Why I Quit Dancing Ballet Professionally
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- In this video, I want to share my story with you about why I stopped dancing ballet professionally. I talk about the fear of leaving ballet after dancing for 20 years, the fear of losing the identity of being a ballerina, the fact that I struggled with depression, nihilism, and chronic back pain in the last years but also just overall thoughts about the ballet industry as a whole.
As much as this video was hard to make, I hope this video helps someone out there make a big career or life decision. Thank you for watching and for your continuous support!
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 INTRODUCTION
02:54 MY STORY - Careers, Dreams, Depression, Back Pain 私の経験 - キャリア、夢、うつ病、腰痛
10:09 WHY WE WORK - MONEY 私たちが働く理由 - お金
12:11 WHY WE WORK - PASSION 私たちが働く理由 - 情熱
13:55 WHY WE WORK - HELPING PEOPLE 私たちが働く理由 - 人々を助ける
16:40 WHY WE WORK - PURPOSE 私たちが働く理由 - 目的
18:28 WHY WE WORK - STATUS 私たちが働く理由 - ステータス
20:36 MY STRUGGLES - HOW TO LET GO OF YOUR ATTACHMENTS 執着を手放す方法
23:41 REGRETS 後悔
24:24 EXPOSING MY DIARY 日記公開
26:13 THANK YOU ありがとう
🙋♀️ABOUT SAYAKA WAKITA
Born and raised in Japan, Sayaka studied ballet in Canada and Belgium. Afterward, she danced as a principal and soloist ballerina in more than 30 countries, including Germany and Russia. In 2023, she graduated with honors from Harvard University and is currently an entrepreneur.
🌸脇田紗也加
愛知県生まれ。カナダ、ベルギー•アントワープ王立バレエ学校卒業後、ドイツ・ドルトムント国立バレエ団やロシアを初めとする、３０ヶ国以上でプリンシパル兼ソリスト・バレエダンサーとして活動をする。2013年に米国ハーバード大学を成績優秀者として卒業。現在は起業家、大学講師として様々な活動をしている。
REFERENCES
Simonton, D. K. (1991). Creative Productivity Through the Adult Years. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 15(2), 13-16. www.jstor.org/stable/44877717
CONNECT WITH ME
💻 Website/Newsletter - www.sayakawakita.com/
📸 Instagram - / sayaka_wakita
🐦 Twitter - / sayakawakita
❤️ RUclips - / sayakawakita
📸 PRINTS FOR SALE - www.sayakawakita.com/prints
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🤩Transcript in the link below🗒 英語の台本が欲しい方はこちらからどうぞ！➡
www.sayakawakita.com/articles/why-i-quit-dancing-ballet-professionally
I danced in s small ballet company and also did some freelance work. Without listing the bullet points you beautifully articulated, they were almost identical to what you stated and at the same age. The opportunity cost of not having a solid education played a big role in leaving the art form. I received my undergraduate degree and also went on to Harvard for graduate work. At age 70 my passion for dance has never left me. I am currently teaching adult classes at a conservatory and find it so rewarding and fulfilling. I also continue to enrich my life by attending performances of major and not so major companies, read extensively about dance and music history and about anatomy and physiology. I loved and appreciated your story and am so happy you are living a fulfilling life. As it was sung in the wonderful musical, A Chorus Line, the gift was ours to borrow.
Thank you for this beautiful comment! I'm so happy that my story resonates with you and even happier to have someone who went through the same pathway, even the same school! I respect that you made your decision back then but also chose to remain active in the dance world☺️ I hope you're happy. Best of luck xx🥰
I think you eloquently summarized what every performing artist experiences. Whether it’s dance, acting or my case, musical theater, there comes a time when the investment, risks and efforts are no longer worth the small reward. Letting go is incredibly difficult. I still have days when I cry about the identity shift. However, doing nothing to secure your future will absolutely make the pain worse. Not to mention, there is nothing sadder than holding on for too long. I am really proud of you! Thank you for sharing your story!
