comes to style, this type of dance makes the dancer go past his own expectations. However, you have to work hard to feel good about your moves when it comes to ballet dancing.

While I was learning ballet and mastering the technique to use my feet to skip, I just felt great. I felt like strengthening the coordination between my body and mind. Since I started dancing many years ago, I have found ballet as a medium of self-expression. I love dance because dance makes me cope with changing circumstances. I also gained a lot of self-confidence and made many friends, overall it has improved me as a person.

Ballet is equally beneficial for adults and kids. For kids, ballet is an after-school activity and it doesn’t only make them a ballerina. It helps them focus on balance, poise, coordination, and strength. It also helps them build amazing focus and a strong core. The physical benefits of ballet dance are so much that even football players do it to maintain fitness. Research has proved that doing ballet and mastering these skills increases neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity enhances comprehension, memory, and learning in people of all ages.

In conclusion , ballet dance just like other styles of dance is a way to express yourself. No matter what style of dance you like you just need to get out there and flap your wings in the air. If you ask me, I would recommend ballet 9 times out of 10. 

Like these sample essays about Why I Love To Dance? Reach out to Essay Basics to get a professionally written plagiarism-free custom essay on any topic in less than 3 hours’ time.

FAQ About Why I Love to Dance Essay

How to write a dancing essay for college.

To write about any dancing essay for college you should start by choosing your favorite dancing style. Just describe what it feels like and why you like that style in body and conclusion.

What Makes A Good Dance?

Becoming a good dancer is not easy. You need hard work, determination, and most importantly you have to be consistent about it.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/moderate-physical-activity-linked-increases-metabolism-across-brain-regions https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa022252 https://neuro.hms.harvard.edu/harvard-mahoney-neuroscience-institute/brain-newsletter/and-brain/dancing-and-brain https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/neuroplasticity

Ballet: Is It or Isn’t It?

Tackling the question of what defines ballet in the 21st century, this essay includes excerpts of works by August Bournonville, George Balanchine, William Forsythe, and Nacho Duato.

Introduction

We all know what we think ballet is. Codified technique. Series of steps. Classes around the world taught with the same words. A sense of verticality. Formal organization of the stage space. Does the name “ballet” matter? And even though we know it’s never been static, it has been a constant presence in western concert dance for literally centuries. Why is that? Ballet is ballet is ballet, right? A movement vocabulary stemming from social dances of the elite. So what does ballet mean in the 21 st century?

We know that the first ballet dancers were not professionals. In the 16 th and 17 th centuries, members of royal courts in France, Italy, and Russia were expected—because of their very position in society—to have erect carriage and precise movements. Their embodied grace and poise established a standard shouldered by ballet dancers for centuries to come. As early as the 18 th century, there was already a negotiation between technical virtuosity on the one hand and dramatic expressiveness on the other. In the early to mid-19 th century, ballet ideals in circulation were led primarily by French and Russian artists. Dancers all around western Europe shared training ideals and delighted audience members with their grace, their beauty, their virtuosity. As Sol Hurok, the great impresario, proclaimed, “Ballet is glamorous. It is technical and complex; an exacting science. It is also highly emotional, on the stage, behind the scenes, and often away from the theatre. Temperament is by no means confining to dancing artists.” Close Sol Hurok, The World of Ballet, 1955.

With such a long and glorious history and ongoing commitment to the form and technique of ballet, one can ask where is the place for innovation in ballet? By the twentieth century, innovation and traditionalism were in constant negotiation, with questions posed such as who choreographs? Can ballet’s vocabulary expand? Can the dancing change within ballet? What are the varieties of relationships of ballet with music?

These are not new questions. Dancers and choreographers and dance writers and balletomanes, as ballet enthusiasts are termed, have probably wondered about the continuing tradition of ballet for the entire history of ballet. Lincoln Kirstein, arts patron and co-founder of the New York City Ballet, wrote:

Ballet, or the exact science of traditional theatrical dancing survived the French Revolution of 1789, 1832, and 1848. Nor did the World War kill it. It persisted during the Paris Commune of 1871. Its development has been uninterrupted in Russia despite 1905 and 1917. If any form of Western art is thought to remain in moderate health, then ballet is just as healthy. Close Lincoln Kirstein, Dance: A Short History of Classic Theatrical Dancing. Princeton Book Company, 1969.

The first ballet performances at the Pillow took place in 1941, under the direction of Anton Dolin, highlighting the Age of Romantic Ballet.

And ever since those dancers did their first pliés and pirouettes, ballet has been a part of the dance festival at Jacob’s Pillow. Among the oldest extant ballet works performed at the Pillow have been those presented by the Royal Danish Ballet, in their first appearance in 1955 and as recently as 2018. (For more information about the rich decades-long relationship between the Royal Danish Ballet and Jacob’s Pillow, see the PillowNote by Scholar in Residence Erik Aschengreen on page 7 of the program below.)

When the company performed at the Pillow in 2007 as part of the 75 th anniversary celebration, Pillow scholar Suzanne Carbonneau and Director of Preservation Norton Owen came across a letter written by then-Pillow press agent Richard Pleasant to television host Ed Sullivan, describing the dancers. Pleasant wrote:  

The Danish style differs from all others that our stages have known, by the aerial brilliancy of both sexes, flashing beats, and other precision footwork in the air. And, like the animal kingdom, greater splendor to the males than to the females…the difference between the lion and the lioness. Close Ted Shawn/Jacob’s Pillow Correspondence Collection, Box 9

Viewing two clips from appearances by the Royal Danish Ballet performing 19 th century works choreographed by August Bournonville provides an opportunity to reflect on the persistence of a 19 th century ballet aesthetic. The first excerpt is from 1955 of Konservatoriet (1849); the second was recorded 63 years later, A Folk Tale (1854).

Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet

Konservatoriet

Royal Danish Ballet

A Folk Tale

Ballet/Balanchine

If the two Bournonville works offer an example of 19 th century ballet, how might it compare to a quintessentially 20 th century ballet? For so many balletomanes, dancers, and scholars, George Balanchine is American ballet tradition, despite being Russian-born and despite being a radical experimentalist as an artist. In 2017, Miami City Ballet performed Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante (1956), with music by Tchaikovsky. In Repertory in Review, a wonderful book about New York City Ballet, dance writer Nancy Reynolds explains that “ Allegro Brillante began as a last minute replacement for a cancelled work.” She says, “It offers a chance for virtuoso display, and is at the same time dancey and flowing…Dancers love to move and Allegro Brillante contains a satisfyingly large number of pure dance steps that follow one after another in a fluid outpouring. Balanchine himself remarked about the work, it “contains everything I know about the classical ballet—in thirteen minutes.”

Contemporary Ballet

With Balanchine’s works representing 20 th century neo-classical ballet, the next step on the continuum is contemporary ballet. But what does that even mean? Contemporary ballet has sometimes been more defined by what it’s not than what it is—it’s not classical ballet and it’s not modern dance. Arts scholar Carrie Gaiser Casey asks: “Now this question of labels and aesthetic rubrics is, some might argue, totally beside the point. As long as the performance offers compelling choreography and astounding dancing, who cares what we call it?” Close Maura Keefe, “Pushing the Boundaries of Ballet: ASFB Secures its Legacy in Contemporary Dance.” Twenty Years of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. www.aspensantafeballet.com/pdfs/program_books/16-17_program_book.pdf

In September 2014, then Editor-in-Chief of Dance Magazine Wendy Perron posed the question, “what exactly is contemporary ballet?” Close Wendy Perron, “What is Contemporary Ballet?” Dance Magazine September 2014 https://www.dancemagazine.com/what_exactly_is_contemporary_ballet-2306944842.html Five choreographers responded in those pages, with Perron summarizing that contemporary ballet is a “style that remains ambiguous.” Dance scholars Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel and Jill Nunes Jensen took up a similar question for a journal titled “Network of Pointes,” part of the Conversations Across the Field of Dance Studies in 2015. Close https://dancestudiesassociation.org/publications/conversations-across-the-filed-of-dance-studies/network-of-pointes

In contemporary ballet, the dancers’ understanding of and training in ballet is always apparent, but typically the choreography moves outside the crafting of codified steps. The balletic sensibility expands with a sense of investigation. Oftentimes there is a blending, with elements of modern dance and ballet exquisitely fused. For example, a movement phrase might combine balletic emphasis on line with modern dance’s weightedness. Unlike ballet in its most traditional sense, at times men and women share the same movement vocabulary. For example, bravura leaps done by everyone, and embedded into the choreography, rather than as showpieces.

