Jennifer Kronenberg - So, You Want to Be a Ballet Dancer?: Making It In the Rough & Tumble World of Professional Ballet

Diversion Books

A Division of Diversion Publishing Corp.

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New York, New York 10011

www.diversionbooks.com

Copyright 2011 by Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce

this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For more information, email info@diversionbooks.com.

Front cover photograph Steven Caras, 2011, All Rights Reserved.

From Raymonda Variations, choreography by George Balanchine, The George Balanchine Trust

First Diversion Books edition March 2011.

ISBN: 978-0-9829050-8-1 (ebook)

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Almost every little girl, at some point in her childhood, becomes enraptured by the dream of becoming a ballerina. She may be inspired by a friend or an older sister taking lessons, or by seeing television broadcasts and live performances, as I was. Her desire could be sparked by something as trivial as the endlessly spinning ballerina hidden inside of a jewelry box. Whatever the case may be, the thought of wearing a gorgeous tutu as an enchanted swan princess, while dancing round and round to beautiful music on the delicate tips of your toes, seems enticingly magical.

But is it really so? For some yesfor others, it is not all they'd imagined it to be. Even boys (who are generally drawn in by the physicality and athleticism of the dance rather than the magic) tend to encounter numerous unexpected challenges along the way to a career.

I became smitten with ballet years ago, and I happen to be one of the very few who were fortunate enough to have turned my dream into a reality. For the most part, life dealt me a good hand, and for that I am grateful. The road to my success was not always smooth, and it got bumpier once I was accepted into a professional dance company. The amount of work, the pressure (mostly self-imposed), the angst, the sweat, and the tears that I found myself enduring were more than I'd ever imagined. Everything is not always beautiful at the ballet as the A Chorus Line song suggests.

I am proud to say, though, that I did learn how to take on and overcome all of these obstacles, and more. I have truly enjoyed this extremely hard, yet uncommonly elite and fulfilling career for the last fifteen years; ballet has become as necessary in my life as eating, sleeping, and breathing. With that in mind, I feel that I am now in the position to provide useful advice to all of the students (and their parents) competing in the world of ballet today, advice I wish I'd had when I began my journey.

I was seventeen when the opportunity arose to accept a job with the prestigious Miami City Ballet. Of course I was thrilled, but I also remember being overcome with the desire to have someone to ask countless career questions. I felt a sudden sense of urgency to acquire a broader knowledge of the world I was about to enter into BEFORE actually beginning my career. Unfortunately, at that time, there were no tangible sources for me to find those answers. I had no choice but to join the company unsure of what exactly was to be expected of me. There is a lot to be said for learning and experiencing things on one's own; however, to have known even the littlest bit of what I know now would have been a great advantage for me! So, You Want to be a Ballet Dancer? is the book that I wish I'd hada dancer's book of advice and answers.

Not every child who has the ballet itch is meant to dance ballet professionally. It is an extremely specialized form of dance requiring a unique discipline and dedication. It is also an aesthetic art which tends to be very subjective. Some young dancers figure this out on their own rather quickly; others are let down the hard way. Blunt rejection can be very hurtful. But for those young aspiring dancers who feel they are really connected to the art of ballet, and have the perseverance and determination necessary to go through the rigorous training required, this book will provide important practical information.

I never had a big sister or an older friend in the professional ballet world to advise me about what I would encounter on the long uncertain road ahead. I had many things to learn when I began my career as an apprentice with MCB. I'd like to become that friend and big sister to all of the young dancers who sacrifice themselves by dedicating hours each day to practice their art in the hopes of making it".

It is such a quick yet delicate transition from ballet student to professional dancer, for those who are lucky enough and strong enough to actually make it. After many years are spent training within the scrutinizing mirrored walls of the studio, suddenly you are in a whole new world. This unfamiliar world of regality, beauty, and artistry can be both welcoming and extremely intimidating. With this book, students, their parents, and young professionals will have a realistic view of what lies ahead of them, and enable them to feel prepared to handle the many pressures that come along with professionalism.

A ballet dancer's career is both a gift and a privilege, but it is extremely unforgiving and entirely too short. This book will provide detailed step-by-step instruction, and a view of the professional world, that will enable the next generation of dancers the chance to enjoy each fleeting moment of this amazing career to the fullest extent possible, as they should.

I was one of the very fortunate few aspiring dancers to have had a wonderfully nurturing ballet teacher who did her absolute best in educating and preparing her students for the uniquely detailed and difficult career that we had chosen to pursue. Despite her best efforts, however, when I did actually join a company, I found that I lacked many of the secrets necessary for a faultless beginning. My fifteen years of professional dancing with Miami City Ballet and various appearances as a teacher and guest artist in several schools across the United States and in Mexico has brought to my attention just how many students today are also missing knowledge of the basic skills that they must acquire to begin a career in dance. There is a real need to share information and experiences with the younger generationsnot only to ease their struggle through the intense training years, but to smooth their passage into the world of professionalism, if they choose to take that route.

Not long ago, I shared the same dreams, goals, doubts, and fears as they have today, and, I am actively living the life that these girls and boys are headed toward.

It is almost every little girls dream to be a ballerina, dancing around in a beautiful pink tutu while wearing a tiara like a true princess. The dream and inspiration to dance can arise from different sources. I remember the ballet bug biting me when I was six years old. My parents would often have the PBS channel playing on the living room television, and anytime a ballet came on I was completely entranced. Little by little I started trying to mimic the steps until I reached the point where I just couldnt sit still any longer. I would dance around everywhere, at home, at school, at my grandmas houseeven in the streets.

Finally, when I turned seven, my parents enrolled me in classes at the local ballet school. We had several schools in the area, but we chose the one closest to home; and it happened to be the one that primarily focused on ballet, as opposed to tap or jazz. Though I was immediately insistent upon attending every day, my mom proceeded with caution, not knowing how serious I really was. Would I be able to handle the long classes and the discipline? Would I get bored? I began taking lessons once a week, which quickly turned into twice, then three times, and within a couple of months I was going everyday except Sunday.