Absolutely! From the very beginning, I did not want to be that dancer who clinged onto ballet, not knowing when it was time to leave. You put it in such a beautiful way. The investment, risks, and efforts are no longer worth the small reward. I'm glad my video resonates. Identity shifts take a while to adjust. Take care❤️
Life gets better...I was also a professional dancer. The pain part really killed me. I left the company I was dancing at the time, did a yoga teacher training and became a Yoga teacher. After I went back to university at 30 years old, got a bachelor and master degree in psychology and specialized in somatic psychology. I'm way more happy now. Trust your decision. When I look back, it was not my purpose for life to be a professional dancer. The answers come with time. Dance made complete sense for a period of time. It is very important to confront our decisions in life. You were brave! Good luck and trust the new paths that will open to you.
Thanks so much for your comment! I'm glad to hear that you're much happier now that you've quit dancing and explored so many different fields! Life is long and we should stay true to ourselves ☺️🙏
Being a yoga teacher is so cool
I have started learning ballet as a hobby in my middle age from this spring . While watching ballet practice videos, your video came across to me by an algorithm.
As you said nothing is permeant in life. I am sorry that you had to stop dance earlier due to the pain but it seems like you have an ability to do other career related to ballet or performance. Pursuing just one career is good but trying different career in life is challenging and interesting. Adding to the topic of helping others, you can do many ways. If you teach ballet on RUclips. a beginner like me practice ballet with RUclips 😊 In future , If you have a dance studio like my ballet teacher, you help people who want to learn ballet as well or talent donation like free lessons etc.. May your future to be with full of luck and happiness!
Wow I’m glad you’ve found something you truly enjoy now! Can explain a bit about what somatic psychology is, and what you do?
This is incredible... THANK YOU ❤ I've been a professional dancer for 13yrs now, and wanting to get out of the industry for 3 years, and it is so scary to take that jump! Every word you said I can relate to and I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart for being so open about, it's the first video I find on the subject that truly speaks to me and makes me feel less alone 🌹
I'm so happy that my video resonates with what you went through as a professional dancer. You are not alone. Everyone experiences ups and downs, but we rarely hear about what goes on after the glamorous life on stage. Wishing you well🤗
Thank you for sharing us. And i love your how to edit videos!!
Thank you so much for watching and for the compliment!☺️
I love that you are so eloquent and believe to move further with your guts. The honesty and fact that you are able to access all the logics in the desicion is not something just anyone can do! You are very strong. There is a fine line between 'challenge ourself' and knowing the exact limit where we could stop. My late elder brother was a body builder and I wished he made everything mild but it was too late. Sadly, he passed away just when I was barely 14. Now, I do all types of exercise, but only small parts are weight training. I do look good (well it is enough for me) - eventhough I do not even look 'bigger' - I truly have this mental image in my mind that I'd never crossed no matter what. It is better this way.
Thank you for your kindness🙏 I'm beyond sorry to hear what happened. You must miss him a lot. Please continue to prioritize your health and well-being. Live life to your fullest. I wish you well.
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story! ❤
You are so welcome!🥰
Thanks for sharing your story. I am glad that you figured out what you really want and am very proud of you for stepping out from ballet and making a BIG decision in your life. You have very good critical thinking and self-awareness. These assets are essential to help ourselves and others.
Thank you for your kind and supportive words! It means a lot to me🥰🙏
This resonated very much with me! I am 20 years into my veterinary career, and if I could leave it to be a dancer or actor I would do so. It is an uncomfortable feeling when you’ve worked so hard for something and it no longer fulfills you. I’ve been taking dance lessons for the last 10 years and acting classes for a few years. I wish I had more courage and confidence to focus more these artistic pursuits. You are correct how you burn out and your passion changes over time. Thank you for sharing with us!
I'm happy the video resonated with you. Thank you! Please keep enjoying the dance classes ☺️🙏
Awww… thank you for sharing your story. It took a lot of personal courage to explore the reasons for change. Life does move on and if we don’t move with it we will get lost in the past… trying to hang on to what was long after it is gone. So congratulations for embracing your future! Letting go of a temporary identity is very difficult to do… but that identity is ultimately not who we are. Who we are is limitless and timeless. We will continue to evolve and transform if we allow ourselves to. ❤
I'm glad you stopped by! Thanks for watching🥰🙏 you're absolutely right, being true to ourselves at the given moment is the best thing we can do. Cheers❤️
It must take a lot of courage to come out and tell your story. I had experienced the same situation in my career path. I only have the gut to give the advice to some students but still tyr to hide the hardship. Many thanks! All my best wishes!