Contemporary Ballet/Forsythe

Under the artistic direction of Glenn Edgerton, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has been a leading company for asking what contemporary ballet might look like. In their 2016 appearance at the Pillow, Hubbard Street performed William Forsythe’s N.N.N.N. as the first company other than Ballet Frankfurt to ever present this particular work . In an interview with Chicago Tonight , Forsythe was asked, “Why haven’t we seen it done stateside more often?” He replied,

First of all, you have to find a company that’s willing to take the time because it’s insanely complicated. It’s like learning a string quartet by heart and playing an instrument you’ve never played before. It’s really a mental challenge. And none of us—the people who know the piece—have had the time up until now. Once I gave up the company in Frankfurt, we all were free to stage the work and [Hubbard Street Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton] is the first director to give the work the amount of time we thought it needed. Close Chloe Riley, “Choreographer William Forsythe: Why He’s not the ‘Heir of Balanchine’” Artbeat: Inside the Arts Blog October 2, 2015 https://news.wttw.com/2015/10/02/choreographer-william-forsythe-why-he-s-not-heir-balanchine

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Forsythe was at the forefront of asking ballet dancers to collaborate in the making of his work. This kind of collaboration is common in the modern dance world, but radical for ballerinas who are trained to be so disciplined and uniform. (Ballet B.C. artistic director Emily Molnar was one of those ballerinas who trained with Forsythe. To read more about her, see Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive: Women in Dance essay on Emily Molnar .

Ballet BC performed Forsythe’s workwithinwork (1998) at Jacob’s Pillow in 2015 to Italian composer Luciano Berio’s “Duetti per Due Violini.” Berio remarked about this music:

It can happen that a violinist friend tells a composer, one night, that, other than those of Bartók, there are not enough violin duets today. And it can happen that the composer immediately sets himself to writing duets that night until dawn… and then more duets in moments of leisure, in different cities and hotels, between rehearsals, travelling, thinking of somebody, when looking for a present…they are not necessarily based on deep musical motivations, but rather connected by the fragile thread of daily occasions. Close http://www.lucianoberio.org/node/1371?237685848=1

Berio’s description, of duets written in moments of leisure, gives a sense of the episodic nature of Forsythe’s choreography. Duets and other kinds of pairings emerge and then dissipate, with dancers shifting between the line and form of ballet and the pedestrian. While the women are on pointe, which emphasizes the verticality and line familiar from ballet, they also have an expansive sense of their bodies. They expand in space, piercing and carving, reaching beyond their own spatial peripheries.

Ballet? Nacho Duato

At a PillowTalk in 2003, dancer turned choreographer Nacho Duato commented that no one can be made into a dancer—one is either born a dancer or not. He was decidedly born that way. However, he went on to elaborate, under the political leadership of Franco, there was no good place to study in his native Spain. So, at 16, he headed to London. As he explains, “I was told I was too old to start dancing and that I had no technique, no training…then I was told, you don’t know much about dance, but you have something special that makes me look at you all the time even if you do everything wrong.” Close PillowTalk: Nacho Duato , moderated by Maura Keefe July 23, 2003 Moving image 2137

I would argue that right from the beginning of his training as a dancer, this Spanish-born dancer turned choreographer was preparing for the world of contemporary ballet. He simultaneously studied classical ballet and modern dance techniques, at diverse places such as Maurice Béjart’s Mudra Center in Brussels and at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York. This kind of eclectic training served him well, landing him positions first with Sweden’s Cullberg Ballet and then in a long relationship with Jiří Kylián’s Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), where he flourished both as a dancer and a choreographer (he made more than a dozen works for NDT). Companies from around the globe have performed his works at Jacob’s Pillow, from the Martha Graham Dance Company to the Hong Kong Ballet, with four notable appearances of CND2, the second company of Compañía Nacional de Danza, both of which he served as artistic director.

See Hong Kong Ballet perform Castrati :

The Hong Kong Ballet

To successfully perform his works, Duato believes that dancers need to have extensive classical training as a foundation. However, once they start dancing his choreography, they have to “move in a unique way and to be aware of their bodies in a way different to that they learned from their classical ballet teachers.” Close PillowTalk: Nacho Duato , moderated by Maura Keefe July 23, 2003 Moving image 2137

In an exquisite essay on Duato during his directorship of CND, dance writer Delfin Colomé writes: “The attractive plunge of Spain into modernity, through its transition into democracy after the death in 1973 of the Dictator Franco, has mirrored concrete milestones in almost every social field. In dance, a very significant role has been played by Nacho Duato, who…has cooperated, firmly and decisively, to build up choreographic modernity in Spain.” Close Delfin Colomé, “A Company with its Own Identity.” https://issuu.com/cndanza/docs/libro_cnd_af_lowres

See CND2 perform Gnawa :

Compañía Nacional de Danza 2 (CND2)

Choreographic modernity means several different things in Duato’s works. It means innovation. It means fluid musicality in movement. It means making dances to music that resists Eurocentrism. It means valuing classical technique without being limited to it.

See CND2 perform Arenal :

Duato boldly asserted that the ballet’s classical vocabulary is “not fitted to the man of the 21 st century. And contemporary work has that possibility and freedom to really connect to the people of our time.”

Ultimately, whether one calls it ballet or resists expanding ballet’s definition matters less than seeing the dancers dance.

Further reading

To read about women choreographers and dancers who have had an impact on ballet, see essays on Wendy Whelan , Emily Molnar , Nina Ananiashivili , Lourdes Lopez , and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa in the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive: Women in Dance collection of essays.

PUBLISHED April 2019

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February 16, 2015

The Reasons Why We Dance

THE REASONS WHY WE DANCE

As a choreographer and writer (though I confess I am far more comfortable to claim the former than the latter), I get asked to share my opinion about a myriad of dance related topics from the practical: “How can dance help you get in shape?” “What is the best way to practice my footwork?” “What are the three most important partnering techniques I should learn?”

To the existential: “Is my dancing a projection of my self-image?” “How can dancing improve relationships?” “Can dancing help you overcome fear?”

All good questions with good answers to be certain, but today I want to answer, or at least try to answer, the question I get asked most often. The question I think matters most…

“WHY DO PEOPLE DANCE?”

That’s it. Simply, why? What is it about moving our bodies to a song we love that is so joyfully Pavlovian? Why do we watch videos, obsess over our reflection in the kitchen window, and yes, take lessons to perfect something that could easily be labeled as trivial? Why do we put ourselves through the physical fatigue and the occasional social awkwardness just to call ourselves dancers ? Why do we love it so?

There are the obvious answers. We dance for physical fitness . We dance for mental clarity. We dance for emotional stability, and other such pluses.

However, all these benefits could be attained by others means, though I confess I have yet to find a better alternative than a great cha cha to lift both one’s heart-rate and spirits. Still, we do not need to dance to acquire a sound mind and body. So, there must be more reasons why we do so. There must be something glorious about dancing that is more than just intangible; it must be almost imperceptible. We cannot seem to explain it, yet we all know it so well that we do not hesitate to tap our feet to a Gershwin melody or pulse with the percussion of a samba rhythm. So why do we dance?

Perhaps dance is the way we express ourselves when words are insufficient. The joy we feel over new found love, the determination we have in the face of great sorrow or adversity, the passionate fire of our youth and the peacefulness of our softer and more graceful years – maybe they are never expressed more fully than through a waltz, or a tango, or a jive. We all want to be understood, and if we could truly speak the words that describe our feelings, how deep and powerful they would surely be. But alas, those words never seem to come to us just right.

MAYBE DANCE IS SIMPLY A TRANSLATOR FOR THE HUMAN HEART.

Perhaps dance is the medium through which we show the world who we truly are and who we can be. All of us, if we are honest, believe deep down that we are not ordinary. We know ourselves to be wonderfully unique, with many layers of personality and talent woven in such a way that no one on earth could possibly have our same make-up. We know it. We just do not always know how to prove it.

MAYBE DANCE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY.

And perhaps dance is how we choose to remember, how we hold on to the past. It is how we relive the fun-filled days of our youth or the time we looked in their eyes and knew they were the one. It is our tribute to the heroes of yesterday who jitterbugged like carefree boys and girls, when tomorrow they would march as men and women to defend freedom’s cause. It is the chance to be a princess again, waiting for an out-stretched hand and the call to a romance that is graceful, true, and not as forgotten as the cynics say.  When we dance, we can remember them all a little better, feel the butterflies once again, and if only for a moment, return to the purest part of our lives when time was of no matter…for we were dancing.

Why do we dance? Every answer will be different, and that is as it should be. Perhaps the better question is, “Why would we not?”

David Thomas Moore is the Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer for Dance With Me USA. He is the also co-writer/choreographer for the stage show,  Sway: A Dance Trilogy.

—————————————————————————–

The best part is… literally anyone can do it. With the right teachers, it’s fun and easy to do. Literally the hardest part is taking that first step… to pick up the phone, to schedule a lesson, to walk inside a dance studio. Once you take those first steps, the steps on the ballroom are as easy as a breath of fresh air.

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS WHY YOU DANCE!

Share this article with a friend who you think could benefit from learning to dance! 

