Hi Jasmine, thank you for sharing this! 💙 I am a professional dancer working in Germany and during my journey, I have been dancing from 11 until now (28), I witnessed, to some extent, similar stories to what you explained in the video, you touched so many important topics that should be addressed in the "ballet world" . I respect the fact that you were so genuine and transparent with your experience.. I hope the video helps somebody out there to ask for help and to make the best choices for their own health. Giulia 🌟
Hi, I’m a teen ballet dancer (14) who also started ballet at 11, almost 12. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina but sometimes I feel like I started too late and I’m behind, especially on pointe since I’ve only been doing it for two years. Can you share some tips on how you became a professional ballet dancer after starting at 11? It would be really helpful, thanks! 😊
@@Isaakmt Hi Alexa, you are perfectly on time, I have many colleagues that started at 11 yrs! I started pointe at 12, of course at first I also had the feeling that I was behind, especially if i compared myself to dancers doing competitions, but keep working, surround yourself with good teachers and observe your friends and learn from them. Trust yourself, you have still lots to learn. Btw in the future I am planning to post pointe shoes related videos in my Channel, they might be helpful for you :)
Wow. Thank you for being so vulnerable and encouraging. My story is a little different. I was born in a country where the whole Kardashian body was always celebrated. Needless to say, I started as a hyper active/flexible/mobile child who’d climb the furniture, the walls, the trees and contort my body just because I could… my parents realized that maybe pre ballet/gymnastics could be an outlet for all of that. I was also bullied for being too skinny, gangly, all arms and legs - they called me the spider 🕷️. Once I was 9, I was already in love with ballet and got to go to Moscow for formal training. I couldn’t believe that my undesirable body was perfect for what became my career and dream. I had a great coach who worked with me and is like a second mother to me. She’s tough but kind and her approach to improving my petit allegro (my one nemesis!😂 I’m meant to fly and do grand adagio) has always been to give me a role that involved that (think Diamond Fairy, 1st Odalisque etc). She also made me be completely even in all aspects: I’m a natural lefty but by God because of her encouragement and persistence I became a rare balanced ballerina! I’m really grateful. I have been working with companies associated with the Bolshoi (including it where I was trained) in a lot of Eastern European and former Soviet Republics. I work with functional training and the exercises taught in the Academy for conditioning to remain injury free. I’m sad to say that I’ve seen how ballet can be detrimental to mental health. When on tour or staying all together with ADs, some of my colleagues have had their food rationed and I have been singled out and praised for being and “allowed”to eat anything because I am naturally thin. This has made me isolated myself because of the natural competition in our art. I love it and all my coaches and teachers and directors. Спасибо большое, Елена и Миша ! Я люблю вас двоих 🇵🇹🇧🇷🇺🇦🇷🇺🇷🇴🩰🫶🏻 19:26
Thank you for sharing. I think the experience of ballet going from being the thing that gives you the most joy to turning into something that is negative and even harmful is not talked about enough. I’ve experienced it and I know quite a few of my old dance friends did too. One of them who teaches told me the other week she never plays “ballet” music for her classes she always uses modern music because of anxiety and the negative feelings that music brings
Jasmine, your story is an example of something I learned long ago. You never want circumstances to affect how you look and feel about something you love. Ballet in your case. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry you lost your dad, and about all the struggles. You made the right choice to leave the part of ballet that wasn't good for you and to keep pursuing it in a healthy way-as a teacher and RUclipsr dancing on your own terms. You have many wonderful people and Elsa and Luna in your life, and you have figured out a lot at a young age. ❤
I’m a 14 year old in a class with 10-11 year olds, it’s hard but I know it happens a lot! I do get embarrassed about it, not all embarrassment is due to my age but because I’m so much taller than them, it’s kinda funny now that I think about it. Thanks for sharing!
Gosh, Jasmine, this was brave of you. Opening up makes us vulnerable , of course, particularly on a platform like this. I am certain that this video will help viewers dealing with similar issues, and I commend you for telling your story in such a frank and responsible way- Kindest regards, Florence.
