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The Commitment to Pursue

April 22, 2018 by Rachel Hellwig

Rehearsal at Miami City Ballet. Photo by Daniel Azoulay.

The regular physical pain of a professional ballet dancer’s life can be overwhelming. Every dancer experiences a different pain level during their careers. At a young age, the dancer is taught how to overcome and tolerate these types of pain whether it is physical or mental.

With time and patience, the disciplines required to pursue this life become normality. Early on, while in ballet school, I learned that it was inevitable to work with a commitment level of an adult. We are forced to heighten our judgement to guide us through the challenges.

As I sit and think about how to write this article, I am struggling to put it in to words. First off, I must say how truly lucky I am to do what I love every single day. I am one of those people who jumps from bed ready to tackle another day of dance.  As I take you through a typical daily routine, I want you to keep this in mind.

Tolerance

As you can imagine, dancers typically have a high pain tolerance because of the demands put on their bodies. When I was first starting out as a professional ballet dancer ten years ago, my days began at 9:45 a.m. and finished after 6 p.m. Then when I joined my second company, the schedule changed to 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. with no lunch break.  Now, at Miami City Ballet, I attend class each morning beginning at 10 a.m. and finish rehearsals at 6:30 p.m. with an hour lunch break.

Experiencing scheduling at a variety of companies has taught me that there is always intention behind the day. Typically, a rehearsal day is a combination of multiple ballets over the course of seven hours in preparation for our performances. Throughout the season, depending on our performance schedule, the weeks shift from Monday through Friday to Tuesday through Saturday.  Our performance weeks leave us with just Mondays off.

I find the most difficult time during the year to be when we rehearse various genres of dance all at once. Although extremely rewarding, your body certainly feels the changes your muscles endure.

Working alone during downtime at Miami City Ballet

For example, shifting from a modern work where you might be in flat shoes rather than pointe shoes puts a different pressure on your quads and calves.  You may develop blisters on different parts of your feet where the skin has not callused over.

Typically, our modern works require a grounded intention and these requirements can make the day more challenging.  Each hour leading up to 6:30 p.m. may be scheduled for a different ballet. Preparing your body, the right point shoes, and making sure to review the choreography before presenting it to the room are all components of the day.  I find it helpful to plan out an hour at a time. This makes it easier to approach physically and mentally and eventually a dancer develops the habits in which are needed to tolerate this level of work.

Our season can include 10-15 works of which we learned the bulk of between the months of August and October.  During the month of January, we shifted from Nutcracker season into rehearsals to finalize the rest of our repertoire.  We recently performed our Jerome Robbins Centennial Celebration (Program Two) featuring five of his works. During this time, we rehearsed Tuesday through Friday, performed Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and rested on Monday.  During the week leading to our performances, the company rehearsed works from Program Three and Four while still keeping Program Two fresh. These works included choreography by George Balanchine, Alexei Ratmansky, Brian Brooks, and Jerome Robbins.  Once we approach the end of our season, we may begin work on our repertoire for the next season before April and May pass. When I explain what I do to people outside the ballet, they always wonder how I keep all the ballets I learn straight.  Honestly, it takes time to learn and absorb all the material.  I typically write down my material once I have learned it and then spend time on my own in the studio or at home to watch videos or review.  It is one thing to remember a work in the studio, but it is another to know it well enough to perform it on stage without the mirror.

Patience

“Patience” is probably the most important word in the world of dance to me—patience that is both physical and mental. The minute a dancer is unable to endure the wait without negativity is the minute all improvement ceases. Unfortunately, the life of a dancer is full of heartbreak and frustration. This is the part of the job that the audience does not witness.

People will ask me what I do during the day and sometimes I hesitate because it is so challenging for me to explain what goes on in a mind of a dancer during a 12-hour period.  There can be so many ups and downs and moments where you feel completely alone, but as a person living in this unbelievably rewarding and sometimes confusing career, ballet dancers are some of the strongest, toughest-skin human beings I know.

