a Ballet Education A Ballet Education ISSUE 12 | Page 8

L E T T E R
F R O M
T H E
E D I T O R
ISOBEL ROSE LEHMAN
PHOTO BY LISBET PHOTOGRAPHY
You don't get very many chances in ballet, so that builds an extreme amount
of pressure on young students and families alike. The pressure on teachers
has grown as well, as more and more families are demanding quicker and
stronger results. I like to call it the crazy monster that comes out in all of us.
From the constant fear of overtraining or undertraining, the pressure to win
at a competition, the exposure of Instagram along with the endorsements,
and the never-ending self-competition to be better. Yes, it is the crazy
monster. Add the pressures of body type and style; you are in for a whole
lot of crazy. If you aren't from a ballet family, it can be overwhelming and
daunting, this prolonged process. You don't know if you are making the
right decisions for your child, and you don't know what is going to happen.
A lot of families are merely just navigating day by day. In a recent
conversation with a mom I have recently met through my travels, I was
reminded, that at the end of the day, we aren't just preparing dancers, but
we are preparing humans to go out in the real world and survive.
It is no secret that many of my students are star-studded instafamous
children. But, what people don't see are the hours and effort that these kids
are putting in every day. These kids are still just kids, and in between ballet
classes, private lessons, and rehearsals they are playing on their phones,
talking to each other, and laughing. Things you don't see on the gram. Not
to mention, that Instagram isn't the end all be all, it is just another tool to be
seen by school directors and artistic directors.
Finally, after a huge fiasco, moving across the country... again, and being
homeless at the moment living out of a suitcase at a very questionable
hotel, I find myself missing half of my belongings, and dealing with
packages held in Charleston at an address I no longer live at, and that I have
to be there in person to deal with. All of this happening while I am teaching
at Summer Courses around the US. But, it is a pleasure to watch this issue
come to life and see the most wonderful of people come together to help
curate this issue. Specifically, Hee Seo and the cooperation of the YAGP.