Thanks so much for your kind comment and for watching!😊🙏 Best wishes to you too☺️
It looks like I just became your 1000th subscriber. I totally understand your story. After beginning at 8, I did nothing but ballet until the pandemic really ended my life as that. I feel so saddened by your story but I want to thank you for sharing your story. I commend you for making this video as I hope it can help more like myself. I am going through a transition now and your testimony inspired me alot and will continue to do so.
Oh I hear you! I'm happy my video resonates with what you went through. Hope you don't regret stopping ballet due to the pandemic. Thank you for sharing and for subscribing😊🙏
Thank you for taking the time to share this. Best wishes in the New Year!
Thank you for your wishes! Best wishes for 2024 to you too!😍🙏
Such a beautiful video. Thank you for sharing your story as a ballet dancer.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for making this video. I can only imagine.
Thank you for your support!!!
バレエ関連の動画から偶然こちらの動画に辿り着きましたが、Sayakaさんの地に足のついた考え方、成熟した態度や勇気に感銘を受けました。きっとどんな道に進まれてもそこでベストを尽くして輝かれる方だと思いました。このお話を動画にしてくれてありがとうございます✨
こんにちは！とても嬉しいお言葉をどうもありがとうございます☺️🙏✨️
Yessssssss...love it! Life is a great journey 😉❤
Absolutely! There are many chapters in life😍 Thank you for watching☺️
I grew up in a family of artists who deeply valued the arts. I chose healthcare instead of dance (not to say I had all the components of a professional dancer-always struggled with choreography). I felt somewhat self-righteous about choosing a helping profession over the arts, and didn’t believe the government should necessarily use taxpayer money for the arts. As I’ve grown older and less physically capable, I find myself wishing I had devoted myself fully to dance. and I’ve grown to believe that the arts and a creative life are nearly the only thing worthwhile, even for people who contribute to society in so many other ways. The arts allow us self expression and bind us together in a unified experience.
That said, I have a lot to learn from you in seeing hard life choices from all sides, and finding a logical path through life transitions.
This is a very interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing! True, art gives us the opportunity to share creativity and express stories and ideas that words can not convey. It is the gift of humanity. Take care of yourself. I wish you well😍🙏
@@SayakaWakita I should add I continued on to do a social dance form, to compete a little as it afforded me the opportunity to do improvisational competition, and even to train to do demanding dance lifts. This I did as an adult while working full time. Thanks again for your perspective.
thank you for talking about this
You're so welcome!
That was very heartfelt. Thank you for that
Glad you enjoyed it!😍🙏
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Very Happy You Have Happiness and Peace.😊❤️
Thank you! Wish you happiness and peace too!🥰✨️
You're awesome. ❤ This video helps me a lot. Thanks for this. ❤
I'm so glad it helped! ❤️
I just am going through this now… thank you so much… this video and your story//insights have perhaps saved me from further heartbreak
I'm glad this video gave you new insights. I wish you well. Please take care☺️🙏
Thank you very much for sharing your story! I think you're lucky to have had the chance of thinking about it and following your happiness elsewhere. I started ballet at 3 years old. It was my whole life during most of my life, up to the day I had a near fatal car accident at the age of 26. Having my career "stolen" from me in a second was the most traumatizing thing I've ever experienced. Not only it took me about 2 years to relearn how to walk and other basic daily living activities, but not having the purpose of my life any longer felt terrifying. Deep in depression, I attempted s*icide and failed. I couldn't think of continuing without ballet. But humans are so resilient, more than they know and here I am today. I studied, went into tech, have a nice job, however I couldn't find fullfillment. in my engineering job. Maybe I am one of the selfish people ... I had to go back to having some kind of hard itraining, mastering a skill only because it fullfills me, and I find it beautiful. I went into figure skating. I know I will never be as successful as a figure skater as I was as a ballerina since I started later in life, but it's become the very center of my life and my new purpose. Nothing makes me as happy as investing my whole life in that single, very specific skill and all that it involves it.