Mental Stability

It goes unnoticed because of our gracefulness and ability to maintain calmness, but the day can turn negative quickly.  After several years of practice and training, I have found ways to compartmentalize the positive and the negative aspects of the day.  For example, the casting board is a major component of a dancer’s day and overall season.  Learning to tame your emotions when you do or do not see your name on the cast list is vital to the focus of the day.  If you learn to understand the casting and not internalize it will help you move forward.  There is usually a reason for why or why not you have been cast in a specific role.  These moments can fuel motivation to make a change or improve.  Another aspect of the day that impacts a dancer is morning class.  Class is a time to work on yourself and find an overall balance for the day.  Most non-dancers do not realize that professionals attend ballet class every morning to warm their bodies up.  We face a lot of challenges in the first hour and a half of the day.  As my own critic, internal questions surface about overall appearance, placement, or why or why not I receive corrections during class.

There is tremendous pressure to reach the look you desire without psyching yourself out.  I have grown to understand myself and feel confidence in myself by reaching smaller goals that I set up.  This helps me continue on a steady path upwards rather than being beaten down or defeated.

The audience does not see that side of us, but a dancer goes through quite a wild mind ride when it comes to rehearsing and performing for nearly 40 weeks a year up to 40 hours a week.

Working on Juliet with Roger Van Fleteren (Alabama Ballet)

Developing this maturity starts through the structure of a typical ballet class which we take every day. Classes require the dancer to stand in formation and judge themselves. Critiquing your arm, head, and leg positions in class forces us to be our own teacher too.

Oftentimes, it can be extremely difficult to stare at yourself in the mirror.  I remember one year, which I will not discuss, where I went home and literally cried every night because I was not happy with how I looked or felt. Winning the competition with yourself can be the most difficult competition of all.

Consistent coaching and reviewing before approaching the stage is all worth it, but there needs to be a balance. Perfection does not exist and ballet is not simple. My ballet teacher of 21 years always says, “If ballet were easy everyone would do it.”

Samantha in George Balanchine’s Emeralds from
Jewels (October 2017) Photo by dancer.

Samantha Hope Galler. Photo by Daniel Azoulay.
Miami City Ballet’s Samantha Hope Galler

Contributor Samantha Hope Galler, a Bedford, Mass. native, spent 13 years training with The Ballet Academy, Inc., under the direction of Frances Kotelly in the Cecchetti Method. She performed six seasons with The Northeast Youth Ballet under the direction of Denise Cecere. She continued training, on scholarship, with Boston Ballet School and received the PAO Merit Trainee Scholarship. She received the NFAA Honorable Mention Award in Ballet. Galler spent summers training at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Boston Conservatory. She danced with Cincinnati Ballet in their 2008-2009 season under the direction of Victoria Morgan.

Samantha spent five seasons with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren. During her tenure there, she was promoted to principal dancer. She had the honor of performing some of her dream roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph and Effie in La Sylphide, Myrtha and Moyna in Giselle, Dryad Queen and Mercedes in Don Quixote, the Rancher’s Daughter in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Her Balanchine roles included Dark Angel in Serenade; The Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian and Lead Marzipan in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™; and the principal roles in Allegro Brillante and Tarantella. She has also performed in Jiří Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, and Van Fleteren’s Shostakovich and Romancing Rachmaninov, both world premieres.

Samantha joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2014. Since joining Miami City Ballet, Samantha has performed in various roles including as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and as the Harp Soloist in Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations.

Follow Samantha on her website and blog.

Filed Under: 4dancers, Career Tagged With: Life of a Professional Ballet Dancer, Miami City Ballet, Professional Life, Samantha Hope Galler

A Professional In A Student’s Class

September 7, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

By Samantha Hope Galler

Samantha Hope Galler at Miami City Ballet’s Studios.

Layoff periods of up to five months gave me the opportunity to educate myself in and around the dance world. What I learned is invaluable. No matter where we stand in our careers there will always be a student inside of us striving to learn as we did in school. Although we thrive as professionals today, the focus is in a different place. I would like to share a few benefits to stepping back into student life.

No matter where we stand in our careers there will always be a student inside of us striving to learn as we did in school.

