From fueling the body, to proving yourself from the back of the room, to the independent work required of a professional, Miami City Ballet’s Rebecca King recaps the lessons she’s learned in her five years of company life.
Career in Dance
Ballet and Sacrifice: More Than One Story; More Than One Definition
Did you catch “I Sacrificed Everything for Ballet” in the March issue of Seventeen? Guest Melanie Doskocil helps balance the view with some straight talk about ballet training for a career, inviting readers to weigh in with their thoughts on sacrifice, crossing the line, and how to prevent the pitfalls of elite training.
Women in Dance: Undervalued in Supporting AND Leadership Roles?
As Artistic Director of Ballet Memphis, Dorothy Gunther Pugh is one of only a handful of women at the helm of ballet companies in the United States, where leadership roles (particularly for large budget organizations) are primarily filled by men. In her contribution for Dance Advantage, Ms. Pugh addresses what she’s witnessed as a woman in the field and points out imbalances during the training years which discourage young women from looking beyond the corps and moving into leadership roles.
But What I Really Want To Do Is Dance!
I cannot possibly advise if you’ll “make it” as a professional dancer. Even your teachers may not be able to advise you. Naysayers are a frequent catalyst and have launched many a career in dance. Only YOU can make the decision and YOU are the only person that is responsible and can be held accountable for the outcome.
Melissa Hough On Competition, Rubies, and Being a “Newbie” at Houston Ballet
![[Photo] New Houston Ballet Soloist, Melissa Hough in rehearsal](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/MelissaHough-133x200.jpg)
“When I became more serious about which direction I wanted to focus on, I auditioned for the year round program at Kirov Academy. I lived at the school for four years, while still taking my jazz, tap, lyrical classes and participating in competitions, and working on summer correspondence courses so I could graduate early. I also took some voice lessons, because for a long time I wanted to be on Broadway, but during my time at Kirov I decided I wanted to go for it- try to be a ballerina. My (Russian) teachers never thought I’d go very far in a ballet company. They felt I was more suited for contemporary, which at the time I was.”
16 Auditioning Basics and Pointers
Expecting a certain outcome puts your mind in a place and time other than the audition and you’ll need to have your head in the present tense to do well. Clear your mind and dance because you love dancing, not because of the pot of gold that may or may not be at the end of this rainbow.