Wow! What a life story. You are strong for overcoming such a major obstacle. I won't go on and pretend like I know how it feels to have to start all over again from nothing. I can just imagine the pain that you had to go through. Thankfully, you seem to be conscientious and are able to live your life meaningfully again. I wish you all the best. Take care🥺❤️ Thanks for stopping by🙏
@@SayakaWakita Wow, thank you so much for your kind words and reply. When I think of these days that I didn't want a single minute more of a life not only not being able to do basic human daily living things, but not able to do what I loved and put all my life into, and look now, I think people who knew me and still know me now keep saying how amazing, but for me it was failing at ending it all, resilience and just plain survival. Didn't die, still alive, then I just did what I had to. I think we are all very resilient. I watched your video and I have HUGE respect for your strenght to make a 180 degree total change in your life and seek your happiness. I don't know you but I do know ballet and by the clips you posted, you looked like a beautiful ballerina and so very talented, working so hard to be successful as any of us in that world did and do. I was taken from this ballet world against my will and simply did what I had to do, but I don't think I would've had strenght such as yours to leave something that was your whole life. Again, HUGE respect and admiration to you ❤
Thank you for sharing this story. It helped me because I felt closure about the fact that my mom didn't let me pursue ballet when I was a teenager. Like you, I wanted to focus on ballet to forget about school bullies, so, when I would have been an adult as a ballerina and the bullies gone into the past, I would also not have meaning in ballet anymore.
You are so welcome. I'm so happy to hear that my video resonates! Thank you for sharing your story. I wish you well x🙏
Thank you, @@SayakaWakita , wishing you well too
So glad you are in a healthy place now. Life is about growing and changing. Tremendous insight and courage on your part!
Thank you so much for your kind words! 😊
Just thank you💖
I was inspired by you‼︎
I'm so glad!🥰✨️
i needed to see this today so badly. thank you ❤
You are so welcome!❤️
I was a professional violinist, trained from age 3, and leaving performance felt very similar for me as well.
Thank you so so so much for sharing. I didn't do ballet, but i competed significantly in ballroom latin.
You articulated everything so well. In particular, opportunity cost is true -- i realised staying in dancing would make me even more unhappy, as i waste my opportunities finding something else to learn and grow in.
I'm glad this video resonates with me and helps me. You mentioned you enjoy feedback and seeing positive impact, so here is my comment, thank you so much for sharing
❣
Aw thanks so much for sharing your feedback! Indeed, it does mean a lot to me to hear that my video resonates with you🥰 All the best🙏
@@SayakaWakita indeed it’s a big world out there. I wish you success, us retired dancers know that all those discipline training is definitely not in vain, still ❤️
A really honest and real video. Thank you.
My pleasure!🙏
You've told your story so well. And you are so right about the "journey". And also that it's okay to shift gears because what we want or the passions we have at age 15 may, or will change over time and that's okay too. The only consistency is change. Thank you for this video and congratulations on your job and hope you're enjoying it.
Absolutely, change is the only consistent thing in life 😊 Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching.
Re the depression and nihilism it sounds like you were caught in a vicious cycle. i hope you're getting help for it because those issues don't just disappear. and you're absolutely right about deriving meaningness from your work. it's something that's kept me alive through the ups and downs for mine.
Absolutely! It was def a toxic cycle. Thank you for watching😊🙏
You're a beautiful ballerina it's a shame to hear you've had bad experiences in the dance community but don't give up on your dreams and please keep dancing❤
Thank you so much🥰🙏
Ahh!! What a journey and story. And, you are still so very young. May good luck go with you!
Thank you! You too!
I had to stop a few times to write in my journal. I'm trying to decide between two "options." I was familiar with the concept of opportunity cost, but not with marginal benefit.... Wow. So clarifying. Many thanks. And sending blessings back to you! Nancy
Thank you! I am glad that my video was insightful😍🙏
I work in healthcare, approaching 60 years of age, and struggling with prospects of having to retire one day. Your story resonated with me. Thank you for sharing.