As a student, I was enthralled by the idea of company life. It was the ultimate goal to one day join a major company and dance the roles my idols did. I remember clearly when members of Boston Ballet would attend school classes with us. Taking class beside a professional was a reminder of why we wanted to dance while putting things in perspective. It was an exciting chance, at such a young age, to watch firsthand their interpretation of a step. Yes, we would attend all of their performances, but it did not compare to being next to them in class. In fact, it was the only way for us to have a glimpse into what company life would be like if we were to ever move into the professional world.

Personally, being surrounded by professionals as a student taught me that the professional dance world was small. Each dancer in the company at the time was unique and could dance everything. If I wanted a chance at being part of it I needed to stand out.  This shifted my personal training goals.

Today, stepping back into student class places a professional dancer in a foreign environment. Elements of student life which we used to be accustomed to feel very different. Not only is there a different approach to class, there is another level of freedom. One component that has not changed, however, is our goal of the learning aspect of class.  My ballet teacher of nearly 21 years, Frances Cavicchio Kotelly, always teaches her students that there is no end to learning. Whether you are a student or professional, it does not make sense to stop learning when the art continues to evolve.

Whether you are a student or professional, it does not make sense to stop learning when the art continues to evolve.

In 2010, while dancing with Alabama Ballet, I attended the two-week August program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. This would be my third summer dancing with CPYB, but my first as a professional dancer. There was one other professional attending the program from New York City Ballet. My instructor was Darla Hoover–I didn’t know it at the time, but I would work with her closely in my later years with Alabama Ballet.

I was placed in CPYB’s top level for ages 14-17. To begin with, the age difference between us was dramatic. These ladies were polishing details and preparing to audition for major companies in the coming years. The first thing I realized was how hard it was to be in class with this age group. This was due to the fact that they were going through probably the most intense and important layer of training which included multiple technique classes a day.

It was an eye-opener because I saw what I had been neglecting over the last couple years as a professional. Attending this program and forcing myself to dress in pink tights and a black leotard showed me how to shape my dancing in a different way. In order to fix the big picture, you must fix the small details. It can be extremely difficult to balance a life of rehearsals and the upkeep of technique. Sometimes something has to give during the season and it is commonly our technique. My experience at CPYB taught me to allow myself to be a student again, especially during the layoff season.

My advice to new professionals would be to find time to step into student class even for just a few hours. This is a time when you can focus on your class rather than working to prepare your body for rehearsals.

Samantha’s 2008 Honorable-Mention-Winning National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Entry

Earlier this summer, I attended Miami City Ballet school classes. It was an intriguing experience to stand back and watch the next generation of students work. As they approach the end of their school year, they prepare for career-changing performances and demonstrations. The possible opportunity to receive an apprenticeship with the main company is at the forefront. Usually, there are only a few company spots available so it can be a high-stress period.

As I observe them, I wish they knew what I know now. I see their eagerness to move on, but I also understand the importance of time and how it can benefit them in the future. Students hope to race through school and move into professional life, but it is so important to stay present in the moment. I have witnessed professionals who could have benefited from an additional year in school and eventually it catches up with them.  Learning to maximize time can be the key to greater personal success in the future.

Students hope to race through school and move into professional life, but it is so important to stay present in the moment.

Students have asked me for advice and I share anything I can to help them feel confident when approaching this challenging time in their lives. I was fortunate to have my parents close by when I was transitioning out of school and that truly helped me stay positive. Many students, at this point, have moved away from home so they are no longer living with their families. This makes it difficult because that security blanket is no longer there.

My parents would always tell me to learn as much as you can about dance and trust yourself. This career, whether it be student life or professional life, relies solely on trusting yourself. When you trust yourself, you trust the dancing you present and you stay confident. There is always a place for you whether it be in a small or a large company. It will be the right fit and you will thrive in that environment. This is the best advice I can pass on. When you see another dancer getting a spot in the company of your dreams it does not mean that your dream is over. It might mean you are taking a different path and, in the end, it could turn out to be more beneficial.

When you see another dancer getting a spot in the company of your dreams it does not mean that your dream is over. 

No matter how successful a dancer is, nothing is beneath you, especially the idea of stepping back into student life and remembering we were all students at one point.