BY: Raphael Abel

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The reason why I love to dance is I’m in the middle of the biggest fight of my life. I have stage 4 bone cancer. Dancing is my escape from everything. It inspires me to keep fighting. I hurt slot, cry, but I can still move. My emotions show, I dance cause it keeps the fire in my life.

I dance to just about any type of music after waking up at 5 am, knowing I have a stressful 12 – 14 hour shift ahead of me, working as a RN. I tune to my favorite radio station in my bathroom and dance away while getting ready. This is what gives me energy, happiness, positiveness, good thoughts and a bit of an “adrenalin infusion”. My whole life, I had to have my music and dance. I lived without a TV, smartphone, computer for many years very, very happily!!!

The show DWTS inspired me to start dancing. I had just come through a bad break up and learning how to dance helped me re-gain confidence in myself. I am a 2nd grade teacher so it is also a great outlet and stress reliever. Within the first 3 months, dancing helped me lose 15 pounds!! Having a musical background also helps and I have learned not to just count the beats but to feel them. It has definitely helped my keyboard playing as u play in a worship band at my church. I have been ballroom dancing for 4 years now. I’ve done 3 showcases and 1 competition. My 2nd competition will be on 2/28/15, and I can’t wait!! I have so enjoyed the journey and encourage anyone else to try it. You will never regret it!! – Joy Rogers, NC

I dance because it makes me feel beautiful. I am a plus size tomboy and feel most beautiful when waltzing. I feel most feminine when doing the rhumba.

Dancing makes me happy!

I dance for the reasons mentioned but also because dancing gives me joy, confidence, strength, and a way to express the beauty of life.

well.. I dance to save myself. I took lessons for about 7 years and then stopped for 3. One day I knew that I needed to dance again.. to find myself again. Being over 50 is hard on a woman… I wanted to get my self confidence back. So I showed up one day for my first private lesson in a long long time and when asked I said I just need to dance again. During that first year.. I laughed, I cried, I was afraid and I messed up a lot… but one day.. one day I started to feel like a dancer. I felt more confident, I was certainly more fit (I lost 50 lbs) and I almost felt beautiful and sexy again. The longer I dance the more I will tell people dancing saved my life. It was a lifeline to feeling alive again.

i dance because I must! Dancing is my life preserver! To dance is to alive and happy, I am most happy when I am dancing. I love dancing in all its forms, but my heart has belonged to Ballroom since I was eleven years old watching the Arthur Murray Dance Party on Sunday afternoons in Chicago. I got a chance to go to the Studio for a live show and fell in love with the beautiful Waltzes and Foxtrots. I’ve wanted to dance ever since and was only able to begin taking lessons sixty (60) years later. I feel thirty years younger and I dance every chance I get!

I love to dance to keep myself in shape, for social life and for romance. Dance is a language, we tell in our movements, it is sensual, sexy and mental therapy! It keeps you young and keeps your aging bones moving so you do not need hip and knee replacements! Most of all, the energy on the dance floor is happy and addictive!

when I dance I feel like flying, free, nothing else exist in the world

If you had asked me this question 2 weeks ago I’d have said I dance to challenge myself. But after 3 lessons my outlook on dancining is so much more! Yes I am challenging myself and learning something new, but I am also learning so much about myself in the process. I’m doing things I never thought I could do, and really coming out of my shell mentally and socially. I was shocked at the amount of sheer joy I’ve found in dance after 3 lessons. It’s absolutely amazing!

I love to dance because it helps me to get great exercise relieve stress be more confident and just have fun fun fun

I forced myself to take dance lessons. Looking back, I had no rhythm, couldn’t always hear the beat, was way too self-conscious. I persevered and the moves and rhythms are in my blood now. I’m still very shy about performing in front of people. I will continue this journey for the good of mind, health and emotions. The greatest stress relief is dance.

It seems that all my favorite people are pondering the same question these days. While this isn’t ballroom, it is my other favorite form of dance – https://vimeo.com/119494981

I never knew I had the ability to dance. I was also an awkward child growing up so it was never something I gave much thought to. As I got older and grew more interested in the arts, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to capture a piece of the talent of the people that make me so very happy with their passion and talent for their art in dance. It is these people that alleviated the unfortunate anxiety I suffer every day. My curiosity eventually led me to acting on the journey of trying to become closer to this beautiful art. I had no idea of my ability or what more it could give to me. I joined Dance with me Soho in June 2014 and can safely I dance to become a better me. This beautiful hobby has given me the gift of serenity and 45 minutes of peace per lesson. I’m so grateful for the teachers and people I’ve met along the way.

I dance because after year’s of hating myself and thinking that I cant do anything good I remembered that one time I was happy it was when I was dancing and it was an amazing feeling because I loved what I did and I felt free and happy and I knew that I am good….so I started to dance again and you know what it still have the same effect ?

I loved David Moore’s essay on “Why Do We Dance?” His words made me ask myself the same thing. I know why I danced as a child and a teen. Out of pure unrestrained, unedited joy. I danced to stretch my spirit, to discover who I was and yes, to entertain. I have never feared an audience. If anything, a sea of strangers opens my heart easier than being face to face with a couple of strangers. Dancing for an audience, I felt completely in my skin and free to be my best self whether soaring in a musical or dancing the simplest solo. But life got in the way, I guess. A career. Obligations. Schedules. Years went by and other than the occasional wedding or reunion, my dancer stayed in the corner. Waiting. For decades. And though I found other ways to express myself, I don’t think I ever felt that true union of body, mind, spirit and that intangible emotional release of dancing. Until now. I signed onto Dance with Me Soho with a mission. I had been invited into a charity version of Dancing with the Stars and I said yes before even considering the idea that my old ballet, tap and Philly fast dancing didn’t mean I could ballroom dance. But the chance to dance again? I had to take the risk. I knew it in my soul. With just four months to go from zero to my dream of a mirror ball, I have devoted myself to learning like never before. I am in love with the studio, my wonderful partner Kosta, teachers Andrei and Taylor but really every one of the instructors, reception team and coaches who have come into my life. I step into the studio and it is magic. On one level, I dance because of the children I am raising money for in “Dancing for our Future Stars.” That goal takes me past every little ache or tired day. But I admit that on the deepest personal level, I am dancing for myself. I am feeling in my skin again, letting go of the corporate woman, the years gone by and embracing that open-hearted, over-the-top elation of becoming who I was meant to be. With dance, my body feels strong, my mind is clear (even if constantly trying to align every part!) and I cannot stop smiling because I am breathing in joy again. And dancing out love. That’s why I dance. And why I won’t stop again. Thanks for the privilege of being part of Dance with Me Soho.

I dance for love. It’s been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I never had a choice. CarolynCarolyn

Most of the reasons have already been said . My good friend & neighbor encouraged me to start ballroom dance class’s with her after a year since I had lost my son & husband. It was a severe trial . But I found that during my lesson, I had to totally focus on my lesson . So after a time I realized my mind was on the dance & I found I was not grieving during that time. So I continued. I really never wanted to tell my new friends that I have RA & have bilateral hip & knee replacements. I didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for me . Yes, sometimes I have to come home & get out the ice pack or heating pad but it is truly worth it . My Rhumatologist is for it 100 percent & even wrote out a script. She even came to my showcase when I did the tango with my instructor. I feel good when I dance & I am pain free. I also feel healthy & beautiful, especially when dressed for a dance recital. My dance instructor is very supportive. I am a s senior but feel very young when I dance. I especially love the waltz. so briefly I would say ballroom dance is good for the mind & body. I think it would be great for all of us that have expressed our opinion to be able to come together at least one time & have the opportunity to wear One of the beautiful gowns & dance with one of the pro’s . It would be a dream come true & I think it would encourage others to have the courage to take the first step.I think ballroom dancing would grow bigger them ever . Maybe we could all meet somewhere on common ground. For me, life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, It’s about dancing in the rain. Sincerely, Loretta. ?

I am 12 years old. I have danced with several pro dancers. There is no way i can explain how much i love dance. It puts a happy feeling inside me. When my friends tell me its crap, i scream and swear at them but I don’t know why. After reading this it made me realise, dance is my passion

Even on my crappiest days dance is always a good way to finish it off. Dance relieves my stress and hormonal rage;) when I’m out on the street or in school I would never do what I do in that studio. It’s crazy how when everyone is dancing I don’t feel the least bit insecure or worried. Before I started dancing I was a shy little girl who’d never take any risks just in case I mad a mistake. I’ve learnt now that every mistake you make is you getting better and that if you never made mistake you could never proceed to get better. I love taking classes because it not only helps me get better at dance(of course), but it also help with just the little simple things like having conversations with one other.

Fascinating, I don’t dance but my wife wishes I did. I’ve never understood why people describe dance as expressing emotion. Yet each of you describes dance in no other way. I don’t understand but it’s fascinating.