I love ballet so much, but my body image since getting into it went down a lot. however, your story makes me have hope that I can accomplish victory over it. This video was so thoughtful and kind. Thank you for making it!
I like to appreciate unique looking ballet dancers including myself (since barely anyone in the world naturally has the perfect ballet body😭) and I have learned to not focus on how I look but focus on how much technique and artistry and love I can put into my dancing, so that others can feel good feelings when they see me dance. I hope this advice helps you too because it helped me adore ballet as dance again and not about how my body looks whilst doing it❤❤❤
Happened across your postings and... well done. To bravely open up as you have. I have no doubt you will have reached some people and in different disciplines. Super good, what you have posted. Side note... I got in to dance, ballet due to a sports injury. Loved it. Worked to very high levels and ended up on B-dwy, but the same reason I got into ballet and dance was the same reason I had to step away. Exceedingly hard... to this day. Anywayz... you will reach many with your video. Wonderful.
Amazing, thank you for sharing such intimate parts of your life, truly an inspiration! Love these types of videos where we get a chance to get to know you!
You don't have to get into it. I know exactly what you mean. I wasn't a professional but my body wasn't good enough either and I ended having to go for treatment for anorexia and bulimia. I am going to get back into dance soon. I had the same exact fracture. I could barely walk and went through hell trying to get help. They kept telling me nothing was wrong with me. Ended up getting emergency surgery. It was barely hanging on because they took 5 months to find it. If I had fallen one more time, my femur bone would've been sticking out of my leg. I have a plate, 6 screws, and a plunger for replacement parts so that I could walk normal again. Had to learn how to walk again. I'm hoping this doesn't stop me from being able to do ballet or pointe 😢
Oh, that Mavis…. I’m editing after watching a few of your older vids. Wow, Jasmine. I cannot believe your story. So, I’m Romanian. I left Romania in 1989 and came to Canada and continued my ballet training at NBS. So, the reverse of your story. I basically grew up at the Bucharest Opera (I was in the same year as Laura Blica). Then from grade 10 onwards I trained at the NBS. I danced professionally in the US after graduation but like you, left the profession fairly quickly. And I was much happier from then onwards. Wishing you well always.
@@JasmineMcDonald things at NBS improved significantly in the early to mid 2000s when Vaganova was adopted and the relationship with the NBOC was revived. This is credit to Mavis of course, though without those elements I know the student experience would have been different. The love your channel and your love for ballet.
A lot of 14 year olds would have quit if they were made to go to class with 9 year olds. You really must have been dedicated. I can't believe a company withheld your wages because they were broke, that's not normal is it.
I really enjoyed your video but I have to be honest I'm not sure you have the personality type to remain a great ballerina, you seem too much of a thinker, too analytical perhaps, note how you went into a spiral just because one director made a nasty comment. Ballet is really going to suffer with the coming generations with our constant obsessions with inclusion and mental health. We have to remember what ballet is. It is a superficial art that is meant to showcase beauty and grace so as hard as is to say some people will never look good doing ballet and we shouldn't lie about that. Yes all bodies can dance but a proffesional dancer needs a certain body type and that's OK. I think we all need to toughen up a bit and grow a thicker skin because if we keep catering to this victim mentality we will end up with second rate dancers. Ballet has always been toxic and the truth of the matter is it needs to be. Not everyone responds to the softly softly approach. The greatest ballerinas need and respond to that pressure. Anyhow I'm not a ballet dancer, just a youtube expert lol, so I could be wrong, that's just my two cents. Thank you for sharing. I love your channel.
@@deanna5280 I didn't quiet say that. But yes they do. In order for ballerinas to do pointe work safely they have to go through years of suffering building up callouses and what not. I'm more talking about how diversity and inclusion is making things silly. We all know deep down what a ballerinas body is meant to look like and yes it's easy to say that a ballerinas body can look like anything but nobody is paying £350 for a box at the Royal Ballet to watch someone wobble and shake the stage floor when they land. Ballet is a traditional art and progressivness just doesn't go well with tradiotionalism. Also we don't want all teachers to just be text book, all singing from the same hymm sheet pretending to be nice. The best teachers are real and unfortunately some of them can be a little insensitive but even still they get results. Anyhow I'm going to stop talking lol.