Samantha at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in 2001.

Samantha Hope Galler. Photo by Daniel Azoulay.
Miami City Ballet’s Samantha Hope Galler

Contributor Samantha Hope Galler, a Bedford, Mass. native, spent 13 years training with The Ballet Academy, Inc., under the direction of Frances Kotelly in the Cecchetti Method. She performed six seasons with The Northeast Youth Ballet under the direction of Denise Cecere. She continued training, on scholarship, with Boston Ballet School and received the PAO Merit Trainee Scholarship. She received the NFAA Honorable Mention Award in Ballet. Galler spent summers training at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Boston Conservatory. She danced with Cincinnati Ballet in their 2008-2009 season under the direction of Victoria Morgan.

Samantha spent five seasons with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren. During her tenure there, she was promoted to principal dancer. She had the honor of performing some of her dream roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph and Effie in La Sylphide, Myrtha and Moyna in Giselle, Dryad Queen and Mercedes in Don Quixote, the Rancher’s Daughter in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Her Balanchine roles included Dark Angel in Serenade; The Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian and Lead Marzipan in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™; and the principal roles in Allegro Brillante and Tarantella. She has also performed in Jiří Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, and Van Fleteren’s Shostakovich and Romancing Rachmaninov, both world premieres.

Samantha joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2014. Since joining Miami City Ballet, Samantha has performed in various roles including as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and as the Harp Soloist in Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations.

Follow Samantha on her website and blog.

Filed Under: 4dancers, Career Tagged With: ballet class, career, Miami City Ballet, Professional Life, Samantha Hope Galler, Student Life

Next Chapters: Atlanta Ballet’s John Welker on Retiring from a Professional Dance Career

January 25, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

by Rachel Hellwig

John Welker in "Seven Sonatas." Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.
John Welker in “Seven Sonatas.” Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

“No matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.” – John Welker

John Welker just completed a 22-year career with Atlanta Ballet, finishing with performances of John McFall’s Nutcracker in December 2016. Retirement can be a challenging time for a dancer and Welker offers thoughts and advice for those who are going through the process, considering it, or just want a window into this period of a dancer’s life…

How did you come to realize it was the right time to retire? What advice would you give to dancers who are trying to determine if this is the right decision for them?

For me personally, I could feel the time to retire from dancing was coming for several years – so it wasn’t some singular “ah ha” moment, it was a gradual process. While my body was holding up without injury and I felt great physically, I also knew my interests were increasingly outside the dancing studio. So, when it came to a point when I could feel a sense of ease when thinking about a life without the daily stresses of dancing, I knew it was time to retire.

Everyone is different, so there is no common template or universal path to retirement, but I do believe in trusting one’s own intuition as to what is best for your career and life. Overall, I would say trust your heart first, then act with your mind.

What’s next for you? How long have you been planning your second career? How soon do you think dancers should begin planning their second career?

I’ve been working at a dance degree at Kennesaw State University since 2009, so I’m looking forward to completing my undergraduate education in May 2017. I also will be applying for graduate school in Business and hope to begin working towards an MBA as soon as September 2017.

No time is too early to begin thinking about a second career, especially for professional dancers. Although dancers shouldn’t add more stress to themselves when they are dancing (there’s enough hardship to go around), it’s best to start at least exploring second career options incrementally when you have the luxury of time ahead of you.

Tara Lee and John Welker in "Four Seasons." Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.
Tara Lee and John Welker in “The Four Seasons.” Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

What aspects of retirement have been harder or easier than you initially expected?

It is the ease of a structured daily schedule that you become so accustomed to when dancing. To not have that can be both liberating and terrifying. Also, we as dancers take for granted the community of creative people that we are always surrounding ourselves with on a daily basis. To not have that anymore to such a degree is also hard.

What have these past few months have been like as you concluded your dance career?

I have just started my post-dancing life, as you could call it, so I shall see as I progress. But I do know that I want to take it with a sense of adventure, in that to be uncomfortable is not a bad thing and to put yourself in situations which you might feel out of your element can be a very good thing. Also, I also want to be sure I stay physically active in some capacity, I know that will be very important to my sanity and health.