I’ve been dancing since I was 8 years old. I’m very passionate about it. I love the joy it brings to me. When I dance it’s like I’m free, no strings attached and when I’m on stage I feel empowered, determined and dedicated to what I do as a dancer. It helps me improve my skills and helps me develop new skill and techniques in dance. There are many different types of dances, some are, Modern, Hip-Hop, Ballet and many others like Jazz, Tap, etc. These are some of the reasons why I dance.

i love dance, because when i dance i feel myself be flying, i love life than, i can forget everything else and i just focus on it. it makes me relaxing and makes me happy. i like to take care of my body and i danced, it be maked my body healthy. i like see someone when they’re dance, i was pull on it, and i hope i can dance beautyfully like them. so i want learn dance, i try, i hope, i wish i will a dancer.

I dance because when I’m dancing I feel myself, free and alive. Because there’s no other better moment when I listen the music and i feel it throwing my veins making me move like the world is not looking at me.

best thing i read in a long time

I have been dancing all my life & love it. Since my husband/dancing partner died in 1997, I haven’t found a good dancing partner. I want to join Dance With Me so that I can dance again. The only problem is that I don’t have a way to get there. Maybe someday I will ?.

Dancing is my life! Because when I feel sad about something I am dancing or when I feel happy I am dancing to express myself. Even if when I just walk on the street, I step like I am dancing, or with the help of the music I am dancing in my mind. I do my own choreo in my mind as if I am at the stage.

It’s fun…especially when you have a group of friends to dance with.

Enriching encouraging article ,, keep it going! Loved it!

Private dance lessons?

I dance simply because I feel

the dance is only way that help me in life becaus i was have nathing no schoul no friends famille they hitt what im do but in dance i foaund my self and i can be in my life

I do like it when you said that dancing is a way to express the self when there are no words to describe or are not enough to show how they are feeling. Now I understand the reason why my friend has taken interest in dancing. He is a very emotional person. His feelings are always so deep that most of the time, there are no words to describe his mood. If this will help him, then I will be sure to support him.

I have been dancing my entire life. I hear music – I dance. I learned the cha cha when I was 6, the lindy at 7, I was tapping at 9, twisting at 11, dirty dancing as a teenager, doing the hustle In the 1970’s, dirty dancing again in the 80’. I taught both my sons how to dance. I met my 2nd husband dancing and we still dance together. There is.no better exercise, there no better way to lift your spirits.

That’s awesome! Never stop dancing! It really is an amazing activity!

Dancing makes my insides smile.

It was really nice when you explained that dancing is the medium through which the person expresses who they really are and what they can do. I guess I can agree that dancing proves how different we are considering how we have our own preferred dancing type. I prefer ballroom dance, by the way, because it seems more appealing and formal for me. That is the reason I am considering learning that instead of the modern dance.

“IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE ANYTHING BUT HAPPY WHEN YOU ARE DANCING”. – JOSE MANUEL DANIEL AVILA Y LARRAÑAGA DE HERRERA DE TAPIA.

Dance is a passion for me, especially when you dance with a group of friends.

I love dancing. It makes me feel good. I have loved dancing since I was very young. I am an Indian classical dancer and a dance teacher teaching contemporary dance to young children. It teaches them to be physically fit, overcomes their fear of performance, develops creative thinking and helps them to learn to work with others.

I dance because it makes me feel good and fresh. It enhances my mood. It also keeps us fits. These are the reasons why i dance.

Dancing means many good, and surprisingly bad things to me. Starting with the good, I dance because it helps me build confidence on and off the stage, it helps me stay active and build strength, and it helps me relieve stress. On the other hand for me dancing can help me fit in a little more in school, which no I do not dance to build “popularity” or just because other people do. I do it for myself.

I’m more interested in why some of us *don’t* feel the urge to dance. Myself for example; I love music of all kinds and also love to watch a good dancer, but feel no urge whatsoever to actually get up there and do it, the opposite of anything, the idea of actually dancing myself makes me cringe! And it’s not that I *can’t* dance and need to learn, or have no rhythm (a recent online test put me in the top 3% when it comes to sense of rhythm and timing), I just don’t dance, never have. It’s a real shame because people who do are clearly having such a great time.

That is great that we dance for physical fitness, mental clarity and emotional stability. Maybe that would be good to put my son into so he can dance and get those three things. Looking back it would’ve been great if my parents put me in dance classes, but I guess it isn’t too late!

I love to dance, but over the years I have developed fibromyalgia in my spine I have bulging disc in my neck C1 through C5 are a little bit compromised, I blew out both knees I have vertigo . Despite all this I still love to dance and would love to take lessons are y’all going to have studios in the Shreveport Bossier City Louisiana area? Dancing sets your soul free. It speaks when nothing else does.

we dance for it’s a vertical expression of a horizontal desire.

Dance takes all my cares away!

I am so proud of dance with me family keep up the good work I could not be anymore more that I am now I love ? you dance with me family

Can’t wait to get started !! I’ve danced my whole life, but now i want it to be my primary hobby. It is simply a blast in every way imaginable.

hiiiiiiiiiiii

Hi Alex, I Dance for a Mental, Emotional and Physical Release. Dancing gives me an outlet to free myself from any stress I might have or had at the time and makes me Happy and others when they watch me do my Free-Style Dance Moves! I am the King of Sr. Freestyle Dance without exaggeration. No one can move like me for my age. There might me on A handful of persons in the World that might come close but not better then me. I move very fast in any direction and can turn on a dime. My spins are very fast and spontaneous! I sound conceited but I am not. I am the Real Deal and for Real! I can Sing and Dance too. I am an overall Entertainer. I use to Dance Professionally back the late 1970’s and early 80’sbin Major Clubs like Studio 54, Regimes and The Playboy Club too. Now I do in for enjoyment. Thanks for the opportunity to verbally express myself. You are Terriffic! All the Best..Lunard aka-Lou Jaffe

Thanks for sharing this excellent blog. Keep blogging!!!

I dance because it’s what I love. I love getting out on the floor and losing myself in the music. Dance is my life, my everything. It’s all I have.

I totally agree when you said that dance can be used to show what you truly mean when words are not enough. That is actually the reason why I wanted to watch dance films too. It’s because I want to unwind that way since I have been really stressed at work due to the conflicts between schedule and bosses.

I think it’s a good idea for me to try dance classes for my wedding day if it would be the medium for me to express my feelings for my husband. Thanks for adding that it is how I will choose to remember the moments to come with my future husband. Since anyone can do it, I’m sure that I will be able to dance with him as well as long as we try.

I love to dance; I took ballroom classes for 4 years and it gave me purpose, good health, clean fun, a great set of friends, and happiness. I miss and love dancing. Jacqueline

Dancing is the only thing that helps me to prove myself ,show and express my feelings And it’s just a simple way of easing , getting relaxed slowly just moving your own body with ease on the beats and songs❤

My dad was Luis Kalaff! He brought Merengue to the USA., and he was also a composer. I loved dancing when I was a little kid. It has always brought me SO much joy. However, being in the South of Alabama and not being able to dance, has put a dampen on my life.

I always listen to latin music, and I dream of dancing always with my invisible partner! Thank you!

Taking lessons at Dance With Me has changed my life!

I dance because I use it to speak my mind sometimes. I dance when there is no pain. I dance because it makes me feel sexy. I don’t need perfection. I just like to move. I am very angry and saddened my husband NEVER wants to dance with me. I don’t know why and it breaks my heart and he doesn’t care.

When i dance us To relieve stress and feel free like a brid. Nothing thinking about about work and stop letting others put me but focusing on doing me.

I adore dancing. Moving my body to music frees me to express without constraint. Dancing connects me to the music in no other way. The sounds and vibrations of the voices and instruments move though my body and if exciting enough, inspire me to move more and freely. I would love to be in NYC dancing with you all. I am currently in Ashland Oregon. Just to know I think this website and the joy you convey about dance is such a service to the art and to me. Hoping one day to dance in your studio. Diana

Since I’m uncertain how to respond to a specific individual I’ll respond here. I hope that is acceptable. “JUDITH COHEN AUG 11, 2019 I dance because I use it to speak my mind sometimes. I dance when there is no pain. I dance because it makes me feel sexy. I don’t need perfection. I just like to move. I am very angry and saddened my husband NEVER wants to dance with me. I don’t know why and it breaks my heart and he doesn’t care.”

Judith, speaking as a non-dancing husband, I strongly doubt his reluctance to dance has anything to do with you. Some of us simply find dancing, at least dancing in front of anyone, to be very stressful. I don’t recall ever having fun at a dance. Therefore I don’t go. It confused me when my wife was angry I didn’t take her dancing. She thought I was somehow ashamed of her. I was surprised anyone would WANT to go dancing. It simply never occurred to me.

Good luck to you and your husband.

Love music love dancing!

I like how you mentioned dancing is a way we show the world who we truly are and who we can be. My daughter loves to dance and especially dance ballet. Thank you for the information. I will search for a ballet dance school and sign her up so she can keep doing what she loves.

