"Dancing in the Dark" what does that even mean, you may ask? Well, for those of you who aren't wild about rock and roll, this is a reference to Bruce Springsteen's hit single of the same name. Although I do like to pretend I'm a rock star, unfortunately, I am not and probably never will be. I'm not even a musician despite my many desperate attempts at playing the classical guitar (see photo!). This won't stop me from dreaming though! No, this blog isn't about my life as a rock star, but I will get to that.
First, a little about me:
My name is Emily and I am fortunate enough to be able to call myself a dancer with the New York City Ballet, something very few people can do. Becoming a professional ballet dancer is arguably the most demanding of career paths one can choose. Starting from the age of 2, I dedicated the majority of my childhood and energy to making it into the dance world in some way. Although I had the never ending support of family and friends, which undoubtedly helped me figure out this crazy world, I felt at times that I would have benefited from being able to talk to someone who had been in my position before: a sort of big sister to tell me what's fact, what's fiction, what's really important and to inspire me when I felt discouraged. |
| Finding my inner Springsteen Photo Credit:David Perkins Photography |
That's what I want this blog to do. Although I am still quite young in this profession and have so much to learn before I can even begin to call myself an expert; I want to use my experiences to share what has worked for me and what I wish I had been told sooner. The dance world is extremely competitive and it's easy to feel as if you are all alone, dancing in the dark, unsure if what you're doing is beneficial at all. I want this blog to be a place for you, young dancers, to turn to for answers to some of those questions that seem taboo, for advice to help focus your training, and for motivation on days when you find the dance world particularly challenging.
To start off, here's something inspirational:
"Dancing in the Dark" was written in 1984 as a result of Bruce Springsteen being frustrated and uninspired. His label was pressuring him to write a hit song to complete his album "Born in the USA," and the pressure of needing a sure fire hit angered Springsteen, so he put it into the lyrics. Ironically, the song did become the hit single of the album and is still popular today. Here's a link to the song, in case you want to listen: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark
The point of my little anecdote is to show that even one of the most successful rock stars had to deal with the pressure to succeed and frustrations of his craft. We just cannot let this frustration stop us from moving forward and working harder the next day. His perseverance gave him the hit song he needed; who knows what yours will give you! So keep going!
That's all for now! Stay tuned for new posts every week!
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