I'm glad my video resonates with you. Thanks for watching😊🙏
I've watched your dance career for years over social media for years and you were on my list of ballerinas i wanted to work with. I kind of knew something was up when I started seeing less dance updates on your ig and am kind of not surprised you made this decision. While I'm bummed your retirement means we will never work together I am glad that you made the right decision for yourself and are taking steps towards your happiness and your future. All the best Sayaka.
Thank you! That's very nice of you. I'm still doing photoshoots, just not dancing full-time professionally so who knows!?😊 All the best🙏
@@SayakaWakita o i'll reach out on ig then :)
Just wanted to say-I’m so glad you are happy and feel much better now- but I did get to see you as a performer and you were really exceptionally beautiful- if that is meaningful- the audience enjoyed all the work you did. Great you are happier now.
Thank you for your kind comment! ☺️❤️ All the best to you x
Sayaka san, what an amazing story you have shared with us. I like your videos very much because of your generosity and honesty. There’s a lot of things that I feel in same ways as I am a retired dancer as well. Thank you very much for your generosity. 🎉
Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the video and that you can resonate with what I talk about. ☺️
Thank you for sharing your stories, I really appreciate it, I wish you success in whatever path you choose in the future. in the end the most important thing for us is just to follow our heart and do what we like and what our heart wants at the moment. I'm an artist myself so I totally understand what you are saying, hoping the best for us!
Thank you so much for your kind words! ☺️ I'm glad you can resonate with the things I talked about. I wish you all the best in your career too! 😊🙏
I watched the whole video because I got so much pleasure from looking at your beautiful face and hearing the touching story of your difficult journey. We are human beings and not human doings which is a lesson very few of us get to learn and apply. The goal of life is to come to understand who we are and what we want and what we need. Because change is constant our needs change with time. Whatever you do it should fit who you are at the time. If it feels right, do it. I wish you all the best and hope you get more than your fair share of joy and love.
Thanks for your kindness! I'm happy that you enjoyed the video. I agree that understanding who we are is perhaps the most beautiful question and a lesson that few of us get to understand. Wishing you all the best!
I am an 82 year old former college professor of music theory and composition who will be going for open heart surgery next month. My life adventure took a sharp left turn so I won't be playing competitive tennis for the next three months.
@@SayakaWakita
昔のことですが、NYのMartha Graham Schoolを卒業した後しばらくしてダンスを辞めた時のことをありありと思い出しました。I can totally relate to what you are saying... It's a huge transition - mentally, physically and spiritually. Similarly to you, I pursued my academic path after that, getting a master's degree in criminal justice, which gave me a sense of closure in many ways. It was also helpful to me at that time, because the rigor of academia made me a better thinker as a whole, which assisted me to get through the transition. 複雑な気持ちを言葉にしてシェアしてくださった勇気にお礼を言いたいです。Good luck in your new career path!
こんにちは！ご丁寧なコメントをありがとうございます。そう言っていただけるとすごく嬉しいです！Wow, from dancing to a master's degree in criminal justice. That's quite the career transition! I can totally understand that academia helped you think better and hence, make better decisions. Thank you for the inspiring words. I wish you well and happiness. Cheers!
Retired dancer here and father of a professional ballerina-thank you for your thoughts and your story!
Wow, you've got yourself a full ballet family. Thank you so much for listening!🙏😊
It's so hard... Thanks, you really help me ❤️
Take care of yourself. I wish you the best x
@@SayakaWakita Me too
驚きました。ドンキの素晴らしい踊りを何度も観ていたのでこの動画は衝撃でした。
でも、バレエだけでない魅力、賢く知的で美しい話し方をする事をこの動画で知り、より好きになりました😊
これからのご活躍を期待してます！
こんにちは😊 そう言っていただけて嬉しいです！ありがとうございます！☺️🙏
I don't know how i got here, I have zero relation with ballet or dancing in general for that matter, but thanks for sharing, that was so nicely articulated that made me watch the whole thing! Best of the luck !!