Very well said and written

I like your post. It is very helpful and it is very valuable.

Superb article, really impressed with the writer of this blog post. The design of the website is really amazing. I have bookmarked this page so that i can check all your new posts. Thank you for sharing!

This is such a useful blog post! I’ve always wondered why people dance!

Thank you for sharing this information with us!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Vyshanvie also teaches Bharatnatyam in Hyderabad I am learning from her for more information visit http://www.vyshnavie.com/

Why ballet? No point to it but a challenge of form and figure. It does not do anything for me. For me , it’s the mind.

I dance to escape. To get lost in the music. I can create a fantasy with my moves and mind and forget the stresses of my day if only for a few minutes. Dancing makes me feel alive. I have yet to take a class, as I’m recovering from an injury. However, as soon as I’m physically able, I will sign up. I am starting a new life this year, starting over , moving forward and renewing old passions! Just dance !

Most often dance is my expression of inner joy. It is definitely the language of my heart and the vocabulary of my spirit. It is not a function of my brain for my mind is blissfully silent when I dance. It emanates from my soul, and I am so grateful for having had the opportunity to practice it all my life! My memory is not so good as I grow older, but my body “remembers” dances from 50 years ago. Its amazing.

i dance because it relaxes me

Dance is in my blood! I’ve been dancing since I was 6 years old. Wish I had had the opportunity to take ballroom dancing when I was younger but at least it came into my life in my later years. We no longer have a ballroom studio where I live and it’s very sad. Thank you for you online classes during this stay at home.

Alex, thank you for the most Spiritual part of my morning today. You’ve lifted my memories of my heart in these trying times. Whoever wrote this should write inspirational blogs every day. This was one of the most touching reads I’ve had in while. Bless all of you.

Dancing has always been a part of who I am. From childhood, I always felt that it was the one thing that made me feel good about myself. I didn’t take dance lessons until I was in college, and I just wish I had started sooner. Many years have passed and I hit a big milestone age this year. When Dancing with the Stars first aired, I fell in love with the show and wished I could take ballroom dance classes. That was always one of my bucket list dreams. Now that I’m at home, and discovered Dance with Me online, I am able to fulfill that bucket list dream! My background in dance has allowed me to learn the steps from professionals and feel good about myself again. Thank you so much for bringing this opportunity online and for giving me joy again! This is why I dance. It’s never too late!

Thank you for sharing that with us Kelly! Comments like this make us love to dance with you even more!

??Nako misll

Dancing is one of the greatest forms of expression. It captures the rhythm, the mood, but the style is individual. It is a major release of stress and provides exercise in each movement. I am at my best when I am dancing!!!!

Folks might laugh at me and think of me as a prude, but I dance because it allows me to experience intimacy. I struggle with building relationships and dancing allows me the experience of holding hands, locking eyes with someone, and an overall connection of being close to someone. I enjoy the Country dancing especially the Country 2-Step.

Great article, i was looking for this right approach, so thank you! Hope we can dance many more songs.

Hello, this is a fantastic post that demonstrates a fantastic approach to Dance. Overall, I enjoyed the blog and found the photos to be extremely entertaining. We are India’s Leading dance training Institute and we dance and teach dance because that is our dream and passsion.

I’ve danced most of my life. I started taking lessons at the Fred Astaire studios when my husband died many years ago. I have arthritis and regardless how I feel, somehow when I get on that dance floor I feel no pain.

I want to feel the love I had for dancing again ! This way I will re claim my passion for music playing with bodies

Dancing ?? ? is the artful expression of who I am in a spirit in connection and in relationship with another with similar magnitude … for myself, my partner, and for those that admire me and my partner …

I truly believe that dancing is another way of showing our emotions and expressing ourselves. Dancing helps the blood in your veins pump the positive vibration we all need to feel good about ourselves. Brings us happiness and passion in whatever we do in life. I haven’t started yet but I’m lookin forward to join. I do know how to move and dancing to the rhythm.

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Good Ballet Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Theater , Ballet , Stress , Career , Students , Life , Dance , Training

Words: 2250

Published: 02/21/2020

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Introduction

Ballet is arguably one of the most graceful and beautiful styles of dance. It is well known by many people across the world. The art of ballet started out as a kind of dance for the wealthiest families in history. This art was born at a time when Roman and Geek Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries started which revived interest in the arts and in human too. The term “ballet” comes from the Italian word “Balla” which simply means dance. Ballet is a deeply traditional form where fixed steps are in a canonical way linked to each other which can be combined to make an unbounded variety of dances (Guidetti 78). Just like football which is quite a demanding physical game, ballet is also a physically demanding activity though unlike football, the body is used as a form of expression. Ostensibly, ballet is meant to be elegant and graceful not physically demanding like football. The art and the grace of a ballet performance controvert all the physical strain that is associated with it. In ballet, there is a principle that is used of overload that consists of three variables in training; frequency, duration and intensity. In order to experience increases in the improvement of skill, performance and technique, these variables must be manipulated or increased. Characters in classical ballet normally perform on a proscenium stage which in most cases has spectacular scenery on the side of the stage. The art of ballet began as a fun dance for the well up individuals in the society and it has over the years evolved into a worldwide and elegant form of structured expressions In the face of it, ballet is basically a combination of music and dance to create an unspoken language in which dancers use their bodies and energy to tell a story in a beautiful that is catching.

Despite the beautiful outcome, ballerinas constantly battle with pressure and stress which greatly impacts them mentally, emotionally and physically. A ballerina’s life So many little girls envy and desire to become a ballerina, most of who have in one time in their lives have had clear images of themselves in Pointe shoes, pretty pink tutu and standing on stage looking stunning. The unseen part in a ballerina life is strenuous, full of commitment, dedication and stressful. Ballerinas go through a lot including injuries in order to perfect their skill. The life of a ballet dancer is exceedingly difficult; to start with, one needs to understand that their life is much different from the others, it is divided into four stages; the first is the pre-professional, the second is the established older professional and the last stage is the retired dancer. All these stages have unique training which advances with levels. Most ballet dancers start training early in their teenage years where they train for 2 to 4 hours 6 days a week, they follow this routine until they perfect their skills to start training for 3 to 5 hours 6 days a week as they perfect their skill (Zenic 14). Becoming a professional ballet dancer takes years of practice and training. Dancing is arguably one of the greatest passions full of dedication and commitment. It is a hard life being a ballerina. These dancers need to keep fit, swift and have blade thin limbs. Classical ballet is intended for a specific type of body, an aspect that most people including the audience do not see. Ballet instructors always insist ballerinas to keep fit and cut more weight so as to have the ideal structure that supports the dance and the moves. They often have to hit the gym, do several sit ups and have special diet including special tea. A majority of ballerinas especially those who are extremely dedicated work exceedingly hard. They starve themselves, take swim classes and join their colleagues at the gym all in the name of keeping fit. Staying focused is not an option for a ballerina; it is an obligation, an aspect that spectators have no second thought about. Most people immediately think that these dancers live in fairyland with no stress. There are enough divergence and conflict in the world as it is, the ballet’s whole concept is allowing people from different walks of life and the real fans to escape their normal routines and hassles for a few moments in order to get entertained. When ballerinas go on stage, their aim is to bring the audience with them to a whole new world. Though not a perfect world, but a free world where even in brokenness beauty found, in faith comes peace and in love you find freedom. In order to achieve all this, ballerinas dedicated to experience real change in life through learning a skill after another, staying grounded and remaining focused. Discipline is the core issue here. Some of the many obstacles faced by ballerinas include dancing on racked or hard floor, being injured, having jet-lag strange food, having a negative self-image, disappointments with casting, changing partners, costume issues, getting criticism among others.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders affect the vast majority of ballet dancers in today’s society. Ballet dancers are at greater risks of developing eating disorders majorly because of the fondness to conform to the stereotype of the ideal dancer. Ballet schools are having a weight-obsessed culture which has been adopted by ballet students as a way to be considered attractive. Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa, EDNOS and Binge Eating Disorders are the main types that are considered forms of eating disorders which could result in dangerous and life threatening consequences. Consequently, thinness-related learning experiences such as comparisons between peers, promotion of dieting, weighing and conducting tests especially in skin-fold could lead to certain expressions of various symptoms of eating disorders. Seemingly, ballerinas who have a high degree of perfectionism have varying perception of the rate at which the expectation of thinness is less perfected. Symptoms of depression can pretty much complicate the entire picture, for instance, dancers who score highly on the inventory of depression are much likely to perceive pressure regarding risking the development of eating disorders, their choices of food and appearance (Rinaldi 114). Almost all ballet dancers are continually working to improve their weight. They are always stressed by their teachers and instructors who insist on them to be thin enough. Seemingly, this issue is alarming because it stresses these ballerinas with weight loss programs lead them down to a road that they are not in a position to come back up. To a large extent, the risk of developing eating disorders depends to some degree on psychological and academic characteristics of ballet schools. Ballet schools have a role to play in preventing eating disorders by developing coherent policies that curb this menace. Among these policies could be, monitoring students’ stages of preoccupation with their shape, weight of food and also depressive symptoms that can easily assess perfection levels using questionnaires to determine the students' issues and ways in which they could be at risk.

