FROM A CAREER TO A LIFE PURPOSE

I went to school for Nutrition at the University of Minnesota and as soon as I graduated, I was really interested in becoming a hospital dietitian. Although, as soon as I started working as a diet tech, usually the first position nutrition students get in their senior year, I realized I was missing something.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like what I was doing, but there was a barrier between my work and my passion. My academic knowledge was in nutrition and dietetics while my passion and interest was in ballet. What I have always wanted to share with people is that you can make anything possible in your life if you want it. I really felt that in a hospital setting, I couldn't really do that.

I worked for different hospitals. I felt I wasn’t able to have that connection and real communication with the patients. It was all systematic and structured in an “efficient way”, but not organic. I believe that when one thing might work for one person, it might not work for the order.

Once I realized that, I decided to fully pursue dancing. I joined the ballet company full time and I also started teaching ballet full time.  Even though I never stopped dancing and teaching, it felt the right moment to just focus on ballet after having danced in different countries on and off. I found an enormous amount of drive and passion that I never felt before. It was amazing. 

Dancing is basically the medicine for my soul and how I can express myself since I am pretty introverted, but teaching is the way I share it with others. And honestly, sharing the way I do while teaching it's just something I cannot describe with words. It is a moment where it is no more about me, it's about you. It’s where change in the world can actually be done. 

I know I keep learning everyday how to be a teacher and especially trying not to hurt anyone because ballet is a very hard profession. But knowing that I love what I do and that I believe in any student I come across with, more than they would ever imagine, makes me want to wake up and do it again.

Maybe your life purpose isn’t that far away from your career or profession, but looking for it is worth a million lives.

THE SPORT OF THE SOUL

Ballet is a sport, an art and a lifestyle.

Ballet and dance in general are physical activities that involve the development of certain kinds of skills – agility, flexibility and strength amount others. And on the other hand it requires focus, commitment, emotions and courage. This is why I see ballet as the sport of the soul!

Dancers have a very integral education and if they decide not to dance anymore, they can probably do anything from engineering to science to history to business. Because once you know what it feels to be yourself and work hard for what you want, there are no steps back, besides following your dreams.

Set to succeed.

Besides all a dancer learns in ballet and dance classes, the dancer needs to take extra time at home practicing, memorizing and understanding the corrections to be able to try again the next day. With this said, dancers are well trained to succeed at school and indeed at any job that requires intellectual prowess as well as smart and hard work. 

Dancers know that to be able to step on the stage in front of a crowd, they need to put in the hours working and practicing. So when the curtain finally opens, they are free to dance and free to be their own selves by knowing that they have the skills to do anything they want. 

Continue learning.

Ballet is practiced in order to transmit feelings to an audience, but it requires sportive skills that make it as beautiful and touching as it is. This is why I have enriched my desire to always continue my studies in ballet. 

It is amazing to see mindful and effective changes in the lives of people whether they will be ballet dancers or our own audience. 

Whether it is ballet, theater, music, finances, journalism, etc, I encourage you to find your own reasons for why you want to wake up the next day and do it again. Let me tell you that there is nothing more rewarding than putting all your time and energy to something that makes you feel free, authentic and courageous every day of your life.