What advice would you give to dancers going through the process of retirement?

Retiring from a life’s passion is such a personal decision. No one is the same, nor are the circumstances surrounding one’s retirement from dancing which can dictate or determine why one decides to move on. But no matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.

It’s important to note moving on from a professional dance career is a process and not just a momentary happening that signifies a complete break. Also, I feel dancers should cherish and value their accomplishments and memories, for these are the things that are yours to keep and cannot be taken away.

I believe it is very important for dancers to find what they are passionate about as they navigate a second career choice. What are the things that give back to you and make you feel like you’ve accomplished something? There are so many ways, other than dancing, to further enjoy and support dance that can give you a sense of fulfillment.

Don’t size up or confuse your personal path with someone else’s. And, most of all, enjoy whatever you set out to do!

Dancers-John-Welker-and-Christine-Winkler-The-Four-Seasons.-Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.
John Welker and Christine Winkler in “The Four Seasons.” Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

Filed Under: 4dancers, Career Tagged With: advice, atlanta ballet, Ballet, career, dance, Dancer's Life, John Welker, retirement

My Top 3 Challenges As A Dancer

April 6, 2016 by 4dancers

Joffrey Ballet dancer Cara Marie Gary in Jiří Kylián's Forgotten Land.
Joffrey Ballet dancer Cara Marie Gary in Jiří Kylián’s Forgotten Land. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

by Cara Marie Gary

As a young ballet student or aspiring professional dancer, some big challenges in life usually center around getting into a top summer program, performing well in a competition, or landing that first contract with a professional company. These were certainly part of my experience, but now as a professional dancer with some seasoning and experience, the challenges that I face on a daily basis are different, but just as important.

Pain Management

One of the top challenges in my life as a dancer is dealing with and learning to appropriately manage pain. Fortunately, I haven’t had any major injuries while dancing professionally, but aches in my body are a daily struggle, as an average five-day rehearsal week consists of approximately 38 hours of dancing. Each morning I wake up refreshed, but often with minor aches and pains, and over the years, I’ve found some helpful remedies for this challenge. I often consult with my physical therapists about the pain I’m experiencing and they always offer specific strengthening exercises for weak areas that could be linked to the source of pain.

It’s simply part of my daily routine for my joints to snap, crackle, and pop, especially in the morning, and even though I’m used to these noises, I try to make monthly appointments with a chiropractor for proper treatment. 
I’ve also learned to explore and experiment with alternative techniques and have discovered a lot about what works for my body. For example, I tend to hold a lot of tension and stress in my upper back and neck. I’ve found that the best remedy for this area of pain is a technique called “cupping”. It’s an ancient form of alternative medicine that uses cups and heat to create a suction that pulls the fascia tissue towards the cup, ultimately mobilizing blood flow to promote healing. The cups are normally left on for about fifteen minutes, and once they are removed I feel an immediate release of tension and have a noticeable increased range of motion in my upper back and neck areas. This technique creates dark circles where the cups where placed, and often times my co-workers joke that it looks like I got attacked by an octopus, but I don’t mind, because cupping works miracles for me!

Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.
Myself after cupping. (Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.)

When my calves or hamstrings are hurting, I’ve undergone a technique
called “dry needling”. This is a process similar to acupuncture, but a little more invasive, because the needle is inserted into the skin and muscle. Sometimes, the sensation of the needle hitting a trigger point makes me almost jump off the table, but the certified physical therapists are quick and efficient. At times I’ll be a little sore the next day, but the overall result pays off with lasting relief in the areas that have been targeted.

Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.
Ice bucket. (Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.)

My favorite treatment, of course, is a massage – but not one of those gentle, relaxing, soft-music-playing-in-the-background kinds. I find that deep tissue massage is the best to help release knots and improve circulation. In contrast, my least favorite treatment is the ice bucket. Although it is effective, I tend to hold off on using this treatment until I can no longer stuff my swollen feet into my pointe shoes (Nutcracker season is often the culprit). Everyone has a different pain tolerance, but it’s important to not just push through the pain. Instead of continuing to torture my body, I’ve learned how important it is to deal with pain intentionally, and to find specific and effective ways to care for myself.

