An introduction

Friday 9 September

When I was four, I started ballet. I can’t quite remember why, but it must have been a good decision as I stuck at it for the next 12 years, punctuated with a period of jazz. In my 12 years I took part in 10 recitals, becoming everything from a street urchin, green seed, star fish, mud-lark to sylph. I did multiple medal tests, RAD to grade 7 ballet and jazz to grade 4. For some reason I decided  like ballet better than jazz, which was an odd decision as I was phenomenally better at jazz. Never mind, we live and learn! 

Last year we got a few ceroc lessons before our college ball, and earlier this year a friend and I did a beginners ceroc course through the uni. This semester I'm starting "funky ballet" which is a mix between jazz and ballet, and swing. I am SO excited! Both of these will learnt in a class – and I’ve managed to rope in friends and flat mates.

Dancing is a really important form of self-expression for me. Maybe it's something to do with being quite a kinesthetic person - I jiggle and "flap" when I'm excited, stomp or run or slam when I'm grumpy, frolic when I'm on the beach... Dancing used to be a really good way for me to celebrate what was exciting in my life, forget what was irritating me, and refocus on what was important. I love this quote from the Billy Elliot musical. When Billy is asked what dancing feels like to him, he says: “I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are, and at the same time something makes you whole” (John & Hall, 2005)  - see here for the whole song... it’s great! I love the oxymoron of feeling like you have to be totally in control of your body, as dancing (especially ballet) can be quite restrained and disciplined, but at the same time feeling totally out of control and driven by whatever you’re feeling or music. Dancing also provided me with a means in which to keep fit which I really enjoyed, never having been particularly sporty. It gave me a social circle outside of my school friends, which was fabulous!

References

John, E., & Hall, L. (2005). Electricity. On Official cast recording: Billy Elliot the musical [CD]. London: Angel Recording Studios; Shoefactory Studios.