In Balanchine’s Square Dance at City Ballet of San Diego
Debra of BalletWebb.com asked me to contribute to her impressive, daily newsletter on ballet technique. After getting an idea of her website’s focus I came up with this.
In my dance career that started at 18, I’ve made it to: Radio City, off-Broadway (in Yiddish, no less), beside Katy Perry, and in ballet companies.
I hope you find some inspiration in it!
Marvelous Monday Guest Post
Please welcome dancer James Monroe Števko as today's guest blogger:
When I came across BalletWebb, I found that Debra's use of imagery and poetry reminded me of a former teacher who had studied under a direct disciple of Cecchetti. Sometimes more subtle direction is a much better teacher than brute strength and force, that can throw us too heavily in one direction or another.
With all the poetry and imagery said, and as we go into a new year and a new decade, the one thing I felt I could contribute to BalletWebb is that, in the end, you just have to DANCE.
I started dancing in college at 18 after being a trumpet player with an emphasis in Music Education. I hadn't even grown up seeing dance, beside the poms team at my high school's sporting events. When I made the decision to change my major from music to dance, I knew I was racing against the clock to become marketable enough to get a job as a dancer at the late age of 18.
I had 3 years at this point.
Having been a musician I already knew that technique is only half (maybe less!) of what it means to be a performer.
As terrifying as it was, when I started auditioning, I knew I wasn't a fully formed dancer with perfect technique. While I did have some really great, natural assets I had to steal the show.
Is it scary? Yes.
Did I worry about what others in the room might think? Unfortunately yes.
Did I screw up? Also yes.
But did I do it anyway? YES
Because the great thing about acting (because dancing IS acting) is that there's no wrong answer!
You take your teacher's corrections, their most popular phrases, the one technical thing you haven't mastered that they won't let you forget, and in that moment, you toss is all out the window, take the leap outside your comfort and you have to DANCE.
James Monroe Števko
jmstevko.com
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Thank you James for a great post!
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