Thank you so much! That makes me so happy. I wish you all the best too!☺️🙏
I have just come across this vidéo which I found very interesting. You were such a beautiful dancer ❤ I am so sorry you felt you had to give up. But it is important to do the right thing for yourself. I see so many poor people who just sit around all day and I feel that if we took them to the ballet or any other art form they would benefit so much instead of just giving them money. Art is so important in life. I am really glad for you that you were able to give up ballet at the right moment for you but really sad because you were so gifted and I would have loved you performances 👍
Thank you so much for your kind words! Indeed, art is very important in life and for humanity. Have a wonderful 2024 and take care☺️🙏
I think you,ve got courage to follow your heart.I reckon it,s so demanding and exhausting to dance, that, now you,ve done that, you're ready to put your effort into something else..why not, you have to retire sometime so at least you won't be physically wrecked.I,ve done this with violin, now I understand what it's about, I,m not motivated to keep playing.I want to explore other things.Good luck❤
Thank you for your kind words! Glad to hear that some of the stuff resonates😊🙏
I have always loved to dance, but I grew up in a rural province in a country without any opportunities for ballet. I moved to the United States at age 13 and was able to take ballet for a few years in high school, but I was too old and too poor (and, quite honestly, not talented enough) for me to even think of pursuing a dance career. Life (university, career, marriage, motherhood, divorce, starting over) happened for 30 years. At the beginning of this year, I was at a point in my life when I suddenly was able to think beyond the next mortgage payment or bill, and I decided to do something just for me. I started ballet again at age 45, taking lessons with teens and tweens at the local ballet academy. I’m stiffer and slower than I was, but I actually feel more at home in my body, especially after pregnancy and childbirth. I know that I am much happier now than if I had kept dancing in my teens and twenties and tried to make it a career.
Sometimes the right things happen at the right times, even when we didn’t plan for them.
Hi! What a lovely story to hear that you started ballet again after all these years! It may have been the right decision to pursue ballet as a hobby; that way, it is more enjoyable. I wish you all the best xx🥰🙏
@@SayakaWakita Thank you for replying to my comment! I am proud of you and am looking forward to following your ongoing journey. Subscribed!
通りすがりの者です。軽い気持ちで動画を掻い摘んで見るつもりでしたが、あまりに理路整然とした説明にどんどん引き込まれてしまいました。こんなに素晴らしいスピーチができて、バレエの他に才能があるのに、「ダンサー」に執着していたことが信じられません。それに、元ダンサーでハーバード大卒という経歴を持つ方なんて滅多にいらっしゃらないので、今後のご活躍がとても楽しみです！応援しています！
こんにちは！素敵なコメントを書いてくださり、ありがとうございます！とても嬉しいです。これからも色んな動画をアップしていくので是非観てくださいね🤍
Wow what an accomplished young lady you are
Quitting your life goals is always hars but its great thay you were able to choose what is right for you
Thank you. Indeed, it made sense to quit because I achieved my life goal 😊🙏
As a former dancer, who had a few gigs after full time study, but never managed a full time
contract. I totally understand and felt like you broke it down really well.
I’d like to know more about your mention of Nihilism, as I find the concept so similar to psychopathy.
Thank you for the very touching sharing! Somehow I feel that the moment you made your last bow was the point you reached the best of ballet - the true reason why you had been doing it passionately for years was unfolded when you say goodbye. I have been through the giving up of what I once loved and put a lot of efforts into, so i feel truly related. Btw i started ballet in my late 20s, challenging myself with the stereotype of being too old, and having to resist from some certain ballet exercises like jumping as advised by the doctors. It’s all about the journey that make senses 😂
I'm happy to hear that the video resonated with you☺️ Great to hear that you started ballet in your late 20s! Hope you're enjoying the beautiful art form🥰🙏
Maybe it's not even the fact that you must find another passion. It's just the realization that it's not all about just one thing. Passion must NOT become obsessions... you have many things in life in which to find joy. And I reallt wish you find a set of things to make you fulfilled, not only one single replacement. Good luck!
