Breaking Pointe

Image obtained from haveuheard.net

The day that I found out that one could become a professional ballerina for a well deserved salary, my jaw dropped and I fell off my chair. Here is some interesting facts about the ballet industry.

Like different managerial posts at organisations, there are different ‘rankings’ with social hierarchies at a ballet company: 

 

• Corpse Ballet: A large group made up out of males and females.

• Demi- Soloist: First stepping stone for your career.

• Soloist: A featured dancer. 

• Principal: The highest title one could get in a company.  

Image obtained from xfinitytv.comcast.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each dancer has a contract with the company which gets renewed each year. In some cases, your contract is not renewed and you are left to find another job or audition to become a part of another ballet company. These dancers train harder and longer than Olympic athletes.

Since it is a very competitive industry, one has to work hard in order to keep food on the table. One wonders why do ballerinas put themselves through this emotional and physical strain. The answer is simple: passion and determination to become the best.

Image obtained from balletwest.org

We could learn so much from ballerinas: discipline, strength and stamina- just by naming a few. With passion and determination on your side, nothing is impossible!

Information obtained from the series: Breaking Pointe