Category: A Dancer’s Life

  • On Dance Moms (Not the TV Show)

    When I was a child and teen in dance, I had a mother who cared about and who was invested in helping me to progress as much as possible as a dancer. But I did not have a Dance Mom. A Dance Mom goes beyond ally and facilitator and takes on the role of personal…

  • A Dancer Is Not A Person Who Dances

    What’s the difference between a person who dances and a dancer? Let’s start with a person who dances. A person who dances: Will socialize with non-dancers. Might have short hair or long hair. Listens to their body’s cues, and stops when something hurts. Will consider nutrition but does not diet. Is a “normal” person. May…

  • A Dancer on Vacation?

    What is vacation for a dancer? George Balanchine once said that “the time for resting is in the grave.” If death were really that – a permanent, socially acceptable and well-earned rest – that would be very inviting indeed. I once said as much to some gravestones in a cemetery I used to walk through…

  • What Would It Have Been Like?

    I never got to be the Dying Swan in Swan Lake. What would that have been like? To be able perform the role for an audience. But also, to be a ballet dancer who was that good. What would it have been like to have realized this life-long dream in my own, actual (and not…

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