@@EvidentlyFire neither do audiences want to see a dancer faint on stage because they haven't eaten or get horrific injuries and have to stop dancing because they have no muscle mass. literally no one is talking about obese dancers we're talking about not requiring dancers to be walking skeletons or go through horrific mental health struggles. I think dancers know what suffering and discipline is required to dance and what is excessive and actually hurts our dancing better than you 🤔
@@EvidentlyFire dancer here to say that a toxic atmosphere that damages dancers' mental and physical health does not make better dancers. A mean teacher does not equal a good teacher/one with better results, nor does a kind teacher equal a bad/soft/second-rate teacher. (And pointe work doesn't require years of suffering - you'll get less suffering, fewer injuries, and better results with proper preparation, well-fitted shoes, and a systematic increase in training load as the body adjusts.) As a dancer, it's disturbing to me that you call yourself a ballet fan while advocating for ballet to be toxic and abusive to its practitioners.
Consider not doing make up when you’re doing a video unless you’re doing a make up video. Consider honestly speaking to the camera -you know, sincerely. You have a very nice manner but when you do make up, it gives me the impression that I would rather not listen to you until I have your full attention. Because if you have better things to do than talk to me, I have better things to do than to listen to you. It’s just a perspective -think about it. Thanks.
Hi Jasmine, thank you for sharing this! 💙 I am a professional dancer working in Germany and during my journey, I have been dancing from 11 until now (28), I witnessed, to some extent, similar stories to what you explained in the video, you touched so many important topics that should be addressed in the "ballet world" . I respect the fact that you were so genuine and transparent with your experience.. I hope the video helps somebody out there to ask for help and to make the best choices for their own health. Giulia 🌟
Hi, I’m a teen ballet dancer (14) who also started ballet at 11, almost 12. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina but sometimes I feel like I started too late and I’m behind, especially on pointe since I’ve only been doing it for two years. Can you share some tips on how you became a professional ballet dancer after starting at 11? It would be really helpful, thanks! 😊
@@Isaakmt Hi Alexa, you are perfectly on time, I have many colleagues that started at 11 yrs! I started pointe at 12, of course at first I also had the feeling that I was behind, especially if i compared myself to dancers doing competitions, but keep working, surround yourself with good teachers and observe your friends and learn from them. Trust yourself, you have still lots to learn.
Btw in the future I am planning to post pointe shoes related videos in my Channel, they might be helpful for you :)
@@giuliadianafrosi Thanks
Wow. Thank you for being so vulnerable and encouraging. My story is a little different. I was born in a country where the whole Kardashian body was always celebrated. Needless to say, I started as a hyper active/flexible/mobile child who’d climb the furniture, the walls, the trees and contort my body just because I could… my parents realized that maybe pre ballet/gymnastics could be an outlet for all of that. I was also bullied for being too skinny, gangly, all arms and legs - they called me the spider 🕷️.
