Today, our regular guest blogger Will lets us into his life as a dancer.

Will is a college student who recently joined the dance world. He is currently taking ballet (his favorite dance class) and swing dance, and hopes to explore tap in the future. By dancing and blogging, he hopes to encourage others to dance and share their experiences.

Why I think ballet is awesome and beautiful:

Ballet is the most beautiful performing art I have ever seen. The human form is glorified and exemplified. The synchronization of music and dance, plus the graceful and elegant forms in ballet take my breath away.

Why I decided to try ballet:

I always wanted to. In particular, I saw a video of Polina Semionova dancing, and she looked as if she was

having the most fun anyone could ever have. It took a few months, but I managed to get to an adult drop-in class (an excellent way to get started!) After that first class, I have been totally hooked.

Why I like to dance, and why I like to dance ballet:

Ballet is freedom, plain and simple. I get to dance, move, and express myself. At the same time, there is a freedom and a structure to it. Dancing in front of a mirror, trying to perfect each movement, is a zen experience. I may be wearing tights, and I may look silly leaping across the studio floor by myself as the only guy, but I am too busy dancing to care. For that matter, so is everyone else. All that matters is the dance, and each dancer works toward personal perfection.

Favorite ballet step?

I am a fan of plies and tendus. They are some of the most basic steps in the Vaganova method, and they require a great deal of concentration to perfect.  As you perform each repetition, you can feel improvement. Also, I love doing partner work. My class has only done basic lifts, but it is a great experience to synchronize with your partner and work together to be the best you can.

Least favorite ballet step?

I have many, many problems with turns. We recently started doing spot turns, and I have never felt so ill in my life. That said, there’s clearly room for improvement.

Where I see myself going in the future with dance:

I intend to take dance, and ballet especially, until I am too old, infirm, and senile to dance. This semester I am also taking swing dance lessons. The swing dancing group goes social dancing once a week in the city, which is a great way to meet other dancers and improve your dancing skills. Next semester I might try tap dance with a few of my friends.

Speaking of swing dance…

Swing dance is a great dance form! Swing dance is social dancing, so it emphasizes working with a partner. I enjoy going to swing class to dance with my friends in a relaxed environment. Plus, I love big band music, and you can’t swing dance without it. My class is Lindyhop, but there are tons of different styles, so try them out and see what you like.

Favorite swing step?

My favorite swing step is probably the swing out. Swing outs can include all different kinds of elements, and they are the foundation of swing dancing.

Least favorite swing step?

I don’t have one yet, because I haven’t had time to learn many.

Image Sources:

• "Interview" by smiling_da_vinci on Flickr
• "Pas de deux" by dalbera on Flickr