Today’s quote from the visionary Martha Graham reminds us that an essential element of being a dancer is the ability to share your passion and love for dance with others.

Even though we love to discuss the importance of technique (every day, and especially on #TechniqueThursday!), it’s only the foundation which ballet is built on and it’s just one part of being a dancer. What makes ballet extraordinary is the element that comes from the heart. Think back to the first time you ever saw a ballet performance. You probably didn’t notice there was precise technique involved without knowing the names of steps or the difficulty that goes into achieving each movement. Maybe you were amazed by how much passion each dancer put into their performance, and the joy that came through onstage, and you recognized artists who truly love what they do. If you’ve ever left a theater in awe and inspired to add something more to your own dancing, then you know there’s nothing quite like seeing true passion for ballet radiate in a dancer’s performance. Sharing that feeling onstage is the reason a lot of dancers choose to dedicate their time and hard work to ballet. 

If you love what you do, that passion will shine through in your dancing. And you don’t need to wait to be onstage- it can start from your first plié of the day. This week, remember the first time you were inspired by someone who showed their passion for dancing through their performance, and try to bring that feeling to each moment you spend in the studio. Ballet isn’t just a series of steps and technique, it’s the emotion behind it that makes it special and connects with the audience. You just might even inspire someone to begin dancing for the first time so they can experience the joy of it for themselves, too!