You are right, we are multi-faceted beings and we can pursue multiple interests and passions☺️ Thanks for your words of encouragement 😊🙏
お話し聞かせていただき、とても胸が熱くなりました。私自身、どのように考えてこれからの人生を歩んでいくのか、少し迷子になっていたところ、さやかさんのRUclipsと出会いました。本当に分かりやすく段階を踏んで説明してくださる正直な思いをお聞きして、とてもとても刺激を受けました。私はどう成長していきたいのか、私の立場なりに、何ができるのか、周りの人に役に立てるようになルためには何が必要なのか、よーく考えるようになりました。ありがとうございます。これからもRUclipsやInstagramでフォローさせていただきます。さやかさんがこれから歩むであろう世界を見せていただけることにワクワクしますし、自分もさやかさんに刺激をいただいた者として、恥ずかしくないように無駄な人生を送らないようにしたい、と強く思っています
I was attracted to your video because I have two daughters who are fond of ballet. I love your story. It’s so inspiring. And also I think you speak very beautiful English as a non-native speaker. Could you share some of your experience in English learning? Thanks!
Thank you for watching! I'm happy to hear that you like the video. And thank you for the compliment regarding my English abilities. I went to an international school so English is actually my native language.
This is so interesting. Sergei Poulin (sorry spelling!) left the Royal ballet for some similar reasons. He said that ballet dancers were treated like children. And had no autonomy, no say in their career. It needs to change so good on you for raising some of these issues 💗
You are right! Thanks for your insight ☺️🙏
Thank you for the video! I enjoyed your evaluation of personal core values which I found relatable because my values of social impact and financial security played key roles in guiding my career decisions.
I am curious to hear your thoughts on what other changes to the industry would’ve made it more attractive for you to stay in the performance arts. Would you have been interested in making choreography and given higher level creative decision-making discretions?
I'm glad you found the video interesting and relatable to your own career!😊🙏 Regarding your question, I believe it could help to give dancers more autonomy in forms such as artistic freedom and expression (such as opportunities to choreograph or having a say in which productions to bring) or flexibility in work schedules, etc.
Thanks for sharing, I agree that a dancer dies twice.
I remember reading many years ago, the “premature retirement” of ballerina, Alexandra Ansanelli. She was principal at both NYCB and the Royal Ballet, before retiring from the latter in 2008. The Vanity Fair article I read about her echoes many of your sentiments, and the path you took into, through, and out of ballet 0:01 . Perhaps Ansanelli felt a latter day version of “FOMO”, or what you termed the “opportunity cost” of remaining where you were. This feeling brings to mind Peggy Lee’s old hit from the 1950s, “Is That All There Is?”. Like you, Ansanelli had, or has, a febrile, peripatetic mind, always curious, always searching. Unlike you, however, I never heard if Ansanelli ever found her next calling, her next great purpose in life. I’m happy for you, that you have found yours.
Beautiful video dear. The dancer in me never 'died'. Now at my age, many years past you, I still dream of Aurora, still think of the Sugar Plum...some of my tutus are still in my closet. But most are 'in the closet' and enjoy it with my friends, or by myself. Wonderful memories. You too, when you're at the advanced age of what I am, you also will have sweet memories. Life in between existed, and was good, but as mine did, maybe for you too, sweet memories are there for your recall. 🩰💖🩰
Beautifully said! Hope you can dance again on stage one day!❤️😍🙏
@@SayakaWakita 🩰💖🩰
コンクールの踊りを参考にさせて頂いてて、お名前をしっていました。
たまたま今回この動画を見せていただいて、
涙が沢山でました。
私自身バレエをずっと続けてきて、そろそろ終わりと思っていて……
脇田さんの今後の素晴らしい人生を応援しています。
素敵なお言葉を頂きありがとうございます！🥺❤️ しがらみを捨て、今を生きると明るい未来が待っていると思います。応援しています✨️🙏
Thank you so much for sharing your story and thoughts.
It's really touching, helping and inspiring.
I was lucky to come across this video and decided to watch.