Personal vs Professional Life

Another challenge I face as a dancer is separating my work from my personal life. Although I’m passionate about dancing, I’m normally in the studio eight hours a day, five days a week, and I feel it’s important to focus on other interests and activities once work is completed for the day. To tackle this challenge, my roommate (also a dancer with The Joffrey Ballet) and I came up with some “house rules”.

First, we are intentional about limiting talk about work when we’re at home, and we also make sure to leave “work duties” at work – that means no bringing pointe shoes home to sew! Instead, we focus our attention on other aspects of our lives. For example, we try new recipes and often cook together, and instead of watching dance-related videos, we might turn to Netflix for a less-connected escape from reality.

Amber Neumann (my roommate) and I having brunch. Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.
Amber Neumann (my roommate) and I having brunch. (Photo courtesy of Cara Marie Gary.)

We both enjoy art in other forms and have unashamedly bought into the growing phenomenon of the therapeutic adult coloring books, and I sometimes paint while my roommate designs and sews clothing for herself and others. I also enjoy crocheting, (I usually have a project or two going at a time), and on weekends I like to add brunch or a Bikram yoga class to the mix. As dancers, it’s important to recognize that we work in a very unique artistic bubble, and I’ve found that it’s healthy (and fun!) to develop boundaries and a balance between my work and my personal life.

Adapting To Change

A final challenge I face as a dancer is learning to adapt to change. I’ve found that it’s necessary to be versatile in all aspects of what my job demands. The beautiful thing about our art form is that it is constantly evolving, and dancers often have to learn to adapt to new choreography and styles as ballet and dance continue to push boundaries. It’s important to not be timid and learn to be bold when exploring new styles of movement. l try to watch and learn from fellow artists and apply corrections from ballet masters and choreographers, and I’ve found it always goes a long way to be polite and respectful to the people surrounding you as you learn together.

Dancers also have to adapt to occasional disappointments at work. Like any other job, there will be good days and bad days. Sometimes you show up to work and feel great when you’re completely on your leg and feel like you’ve had some really productive rehearsals or successful performances. Other days you might deal with situations like dealing with a painful ache, experiencing unwanted casting changes, or not seeing your name next to a desired role. I think it’s important to avoid focusing on the drama or negative feelings on those bad days. Instead, it’s important to open up your horizons to inspiration not only in the workplace, but also outside of that “ballet bubble”. That could be through studying something new, getting involved in organizations about an issue or community that matters to you, or simply getting out in your city and appreciating what makes the world around you unique.

As humans, we’re often creatures of habit and resist change, but I’ve come to realize that change is the only constant in life. Accepting this fact and learning to move forward has been an ongoing task, and I find that I deal with this challenge most successfully by choosing to adapt and learn from each experience.

Though the challenges that I now face as a professional dancer are different than my days as a young student, pursuing this career has certainly always kept me pushing myself to learn and improve in new settings and environments. Since the opportunity to dance as a career has become my daily reality, I’ve learned that challenges will always keep coming, but life is too short to not enjoy each moment. I challenge aspiring dancers to not be discouraged by the challenges they face, but to find something positive in every day, and use that determined perspective to keep moving toward their goals.


Cara Marie Gary
Joffrey Ballet dancer Cara Marie Gary

Contributor Cara Marie Gary is a native of Belton, South Carolina. She joined The Joffrey Ballet in July 2012. Prior to joining The Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Gary danced with American Ballet Theatre’s ABTII and was an apprentice with Orlando Ballet. Ms. Gary began her formal ballet training at International Ballet Academy in Greer, South Carolina, under Hennadii Bespechnyi and Vlada Kvsselova. Ms. Gary received additional training at summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Brianskv Saratoga Ballet Center, Ukrainian Academy of Dance South Carolina Governors School, Ballet Spartanburg, and Chautauqua Institution. Ms. Gary graduated with honors from Belton-Honea Path High School and is currently pursuing a Business Administration degree online through North Greenville University.