Once I was 9, I was already in love with ballet and got to go to Moscow for formal training. I couldn’t believe that my undesirable body was perfect for what became my career and dream. I had a great coach who worked with me and is like a second mother to me. She’s tough but kind and her approach to improving my petit allegro (my one nemesis!😂 I’m meant to fly and do grand adagio) has always been to give me a role that involved that (think Diamond Fairy, 1st Odalisque etc). She also made me be completely even in all aspects: I’m a natural lefty but by God because of her encouragement and persistence I became a rare balanced ballerina! I’m really grateful. I have been working with companies associated with the Bolshoi (including it where I was trained) in a lot of Eastern European and former Soviet Republics. I work with functional training and the exercises taught in the Academy for conditioning to remain injury free. I’m sad to say that I’ve seen how ballet can be detrimental to mental health. When on tour or staying all together with ADs, some of my colleagues have had their food rationed and I have been singled out and praised for being and “allowed”to eat anything because I am naturally thin. This has made me isolated myself because of the natural competition in our art. I love it and all my coaches and teachers and directors. Спасибо большое, Елена и Миша ! Я люблю вас двоих 🇵🇹🇧🇷🇺🇦🇷🇺🇷🇴🩰🫶🏻 19:26
Thank you for sharing. I think the experience of ballet going from being the thing that gives you the most joy to turning into something that is negative and even harmful is not talked about enough. I’ve experienced it and I know quite a few of my old dance friends did too. One of them who teaches told me the other week she never plays “ballet” music for her classes she always uses modern music because of anxiety and the negative feelings that music brings
Jasmine, your story is an example of something I learned long ago. You never want circumstances to affect how you look and feel about something you love. Ballet in your case. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry you lost your dad, and about all the struggles. You made the right choice to leave the part of ballet that wasn't good for you and to keep pursuing it in a healthy way-as a teacher and RUclipsr dancing on your own terms. You have many wonderful people and Elsa and Luna in your life, and you have figured out a lot at a young age. ❤
I’m a 14 year old in a class with 10-11 year olds, it’s hard but I know it happens a lot! I do get embarrassed about it, not all embarrassment is due to my age but because I’m so much taller than them, it’s kinda funny now that I think about it. Thanks for sharing!
Such a thoughtful, helpful video for anyone that might be going through some of the same struggles. Blessings to you Jasmine!
Thank you so much!
As long as you have love of ballet and you are into it one way or another, you are blessed.
Gosh, Jasmine, this was brave of you. Opening up makes us vulnerable , of course, particularly on a platform like this.
I am certain that this video will help viewers dealing with similar issues, and I commend you for telling your story in such a frank and responsible way- Kindest regards, Florence.
I love your page! Its beautiful hearing your thoughts and what you experienced there .. as well your path , I love your page 💕
I love ballet so much, but my body image since getting into it went down a lot. however, your story makes me have hope that I can accomplish victory over it. This video was so thoughtful and kind. Thank you for making it!
I like to appreciate unique looking ballet dancers including myself (since barely anyone in the world naturally has the perfect ballet body😭) and I have learned to not focus on how I look but focus on how much technique and artistry and love I can put into my dancing, so that others can feel good feelings when they see me dance. I hope this advice helps you too because it helped me adore ballet as dance again and not about how my body looks whilst doing it❤❤❤
Happened across your postings and... well done. To bravely open up as you have. I have no doubt you will have reached some people and in different disciplines. Super good, what you have posted. Side note... I got in to dance, ballet due to a sports injury. Loved it. Worked to very high levels and ended up on B-dwy, but the same reason I got into ballet and dance was the same reason I had to step away. Exceedingly hard... to this day. Anywayz... you will reach many with your video. Wonderful.
I am so proud of you. This made my eyes water 😢
Amazing, thank you for sharing such intimate parts of your life, truly an inspiration! Love these types of videos where we get a chance to get to know you!
You don't have to get into it. I know exactly what you mean. I wasn't a professional but my body wasn't good enough either and I ended having to go for treatment for anorexia and bulimia. I am going to get back into dance soon. I had the same exact fracture. I could barely walk and went through hell trying to get help. They kept telling me nothing was wrong with me. Ended up getting emergency surgery. It was barely hanging on because they took 5 months to find it. If I had fallen one more time, my femur bone would've been sticking out of my leg. I have a plate, 6 screws, and a plunger for replacement parts so that I could walk normal again. Had to learn how to walk again. I'm hoping this doesn't stop me from being able to do ballet or pointe 😢
Oh, that Mavis….
I’m editing after watching a few of your older vids. Wow, Jasmine. I cannot believe your story. So, I’m Romanian. I left Romania in 1989 and came to Canada and continued my ballet training at NBS. So, the reverse of your story. I basically grew up at the Bucharest Opera (I was in the same year as Laura Blica). Then from grade 10 onwards I trained at the NBS. I danced professionally in the US after graduation but like you, left the profession fairly quickly. And I was much happier from then onwards. Wishing you well always.
