Bound to Disappoint

My sister, Isabell, got her Snow Queen costume recently. She hated it. 

When she saw this costume in the catalog, she fell in love with it. Isabell wouldn't stop talking about it. She would go on and on about how perfect it would be and how beautiful she would look in it. And I agreed, that costume was so her. The tutu would fit her perfectly, and the whole thing would be stunning on stage. We couldn't wait for it to come in. 

My sister's Snow Queen costume,
from the Art Stone dance costume catalog.

Weeks went by, and her tutu came in (the tutu and the actual costume came separately). It was a petite platter tutu rather than a full sized one, but it fit her frame magnificently. Isabell couldn't have been more excited. Her anticipation grew until, at last, the rest of her costume arrived. And then all hell broke loose.

Definitely doesn't look like it was supposed to.
Taken 10/27

It didn't fit right. I don't mean that it was too small or too big, it just fit weird. It was as if that torso of the costume was too short, but it was also too wide. The costume wouldn't lay flat on the tut like it was supposed to. It would ride up high enough that I could see her stomach when I shouldn't be able to. It just didn't fit like the picture, and that infuriated Isabell. She had been looking forward to having the perfect costume, but the moment something wasn't what she had been expecting, her whole view on it changed. She didn't like it anymore. 

The torso is wrinkly and doesn't look right.
Taken 10/27

Isabell was miserable for a while. She would get upset when watching other girls get their costumes and have them fit perfectly. She wasn't as motivated to do well as Snow Queen, and nothing could cheer her up. This went on for a couple weeks, until we found a solution to her problems. It turns out that there are elastic loops underneath skirt part of the costume. There were also clear buttons in the accessory bag for the costume. Apparently, we are supposed to sew these buttons to the waistband of the tutu. The loops go around the buttons so the costume stays down and fits better. When we found this out, my sister couldn't have been happier. 

It seems that when people set high expectations, it can lead to disappointment. They want so badly for something to be what they want it to be. One small thing that isn't what they want, and they could be really disappointed. It's important to release these expectations and view life from an exploritory perspective (Christian). In order to not be constantly disappointed, it's important not to try to control every aspect of one's life. They just need to take a step back and enjoy what they have. 

Most people seem to have this idea, this expectation of perfection in some part of their lives. But some people also say that nothing can go perfectly as planned. Is this them speaking from disappointment of their perfect dream not coming true? Or are these people that claim nothing can be perfect the ones free of expectation, and the seemingly inevitable disappointment that follows like a black cloud? Who's to say, but I do know that it's better to be pleasantly surprised than utterly disappointed. 

Work Cited

Christian, Amanda. "Are Your Expectations Setting You Up for Disappointment?" Tiny Buddha. N.p. n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

A Look Behind the Scenes

What does the word ballerina mean to you? Does it elicit images of elegant arms, graceful leaps and turns in beautiful tutus? Does it seem effortless, as if they are floating around the stage in a beautiful, captivating dance? As dancers, that is our goal. We aim to tell a story that other people can relate to. We want it to seem easy so you can enjoy it. We want you to feel. 

Does it ever come to mind the hours of practice, blisters, and sore muscles that went into producing those feelings? Endless hours are spent perfecting every step, making it look effortless. We work on technique, pushing and pushing to improve ourselves until we are too tired to continue. Dancing ourselves into the ground to achieve the look and ease that these dances require. We run dances over and over, examining each other to spot any flaws. Working so much that we end up battered and bruised, with broken toenails, extremely sore muscles, and popped blisters that ended up bleeding through our tights.

I broke my toenail. This is the third time on this toe specifically.
Taken 10/29

Many people may think that this is too much work. They many ask why do something if it takes that much time and effort. And yes, for some people, that amount of work is just unimaginable. But for dancers, it is our life. We don't care that we spent countless hours on one dance. All that matters is that the audience felt something, that they enjoyed watching us dance. 

This video talks about what it is like to be a professional ballerina. So much work is put in to the productions that ballet companies put on. With all the work that they do, there is also a lot of pressure out on them. They pressure themselves in that they feel the need to have the dance perfect the first time that they do it. In the video, she says, "One difficulty is the mental aspect of getting up in front of many people...A lot of the time when things don't work, it's more the head that prevents you from doing it." A lot of the time, dancers, and even artists in general, tend to get in their own heads to the point of over-criticizing their own work.

I know that I have done this many times, as I just want to get it, and for it to look the way I want it to. I have come to learn that it can't always be that way. There are just some things that are out of our control, that we just have to deal with. I have tried to remember this as we have been continuing work on the Nutcracker. As much as I wish I was perfect, I'm not. I'm not at the professional level, and don't have the technique or skills of those who are. I constantly compare myself to others and knit-pick my dancing, trying to find everything that's even slightly imperfect. I get into my own head, and that ends up being a hindrance, preventing me from dancing to my full potential. 

To some ballet may just be a hobby to pass the time. To others it is something to watch, that will make them feel. But ballet is a craft, an art. It is a way of life.

Work Cited

"A Day in the Life of a Ballerina." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.