Smoking with dancers particularly ballerinas have a long history. Sometimes ballerinas smoke as an alternative to eating. In a competitive world like dancing, ballerinas usually go extreme strengths to improve themselves. They place great importance on physical health, fitness and strength, and more to that, smoking leads to diminishing fitness, loss of strength and untoward health. Smoking still remains the number one preventable cause of death among ballerinas. It is a very unhealthy way of dieting as it results in anorexia and other disorders as well. There are many drawbacks of smoking for dancers which include; reduced athletic performance, increased risk of illness, greater risks of injury and slower healing time and premature facial wrinkling. Moreover, this predicament is entirely caused by the strenuous tasks done by ballerinas. Ballerinas go into smoking to get stimulated after being stressed in ballet schools. It is contended that the whole concept especially of time preference, the personal valuations of future and present consumptions would resolve this perceptible absurdity. If not obsessed, dancers passionate with their work although to a great extent, their careers are dimmed. Dancers should not trash their bodies but take good care of them. From an athletic standpoint, smoking is like dancing with a fifty pound of weight on their back. Smoking causes disturbance of the heart rhythm and causes chest pains when exercising and during physical activity. To a great extent, it impairs ballerinas’ ability to perform. Ballet dancers should have a good posture, therefore. Smoking causes the bone/spine disease and a lot more including damaging lungs.

Career, Stress

The journey to a prosperous career for ballerinas is an uphill task. Most of them have a hard time learning new moves and perfecting them. Majority of ballerinas are stressed most of time as they have an obligation to commit to their training and practice. Injuries, perfectionism and stress are the main causes of a strenuous life for ballerinas. Injuries for instance, can have profound negative consequences on the performance and health of ballerinas. Training and performance is also demanding and these dancers endure overuse injuries. Compared to other dancers, ballerinas are at great risk of getting injuries including stress fractures because the task itself is risky, engaging and stressful. In many instances, it has been found that perfectionism and stress are possible psychological correlates of injury in ballet. Ballet is hard and ballerinas are not assured of always getting what they want as there is always more to learn, practice and perfect. If being a ballerina is one’s long dream and it is the only thing they have, then it no doubt that stress is a part of them because there is always more they can learn. Even with the assistance of the best choreographers and teachers, there is always something new in store for their students. The moment a ballerina thinks they know it all, they automatically stop being a valuable asset. A ballerina never knows when their ballet career will suddenly vanish since they do not control who hires them, who like them and who doesn’t or the politics of being in school or company. The advice for ballerinas would be that they do not at any one time waste their talent and energy dwelling on uncertainties they have no control of. In addition to that, information for a ballerina is not true knowledge. In the real sense knowledge comes from experience and a ballerina has to experience performance firsthand to call them a professional dancer. Being a ballerina entails a lot more than what is easily seen. They have a long task of proving to their employers and tutors that they are indeed competent and that they don’t need them. Secondly, though repetition is good, doing same thing time and again expecting different results is insane. To a great extent, one could affirm that a career in ballet is engaging, challenging and stressful than any other. Remaining relevant in the game and learning new skills is hard nut to crack. Ballet is a career that demands the upmost maturity as early as young age so as to adopt the culture and learn new skills. It is not an easy road, perfection and expertise is of the essence in this demanding career.

Time consumer

Ballet is a career of its own state. Unlike other careers where can multitask or venture into something else, ballet is right the opposite of that. Although in several ways it just like other careers, it takes perseverance, hard work and determination for one to get where they want. It is the kind of career where one cannot quite balance their commitments to ballet and their social lives in school. Most ballerinas spend most of their time learning new skill, practicing in school or performing in events. In order to be a skillful ballerina, it would take you all your life which is not very good. There is a lot of commitment in it and at times parents, friends family and associates may not understand the deep commitment especially the deep dedication that prepares you for success (Speck 6). Moreover, ballerinas spend long days and nights practicing for events. This comes especially when they get to high school a time when their A game is on and they have nothing to chuck off. Most importantly, one can make a living as a professional ballerina since most of the time you support yourself practicing on a daily basis. Being a professional ballerina means that you definitely have to work harder than before: rehearsing, between classes and when performing. Ballet as a career is very engaging, you have to constantly practice, read about professional dancers, and look for YouTube videos and find dance blogs in order to perfect your skills. Personally, I was lucky enough to start ballet at the age of four. Although it is not very professional in our country I still would accredit its importance in guiding me in my career path. Taking the first step is normally the hardest, but through focusing on your main objective, finding qualified teachers and practicing enough, you can be certain that you will get good training. Ballet is a unique career like no other that demands attention, commitment and total dedication. It is more strenuous than seeking justice in an uncivilized nation. Despite its drawbacks, the skills learnt and developed through it can be coherent transferable skills which could be applied to any career path.

Works Cited

Guidetti, Laura, et al. "Energy cost and energy sources of a ballet dance exercise in female adolescents with different technical ability." European journal of applied physiology 103.3 (2008): 315-321. Rinaldi, Robin. Ballet. New York: Chelsea House, 2010. Internet resource. Speck, Scott, and Evelyn Cisneros. Ballet for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub, 2003. Internet resource. Zenic, Natasa, et al. "Comparative analysis of substance use in ballet, dance sport, and synchronized swimming." Med Probl Perform Art 25 (2010): 75-81.

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Dance Informa Magazine

10 Reasons to Take Ballet

#1. To understand your body better

No matter what your dance focus, you need to know your body. The structured, methodical approach of ballet training encourages you to learn about anatomy and your own strengths and weaknesses. This wisdom will stand you in good steed for other dance styles, sports and life in general.

#2. For excellent posture and grace

Ballet dancers are known for their graceful presence and fabulous posture. Even if you stopped doing ballet years ago you probably still get strangers asking if you’re a dancer – and who doesn’t like that? And grace isn’t just physical attribute – it is can also be a facet of your personality and demeanour.

#3. To build strong, lean muscles

Training correctly in ballet can help you develop lean, non-bulky muscles. You’ll develop strength which will stand you in good stead for other dance styles and sports, even if ballet isn’t your number one focus.

#4. To give you a good grounding in technique

Ballet technique is not exclusive, but forms the basis of other dance styles too, particularly jazz, lyrical and contemporary. When you break down movement, there is not a lot of technical difference between these vocabularies – the difference comes more in the quality and the stylistic elements.

#5. To give your other dance styles that extra polish

Yes, take ballet to help your ballet technique, but ballet can help with other dance forms, as well. Dancers who are classically trained always stand out from the crowd as looking extra polished, with super clean technique. Articulation of the feet and legs, placement of the hips and alignment of the spine are all things that ballet focuses heavily on and can carry through to your other dance styles, particularly contemporary and jazz.

#6. To understand traditional repertoire

Ballet has such a rich history, dating back to the 15 th  century courts of Italy. Technique and style has changed hugely over the years, however the artform itself is preserved through not only teachers passing on knowledge, but through the reproductions of traditional repertoire. From romantic ballets such as  Les Sylphides , to the quintessentially classical  Swan Lake , to the neo-classical masterworks of Balanchine, each piece of repertoire holds an important piece of the history of not only dance and art, but the world in general. Learning and appreciating some of this repertoire will add depth to your career as an artist, whatever your focus.

#7. To learn a little French

Pas de chat, en croix, battement frappé… ballet terminology is important not just in teaching you the names of the steps, but in understanding the quality of the movement, which will enrich your understanding and your performance. The bonus? You get to learn at least part of another language, which will come in handy more often than you might think.

#8. To better appreciate music and rhythm

It might appear that ballet music is all soft and mellow, but in fact it can be incredibly complex in terms of rhythm, structure and quality. A good background in ballet – and also the character element of traditional ballet training – will help you to better understand these elements of music and how to use them to enhance your dancing in any style.

#9. To do better in auditions

Ballet-trained dancers not only stand out technically in auditions, the fact is that many auditions will begin with a ballet barre. Even if it’s not a classical job you are going for, you may be cut straight away before you even get to show your strengths – so make sure you have at least a basic grounding in ballet technique.

#10. To be swept away

Yes, it’s hard work, and arguably the most difficult dance style to master, but ballet can also be the most magical. There’s a reason why the general public are so fascinated with the artform – it’s elite athletes doing the most incredible things and making them look effortless. Don’t weigh yourself down too much with the pursuit of perfection – sometimes you just need to allow yourself to be swept away in the beauty, the tradition and the romance of the movement and the music.

By Rain Francis of Dance Informa.

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RFK Jr. won't be able to remove himself from ballots in Michigan and Wisconsin

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be unable to remove himself from the ballots in the key swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin, election officials confirmed Tuesday, days after he ended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump.