I had a GREAT experience at NBS, I loved ALL of my teachers ! And so cool how our paths are parallel but opposite! Wishing you the best :)
@@JasmineMcDonald things at NBS improved significantly in the early to mid 2000s when Vaganova was adopted and the relationship with the NBOC was revived. This is credit to Mavis of course, though without those elements I know the student experience would have been different. The love your channel and your love for ballet.
You are awesome, beautiful, and talented. Keep on keepin on❤
When you said "calcaneous" I was like "gurl what?" 😅 Thank you for defining that!
Your makeup is really beautiful!
You should consider getting back into being a Ballerina someday
A lot of 14 year olds would have quit if they were made to go to class with 9 year olds. You really must have been dedicated. I can't believe a company withheld your wages because they were broke, that's not normal is it.
🙏✨🙃👏🖐🌻
I really enjoyed your video but I have to be honest I'm not sure you have the personality type to remain a great ballerina, you seem too much of a thinker, too analytical perhaps, note how you went into a spiral just because one director made a nasty comment. Ballet is really going to suffer with the coming generations with our constant obsessions with inclusion and mental health. We have to remember what ballet is. It is a superficial art that is meant to showcase beauty and grace so as hard as is to say some people will never look good doing ballet and we shouldn't lie about that. Yes all bodies can dance but a proffesional dancer needs a certain body type and that's OK. I think we all need to toughen up a bit and grow a thicker skin because if we keep catering to this victim mentality we will end up with second rate dancers. Ballet has always been toxic and the truth of the matter is it needs to be. Not everyone responds to the softly softly approach. The greatest ballerinas need and respond to that pressure. Anyhow I'm not a ballet dancer, just a youtube expert lol, so I could be wrong, that's just my two cents. Thank you for sharing. I love your channel.
"I'm not a dancer but in my expert opinion other people need to suffer"
@@deanna5280 I didn't quiet say that. But yes they do. In order for ballerinas to do pointe work safely they have to go through years of suffering building up callouses and what not. I'm more talking about how diversity and inclusion is making things silly. We all know deep down what a ballerinas body is meant to look like and yes it's easy to say that a ballerinas body can look like anything but nobody is paying £350 for a box at the Royal Ballet to watch someone wobble and shake the stage floor when they land. Ballet is a traditional art and progressivness just doesn't go well with tradiotionalism. Also we don't want all teachers to just be text book, all singing from the same hymm sheet pretending to be nice. The best teachers are real and unfortunately some of them can be a little insensitive but even still they get results. Anyhow I'm going to stop talking lol.
@@EvidentlyFire neither do audiences want to see a dancer faint on stage because they haven't eaten or get horrific injuries and have to stop dancing because they have no muscle mass. literally no one is talking about obese dancers we're talking about not requiring dancers to be walking skeletons or go through horrific mental health struggles. I think dancers know what suffering and discipline is required to dance and what is excessive and actually hurts our dancing better than you 🤔
@@deanna5280 possibly, maybe a dancer will come into the thread and put me right. I said I might be wrong. It's just my observation as a ballet fan.
@@EvidentlyFire dancer here to say that a toxic atmosphere that damages dancers' mental and physical health does not make better dancers. A mean teacher does not equal a good teacher/one with better results, nor does a kind teacher equal a bad/soft/second-rate teacher. (And pointe work doesn't require years of suffering - you'll get less suffering, fewer injuries, and better results with proper preparation, well-fitted shoes, and a systematic increase in training load as the body adjusts.) As a dancer, it's disturbing to me that you call yourself a ballet fan while advocating for ballet to be toxic and abusive to its practitioners.
Consider not doing make up when you’re doing a video unless you’re doing a make up video. Consider honestly speaking to the camera -you know, sincerely. You have a very nice manner but when you do make up, it gives me the impression that I would rather not listen to you until I have your full attention. Because if you have better things to do than talk to me, I have better things to do than to listen to you. It’s just a perspective -think about it. Thanks.
This style of video is very popular. I think that this is a you problem.
Definitely a you problem
Disagree
Thank you for sharing that with us🩷