Why Not to Conform To What Dance Is Becoming

In order to perserve an art form you must first respect it. The beauties and ways of an artform are tried and true. What it looks like to remain truthful to your craft has been proven time and time again. Specifically regarding classical ballet, actions are being done to strip the art of its sustained regailty and standard. I know there are many converstions swirling the idea of innnovation within this long-standing form but truthfully, at best, what is happening is a deterioration of what it means to be a ballerina, dance a ballet and strive for top ranks within a ballet company. A lot of what social media notes as "breaking barriers" is actually the breaking of systems that is lowering the standards. Hair, race, skin color and facial features have been some of the headliners of the "fighting inequality in dance" chat. While I will never pretend to not see the reality of what many (including myself) have faced in dance companies with rigid opinions of the above topics, they are not an excuse to broadcast answers that demean the entire process of beginning, pursuing and engaging in a professinal dance career. Ballet overall has faced many scrutinies behind some who have chosen to abuse their power by isolating those with phynotpic differences. That is wrong. However, there are some things that should never have anything to do with having a ballet career. The shade of someone's skin, the texture of a person's hair or how a person lives their life. These have nothing to with having a ballet career because what does matter is your skillset, commitment to the art, growth, artistry, competence and teachability. When things that do not matter become the focal point, standards dwindle. 

Other things that have been blurring the focus of the integrity of classical ballet are more things that have absolutely nothing to do with the artform. Its impossible to advocate for something that you have no respect for and respecting your craft entails learning it, meeting the standards, working to maximize your abilities within its rules and standards and studying. When people made a fuss about Allen Iverson it was over things that had nothing to do with the game. When Raven Wilkinson was denied access to the same hotel as her company, it had nothing to do with the art. When Ray Lewis decided to forgo an offer from his dream school it wasn't because he was challenging the standard of the sport, He simply did not want to start behind another guy because he believed he was better than that (competence). These examples are a picture of how to maintain the integrity of what you claim to love. These people became legends. You don't break barriers by challenging systems that erect a standard. You rise in all of your authenticity. Challenging things like costuming, or wearing your hair however you want because you're black, or men in pointe shoes and men dancing womens roles are all signs of not having respect for the work. It also damages the road for those coming behind you. If anything goes then anyone can do it. If standards don't matter and neither does excelling in them, every player would have a statue in front of Colonial Life Arena. Maintaing the integrity of dance, ballet specifically, today, should be about rising to the occassion. Working to break a reaonable mold just to have something to say is a cop out. Do you respect what you do?

College Dance Training Can Actually Be Helpful

DURING UNDERGRAD I REMEMBER READING AN ARTICLE THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE CONS OF DANCERS WHO JOIN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD AFTER UNDERGRADUATE DANCE STUDIES.THE MAIN IDEA SURROUNDED THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND INABILITY FOR DANCERS TO ADAPT TO THE LIFE OF A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST. UPON ENTERING MY COLLEGIATE DANCE PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH I WAS BRINGING A SOLID TECHNICAL FOUNDATION, UNDERSTANDING OF PROFESSIONALISM AND A RESPECT FOR MY CRAFT, MY GREATEST POSSESSION WAS MY UNDYING PASSION. THROUGHOUT COLLEGE I ISOLATED MYSELF WHEN I REALIZED THAT MY WORK ETHIC AND SERIOUSNESS CAUSED SOME CLASSMATES TO TREAT ME UNFAVORABLY. I EXPERIENCED BEING RIDICULED FOR MY FOCUS, INTENTIONALITY AND LEADERSHIP. ALTHOUGH THIS TREATMENT DID NOT COME FROM EVERYONE IT BECAME A DRIVING FORCE FOR ME TO CONTINUE PURSUING MY STUDIES WITH INTENSITY, FORETHOUGHT AND EXCELLENCE. SOME MOMENTS WERE TOUGHER THAN OTHERS BUT I KEPT MY EYES AHEAD. I REMAINED FOCUSED ON MY DREAMS. I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH IN MY CAREER AND DECIDED TO ALLOW MY TRAINING WITHIN THE DANCE PROGRAM AND ITS ACADEMIA TO WORK FOR ME. I KNOW BOTH THE PRESSURES AND EXCITEMENT THAT CAN AT TIMES BECOME A DETERRENT WHILE TRAINING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL DANCER IN A COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY SETTING. AT TIMES YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CAMPUS FUN AND BUCKLING DOWN. FOR ME, THE TRAINING DID'NT STOP WHEN I LEFT THE STUDIO OR THE STAGE. I SUBMERGED MYSELF IN THE CRAFT AND KEPT NOT ONLY MY GOALS BEFORE ME BUT MY ACTIONS. I LEARNED TO CARRY MYSELF THE WAY I SAW MYSELF, BECOMING A REFLECTION OF MY FUTURE ENDEAVORS, CIRCLES, COMPANIES AND OPPORTUNITIES. I WANTED TO GAIN MORE THAN GREAT TECHNIQUE. I WANTED BULDING BLOCKS FOR ME TO WALK IN PROFESSIONALISM, BEAUTY AND LONGEVITY OF CAREER. I APPROACHED MY COLLEGE DAYS AS A DANCE MAJOR AS IF I WAS A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER DANCE LEGEND. THE MORE I LEARNED IN DANCE ACADEMIA, THE MORE I SAW MY DREAMS A REALITY. IT IS ONE THING TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND GO ON TO A COMPANY OR PROJECT JUST TO DANCE. IT IS ANOTHER THING TO BUILD A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK, HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION PRECEDE YOU AND HAVE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO YOU DURING THOSE COLLEGE YEARS AND MOST CERTAINLY BEYOND. THE OVERALL FOCUSES OF THAT ARTICLE I MENTIONED, IT STIPULATING THE CLEAR DISCONNECT OF A COLLEGE-TRAINED DANCER CROSSING OVER INTO THE PRO-LEVEL, HAVING LITTLE TO NO EXPERIENCE IS THE VERY THING I WAS ABLE TO HONE IN ON AND OVERCOME. THIS IS TO BRAG STRICTLY ON MY GOD. EVERY SINGLE PLACE I HAVE GONE AND WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE THUS FAR, LEADERSHIP IS IMPRESSED AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHERE I HAVE TRAINED AS THEY WAIT FOR ME TO NAME A WELL-KNOWN, HIGHLY PRESTIDGIOUS CONSERVATORY OR PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM. I RECEIVED AMAZING TRAINING AT MY UNIVERSITY BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES I'D MENTION MY ALMA MATER AND PEOPLE SUDDELY LOOK BLANK.LOL MY UNDERGRATE PROGRAM WAS A HUGE BLESSING TO ME. THING THAT HAVE BUILT ME ALONG THE WAY ALSO BECAME A MAIN REASON I STARTED THE TRINITYCO MENTORSHIP CONNECTION. I WANT DANCERS TO KNOW THEY CAN DOMINATE IN THEIR CAREERS EVEN FROM COLLEGE. I BEGAN MY PROFESSIONAL DANCE CAREER AS A JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENT, HAVING WORKED WITH FIVE PRO DANCE COMPANIES AND ONE THEATRE COMPANY. I CURRENTLY WORK WITH AMERICA'S #1 DANCE COMPETITION AND AM A DANCER WITH COLUMBIA CITY BALLET. I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO GLEAN FROM DANCE LEGENDS I STUDIED DURING UNDERGRAD AS WELL AS WORKING WITH PHENOMANAL ARTISTS OF ALL GENRES OF DANCE/CREATION. THERE ARE NO LIMITS!.