Kennedy is on the ballot in Michigan as a candidate for the Natural Law Party , which nominated him at its convention this year. Cheri Hardmon, a spokesperson for the Michigan secretary of state's office, confirmed that "minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election."

In Wisconsin, the state election commission met Tuesday to certify ballot access for presidential and vice presidential candidates. Even though Kennedy asked to withdraw his nomination petition as an independent candidate, the commission voted to decline the request, according to an archived video of the proceedings published by WisconsinEye , a nonprofit public affairs network.

"The statute liter a lly sa ys , 'Any person who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot may not decline nomination. The name of that person shall appear upon the ballot except in case of death of the person,'" Ann Jacobs, the chair of the commission, told another commissioner struggling with the idea of keeping someone on the ballot who didn't want to move forward with his or her candidacy.

"You're giving me this touchy-feely: 'I feel like this shouldn't be the law.' The law in this case is crystal clear," she added. "I don't disagree with you — it's weird, but I don't see we have any discretion here."

In Nevada, however, a court ordered on Tuesday that Kennedy would not appear on the ballot in the fall. The ruling came as part of a lawsuit Kennedy filed while he was still an active candidate attempting to secure a spot on the ballot. But the court order shows the two sides agreed to drop the case.

In his speech Friday dropping out of the race and backing Trump, Kennedy said he would work to remove his name from ballots in states where he could play a spoiler role.

"In about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I'm going to remove my name, and I've already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me," Kennedy said.

"Our polling consistently showed by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats, with whom I disagree on the most existential issues," he added.

But Kennedy added that he wouldn't remove his name from ballots in "red" or "blue" states in the hope of giving his supporters a chance to vote for him without affecting the results of the election. Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, for instance, announced Monday that Kennedy would be placed on the ballot in the solidly Republican state.

It's unlikely Kennedy will draw significant numbers of votes in states where he remains on the ballot, as he's no longer actively campaigning and is supporting a different candidate. But his decision to drop out had been seen as a marginal boost to Trump, as he had been more likely to pull from voters who would choose Trump in a head-to-head matchup with Vice President Kamala Harris

Ben Kamisar is a national political reporter for NBC News

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Dungeons, Dragons and shoulder pads: Why I loved D&D as a closeted teen

Glen Weldon

As D&D turns 50, we remember the early days

Dungeons and Dragons game pieces, photographed in 1986. Joel Congdon/Getty Images hide caption

Dungeons & Dragons turns 50 this year. The tabletop role playing game (TTRPG) has gone through a slew of revised editions, expansions and hack ‘n’ slay imitators, weathered a Satanic panic or two, seen itself replaced in the hearts and minds of the nation’s nerds by games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon , only to experience a bold popular resurgence in recent years, thanks in no small part to so-called Actual Play TTRPG podcasts and web series like Critical Role , Dimension 20 and The Adventure Zone .

In other words: As a pop culture phenomenon, it’s been hacked, but it still slays.

I played my first game of D&D in 1978, just four years after its launch. I was 10 years old; it was summer. My friend down the street invited me over to his house, which usually meant forcing me to play catch with him in his backyard (read: He’d whip a baseball at my face, I’d flinch and let it bounce off me, I’d pick it up and toss it back so it landed in the grass 3 feet in front of him with a woeful thud; repeat until dinner time). On this occasion, to my surprise and delight, we sat on his screened-in porch as he took out what I have since learned was the box of rulebooks and polyhedral dice known as the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set .

I loved it from the jump, largely because everything about the game was so deeply indebted to my beloved Tolkien (Wizards! Halflings! Orcs! That titular dragon on the box cover, atop its pile of gold!). But it didn’t last; my neighbor started at a new school in the fall, and we lost touch.

I didn’t start playing my first real, sustained D&D campaign until three years later. My friend David wanted to try his hand at being a dungeon master and invited me and three other kids I didn’t know to form an adventuring party. When I arrived at that very first session in David’s bedroom, they’d already created their characters — a fighter, a thief and a ranger. They urged me to play as a cleric, who could hang back and heal them whenever they got beaten up. I liked the idea of staying out of the heat of battle and just being the guy who patched my friends up, earning their deep and abiding gratitude. Feeling needed, appreciated. It was tempting, I admit. But then destiny, in the form of my nascent queerness, intervened.

David invited me to look through a thin paperback D&D supplemental rulebook called The Rogues Gallery — page after page of ready-made characters I could choose from. I flipped through the clerics, but nothing grabbed me. But then, on page 12, just above the chart of a class of characters called Illusionists, I saw it. Him.

The Illusionist in question. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: The Rogues Gallery , by Brian Blume with Dave Cook and Jean Wells. 1980, TSR Games. hide caption

It was a pencil sketch by illustrator Jeff Dee. A tall, thin male figure stands facing the viewer. In his right hand he holds a staff, while his left is open, palm up. He holds his arms slightly away from his body, and sets his shoulders at a rakish tilt — the resulting stance is somewhere between that of an insouciant shrug and a hearty “ta-DAHHH!” He is surrounded by a thick fog — the spell he is presumably casting — out of which leer several monstrous faces.

I liked that. But what I loved , what moved me, what sealed the deal for my young, closeted, queer self, was his outfit.

Thigh boots, for one thing. I mean, what was I, made of stone ?

Plus, scandalously tight pants set off by a belt and dagger. And clinging to every ridge of his slim, muscular torso, a sleeveless tunic — a tank-top, basically — that still somehow managed to boast kicky shoulder pads.

This is the important bit, the part you must understand: I’m not just talking thin, epaulet-like shoulder bumps. No, these were dramatic, flared, Ming the Merciless meets Julia Sugarbaker shoulder pads .

The other stuff — the parted-down-the-middle blowout, the cheekbones, the diadem, the big chunky necklace? Icing on the cake. Superfluous. I’m self-aware enough to know that it was that tank top with shoulder pads that did it.

A puzzling match made in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom

“I want to be an Illusionist,” I said, firmly, which caused my fellow players to roll their eyes and mutter the first of what would turn out to be a sustained pattern of homophobic slurs in my general direction. I didn’t, and still don’t, care. I was fierce, and I was fabulous .

I fell hard for the game, then. I subscribed to Dragon magazine, and regularly pestered my mom to schlep me to Dragon’s Lair, in a sad strip mall just north of Wilmington, Del. , where I dutifully bought more rulebooks, more dice, more dungeon modules and a steady stream of lead miniatures that I painted very, very, very badly.

It wasn’t easy. Just as I was entering my heedless, full-bore devotion to the game, the Philly paper ran an article in its Sunday magazine which cited “experts” about the game’s purported Satanic roots. An article that, the following Sunday, caused the sweet, kindly pastor at our sleepy suburban Grove United Methodist Church to launch into what was (for him, anyway) a fire-and-brimstone sermon decrying the game. About the same time, novelist Rona Jaffe published Mazes & Monsters , an extended bout of literary hand-wringing over the game’s supposed deleterious effect on the youth of America, which was promptly made into a profoundly cheesy, absolute hoot-and-a-half of a TV movie starring a young Tom Hanks as a dude who suffers a psychotic break attributed to the game.

This article in the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine (July 26, 1981) came down generally positive on D&D, while devoting several column inches to psychologists fretting that players used it to escape reality, and to religious figures who warned that the game was a work of Satan. The cover alone may have been enough to fire up our pastor. Today , the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine/ via Newspapers.com hide caption

Over the handful of years I played D&D in earnest, back then, I had to talk my parents off the ledge every time some new magazine article or 60 Minutes segment came out spotlighting the entirely manufactured “controversy” around the game. It was exhausting. But I kept at it; I had to. I needed to.

Because there was this one time? When my friends and I were being rushed by a phalanx of orcs, and I cast an illusion of a deep pit on the ground in front of us, filled with bubbling acid and metal spikes, and the orcs failed their saving throws and believed they fell into said illusory pit, and impaled themselves on the illusory spikes, and dissolved in the illusory acid and thus died actual deaths?

That? That was cool. And, for just those few fleeting seconds, down there in the deepest, most tortured throes of my closeted, excruciatingly awkward puberty, so was I.

This piece also appeared in NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter.  Sign up for the newsletter  so you don't miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what's making us happy.

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on  Apple Podcasts  and  Spotify .

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10 reasons why i love ballet, it keeps me going..

For the past several years, I've been a dancer. A ballerina to be exact. I love dancing, though I still have room for improvement. There are days when I don't feel like dancing, but there are always things that bring me back to the dance studio. These are the ten things I love most about ballet.

1. Pointe Shoes (They are painful to wear, but worth it).

2. The fabulous costumes

3.The various steps

4. Stretching exercises

5. Testing strength, flexibility, and stamina

6. Performing and the rush of adrenaline

7. The crowds we perform in front of

8. Our ballet school praying before class

9. Our wonderful instructors

10. The ballet community

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25 beatles lyrics: your go-to guide for every situation, the best lines from the fab four.