In 2010, Ms. Gary was a competitor in the IX USA International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Mississippi. She was a top twelve finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix National Finals in 2008 and 2009. She also received the overall Grand Prix Award in the 2009 YAGP regional semi-finals. In 2006, she was awarded a Diploma of Laureate at the VI Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition held in Kiev, Ukraine.

Ms. Gary has had the opportunity to tour throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Gary has performed the title role in classical ballets such as The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Don Quixote, Paquita, Markitanka pas de six, and Coppelia. Her repertoire with ABT II includes roles in the Flame of Paris pas de deux, Jerome Robbins’ Interplay, Antony Tudor’s Continuo, George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante and Stars and Stripes pas de deux, Jessica Lang’s Vivace Motifs, Roger Vanfleteren’s Pavlovsk, Jodi Gate’s A Taste of Sweet Velvet, Aszure Barton’s Barbara, and Edward Liang’s Ballo Per Sei. Ms. Gary has performed roles in new choreography by Robert Hill. Her repertoire with Orlando Ballet also consists of Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake.

Filed Under: 4dancers, Career Tagged With: advice for dancers, ballet student, cara marie gary, dance career, dance challenges, joffrey ballet, professional dancer, The Joffey Ballet, young dancer

Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”: Revisiting and Reimagining

April 6, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

By Samantha Hope Galler

Samantha in Balanchine’s "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with Boston Ballet in 2006.
Samantha in Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Boston Ballet in 2006.

“If you will patiently dance in our round

And see our moonlight revels, go with us.”

-Titania

In 1962, New York City Ballet premiered George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, based on Shakespeare’s comedy of love and magic. I remember thinking how ingenious this ballet was the first time I saw it.

I first became involved with the classic love story while training with Boston Ballet. At age 16, I performed as a hound dog, a member of the court, and an epilogue fairy. Needless to say, it was an exciting and eye-opening experience. Also, it was my first time working with Boston Ballet.

Now, 10 years later, I am revisiting A Midsummer Night’s Dream in my professional career. This time, I have been given the opportunity to learn a variety of roles, including Hermia, Act II Divertissement, and Fairies.

Samantha (left) as a Hound Dog in 2006 with Boston Ballet.
Samantha (left) as a Hound Dog in 2006 with Boston Ballet.

The ballet was set in June 2015 by Sandra Jennings. Since then, we have been coached on various sections of the production. As the performances approached, Sandra put the final touches on the show before it opened in March.

Along with revisiting the ballet, I am also revisiting working with Sandra Jennings. When I first performed the production with Boston Ballet, Sandra was staging it. At the time, I was training with Sandra’s mom, Jacqueline Cronsberg, and continued to work with her for many years. It has been a rare opportunity to work with both of them in my career.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

–  Lysander to Hermia

Samantha dancing Hermia for Miami City Ballet, photo by Daniel Azoulay.
Samantha dancing Hermia for Miami City Ballet, photo by Daniel Azoulay.

During the staging process, I spent time reading Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream so I understood the characters on a deeper level. Most importantly, I learned that Shakespearian comedy is different from modern-day comedy. Shakespeare’s comedies are stories with happy endings–their main purpose isn’t to make the audience laugh, although they often contain many incidents of humor.

Once rehearsals started, I was able to shape the characters by what I read, especially Hermia. MCB Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez, who danced the role of Hermia’s rival Helena during her career, coached Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander along with other characters in the ballet.

Lourdes also brought in playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney to help us act out conversations and misunderstandings between characters. Our narrative is visual, so learning how to lay out a conversation without words for the audience can be tricky. But challenges like these are among the many things that make this art form so rewarding and exciting. I look forward to continuing my journey in A Midsummer Night’s Dream during our final weekend of performances.

Act II Divertissement, photo by Daniel Azoulay.
Act II Divertissement, photo by Daniel Azoulay.

Never harm

Nor spell nor charm

Come our lovely lady night.

So good night, with lullaby.

–    Fairies’ song


Miami City Ballet’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale from April 9-10, 2016.


 

Filed Under: 4dancers, Career Tagged With: a midsummer night's dream, balanchine, Lourdes Lopez, Miami City Ballet, Samantha Hope Galler, Shakespeare

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