"Treat each class as if it were your first." -Suzanne Farrell-

It is this concept that I must master to truly begin "working" in ballet. Throughout my years as a dancer, ballet has never been my strong suit and instead of walking into a class with confidence and readiness, I'd hide in the background and obsess over the little things I did wrong in the previous class. I believe that working in ballet involves full focus, an understanding of one's body, an open mind, and the ability to learn from the corrections given by the instructor, the dancers that surround you, and your own observations. In my opinion, ballet is the most difficult art form to master, due to its structure, grace, and beautiful presence. It looks easy, but we all know it is not. This is another important place where true "work" is seen. The easier a dancer makes his or her task look, the harder the dancer is working. If you are able to treat each ballet class as if it is your first, you are able to walk in with a new confidence each time, and allow yourself to move passed discouraging thoughts from your past experiences. It is exciting to find new areas to fix and know that you have a better understanding of your body and the movement that is needed with new combinations. What happened previously doesn't stop you from working, maintaining the focus necessary to obtain the technique you desire.
I believe that work in ballet class, is completely different than work in other styles. Ballet's structure can be associated with perfection; perfect lines, perfect body placement, and perfect grace and performance. I have been told to stop looking like a hip hop dancer doing ballet more than once, and it is because ballet requires a different attitude and the hard work to maintain the perfect qualities mentioned. Ballet is truly beautiful. Time and dedication in each class, as if it were the first time, is required in order to work to your fullest potential in ballet.