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The End- Abbey Road, 1969

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Dear Prudence- The White Album, 1968

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

Because- Abbey Road, 1969

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

All You Need Is Love, 1967

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

We Can Work It Out- Rubber Soul, 1965

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Come Together- Abbey Road, 1969

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

I Wanna Hold Your Hand- Meet The Beatles!, 1964

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-1967

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Strawberry Fields Forever- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Rain- Paperback Writer "B" side, 1966

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

Here Comes The Sun- Abbey Road, 1969

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

Saw Her Standing There- Please Please Me, 1963

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

Michelle- Rubber Soul, 1965

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

Revolution- The Beatles, 1968

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Eleanor Rigby- Revolver, 1966

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

With A Little Help From My Friends- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Hey Jude, 1968

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

Yesterday- Help!, 1965

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

Let It Be- Let It Be, 1970

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all i got to give if you say you'll love me too. i may not have a lot to give but what i got i'll give to you. i don't care too much for money. money can't buy me love.

Can't Buy Me Love- A Hard Day's Night, 1964

All you need is love, love is all you need

All You Need Is Love- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird- The White Album, 1968

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

In My Life- Rubber Soul, 1965

While these are my 25 favorites, there are quite literally 1000s that could have been included. The Beatles' body of work is massive and there is something for everyone. If you have been living under a rock and haven't discovered the Fab Four, you have to get musically educated. Stream them on Spotify, find them on iTunes or even buy a CD or record (Yes, those still exist!). I would suggest starting with 1, which is a collection of most of their #1 songs, or the 1968 White Album. Give them chance and you'll never look back.

14 Invisible Activities: Unleash Your Inner Ghost!

Obviously the best superpower..

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

1. "Haunt" your friends.

Follow them into their house and cause a ruckus.

2. Sneak into movie theaters.

Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health , says science

Considering that the monthly cost of subscribing to a media-streaming service like Netflix is oft...

Free movies...what else to I have to say?

3. Sneak into the pantry and grab a snack without judgment.

Late night snacks all you want? Duh.

4. Reenact "Hollow Man" and play Kevin Bacon.

America's favorite son? And feel what it's like to be in a MTV Movie Award nominated film? Sign me up.

5. Wear a mask and pretend to be a floating head.

Just another way to spook your friends in case you wanted to.

6. Hold objects so they'll "float."

"Oh no! A floating jar of peanut butter."

7. Win every game of hide-and-seek.

Just stand out in the open and you'll win.

8. Eat some food as people will watch it disappear.

Even everyday activities can be funny.

9. Go around pantsing your friends.

Even pranks can be done; not everything can be good.

10. Not have perfect attendance.

You'll say here, but they won't see you...

11. Avoid anyone you don't want to see.

Whether it's an ex or someone you hate, just use your invisibility to slip out of the situation.

12. Avoid responsibilities.

Chores? Invisible. People asking about social life? Invisible. Family being rude? Boom, invisible.

13. Be an expert on ding-dong-ditch.

Never get caught and have the adrenaline rush? I'm down.

14. Brag about being invisible.

Be the envy of the town.

But don't, I repeat, don't go in a locker room. Don't be a pervert with your power. No one likes a Peeping Tom.

Good luck, folks.

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble .

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Dance — About Dance Passion as Important Part of My Life

About Dance Passion as Important Part of My Life

• Categories: Dance Recreation and Sports

About this sample

Words: 509 |

Updated: 16 November, 2023

Words: 509 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• Brown, A. (2012). The Art of Dance: Understanding the Mechanics and Power of Movement. Dance Journal, 36(2), 45-62.
• Chang, C. C., & Sun, H. H. (2018). The Influence of Dance Training on Physical Fitness and Psychological Well-being in Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Journal of School Health, 88(5), 371-383.
• England, M. E., & Solomon, M. (2017). Dance Movement Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of the Evidence. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(12), 3784-3797.
• Hanna, J. L. (2006). Dance, Gender, and Culture. Brolga: An Australian Journal about Dance, 24, 27-38.
• Kiefer, A. K., & Hoeger, W. W. (2007). Personal Benefits of Dancing among Older Adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 15(3), 280-295.
• Krasnow, D., Chatfield, S. J., Barr, S., & Qi, J. (2019). Dancing through Cancer: A mixed methods study of the subjective experiences of dancing for women with breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care, 28(1), e12979.
• Lederer, C., Opper, E., Richter, P., Wagner, H., & Harwood, M. (2018). Dance Therapy for Psychiatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1577.
• Payne, H., & Crane, K. (2019). Dance as Embodied Advocacy: Activating Social Change through Community Dance. Research in Dance Education, 20(3), 253-271.
• Scharoun, S. M., Reelick, M. F., & Van der Schans, C. P. (2018). Balance-Related Effects of Dance-Based Interventions in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 48(2), 397-409.
• Thomas, P. A., & Watt, J. (2013). Dancing for Health: A Holistic Perspective. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19(2), 99-102.

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7 reasons why dance makes you feel so good!

Ever wonder why dancers are so passionate about their art? Once you try it, you may find that you’ll be touting the benefits of dance to anyone who’ll listen! Here are six reasons why dance makes you feel so good.

It helps you relax. Dance can help solidify the mind-body connection. We all know that when we are stressed out, our bodies let us know… sometimes even before our minds are aware. By focusing on movement, practicing muscle isolation and especially by stretching, dance helps release physical tension. The controlled breath patterns that can accompany many stretches and exercises help to regulate breathing and slow the pulse. The body awareness that dance encourages helps participants relax on command which is key to reducing tension in areas like the shoulders and neck. This awareness will aid a dancer in maintaining good health and avoiding chronic illness.

It relieves stress. Dance is a mental break from the rest of your day. When a student enters dance class, they have to leave their troubles at the door. Dance requires intense focus and concentration on the physical. While doing a plie, a dancer is thinking about keeping her sternum lifted, using resistance to create the movement, rotating her legs open from the hip joints instead of the knees or feet, the position of her arm in relation to the movement, keeping the neck straight, the eyes focused front, letting the shoulders relax and so much more! There is little mental room for anything but the myriad of technique points to remember. By the end of class, the dancer has had an hour or more of uninterrupted focus. When a student steps back into reality, she has a new perspective on all of those troubles she left at the door on arrival. This mental space is one of the reasons I love ballet so much. It is truly “moving mediation”.

It releases endorphins... (Its exercise!). The great thing about dance is that something so enjoyable is actually also exercise. Anyone who has ever danced all night at a wedding knows that there is something about dance that just makes you feel great. It’s pretty impossible to dance and stay in a bad mood. That’s because dance is exercise and exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins react with receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain and increase positive self-image. That’s a great reason to dance!

It is creating art. Dance is first and foremost a performance art. Creativity and self-expression are imperative to nourish the human spirit. Music and dance are an integral part of the human experience, and this is reflected in every culture across the globe. To dance is to create with your body. It is self-expression in its purest form, understood by all regardless of language or past experience. Babies pull themselves up and dance to music before they can walk. Dance is a part of us. It is intuitive. And it just feels good.

It’s good for anxiety relief. Dance can be described as a release of pent up physical and mental energy. For this reason, professionals have found that dance therapy can be a very effective treatment for anxiety. Today’s children are coming of age in an environment that moves at a dizzying pace. When children need help to feel centered and in control, dance can provide that welcome release of energy and feeling of well-being. For those who have experienced trauma or PTSD, dance can provide a sense of being grounded and in control of one’s own body. That can be a huge step in the recovery process.

It helps you make friends with similar interests. It’s the classic advice… in order to meet people, join a class. Finding a dance class in your area can help you meet like-minded people who enjoy the same things you enjoy. For children, dance can be a place where social skills are practiced and perfected. Taking turns, waiting to speak, sharing and cooperative exercises are all part of a typical dance class. What a fun way to learn the social skills necessary for success in the future!

And speaking of fun… Dance is just plain fun! Kids who are required to sit at desks and repress their innate desire to move for seven or eight hours a day need to move at the end of it all. And when moving is actually encouraged, kids are ecstatic and find they are eager to learn. Dance is an amazing way to release pent up energy and feel great in the process!

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Full Transcript of Kamala Harris’s Democratic Convention Speech

The vice president’s remarks lasted roughly 35 minutes on the final night of the convention in Chicago.

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By The New York Times

• Aug. 23, 2024

This is a transcript of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Thursday night in which she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency.

OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug. For being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella, and happy anniversary, Dougie. I love you so very much.

To our president, Joe Biden. When I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill, and are forever thankful to you both.

And to Coach Tim Walz. You are going to be an incredible vice president. And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.

So, America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was, no doubt, unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys. So, my mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day, and especially right now. And I know she’s looking down smiling. I know that.

So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.

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