Wish you all the best in your new career.😊🙏💕
You are so welcome and thanks for watching! Wish you all the best too😊🙏
Thats right, this life is driven by achieving a goal, and when reaching it, some kind of reversal is felt, so important to keep making more goals, whats next! For financial reasons, we still all need to make a living, unless you are becoming homeless. Passion is better to be a love for this kind of process of growth, achieving again. People are always admiring the dancers, it is felt mostly on stage, thats the high. If we want more personal contact, its a different setting! People go out to have a difference experience than their life. Online I would not call it direct. People can write anything, like I am doing right now, sharing my response. Everything in life has plus and minus, we choose whats more important for us. Of course, this is an accommodating career, thats the surrender. Of course the status, is also the self identification, how we think and feel about ourselves. External and internal. Finding that we are not our identity. Letting go. Thank you so much for all this sharing. Yes! Anatta, not personalizing. Anicca, everything always changing. Dukkha, misery in holding on. Of course we need to follow our heart, especially thankful for this unhappy to guide us into a new direction! 🎉🎉🎉
The painkiller thing scares me. If you needed to do that I'm glad you got out. Never had that issue but ballroom is way easier on the body.
Absolutely! It was extremely unhealthy. Hope you never have to experience that with ballroom dancing!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! I was also dreamed and trained my ehole life to become a professional ballet dancer. I went to ballet competition but when covid happened i started thinkin about it very seriously. So i took my exams ti got inti university to study physics. Now i am in my second year and i am continuing taking ballet class and with the thought of my minf that dome day ill have the chance to pursue my very first fream.. I know i
Thank you for stopping by and watching😊I hear you, the pandemic made us all re-evaluate our future! I hope you're enjoying the new lifestyle of uni studies and ballet classes. All the best🥰
@xristina25 I stopped dance after high school and went to university. I got my degree in physical sciences (major in physics, minor in chemistry) and now work in aerospace industry. I went back to ballet in January 2023 (at age 45, I am now 46) and pursue it as a hobby. Whether you go back to dance as a professional (knowledge of physics will absolutely make you a greater dancer) or just for enjoyment, there is a path forward. So proud of you!
Hi, I have a similar gut as yours. I danced ballet for a decade now, and I'm lost. Now, I'm so scared to quit. It's really hard 😢
It's normal to feel scared. But you would be able to discover a new you if you quit. Good luck and take care🥰🙏
Thank you so much
さやかさん、メッセージをありがとう。
私の娘は３人ともバレリーナを目指しました。一人は摂食障害と故障で１８歳で諦め、一人はコンテンポラリーに転向して現役ダンサー、末娘は１６歳で心と体の不一致に気づき別の道を選びました。すでに数年が経ちますが、混乱の中でもがきながらも前に進む３人の姿がさやかさんの言葉とかさなります。プロを目指すダンサーたまごたちの親として彼女たちの心をサポートできていたのかなと当時を反省するとともに、今もこれからも、長くて短い人生を大いに楽しんでもらいたい。さやかさんに感謝💘
コメントありがとうございます☺️🙏バレエ一家だったのですね！仰る通り、人生は長い。心と身体を第一に今後の人生を楽しんで頂きたいですね✨💕
Thanks to share it! Sometime dancing we move thing inside the soul of the audience, I wanna believe that is something tyne and small but that can move and REMOVE intangible feelings... so probably dancing u inspired more people than u know!!! And im Agree with u, dance in general would be a nice way to connect, help, talk and healing other people!!
Again...
THANK U SO MUCH...
=*
Thank you! 🥰🙏 You are right. Dance can convey emotions and feelings that can't be expressed with words❤️
初めて動画を見ましたが、他の才能があっても何でも、とにかく一つの事を叶える為に子どもの頃からずっと、大好きで集中してやってきた事はなかなか手放せないのは当然だと思います。
ましてやプロフェッショナルの領域まで行っていれば当然でsayakaさんのように各国での活動まで出来る所までいっていたら怖いのが当然だと思います。
私も9歳からバレエを始め17歳から国内のバレエ団で活動し始め20歳の直前で疲労骨折のために一度バレエから離れざるを得なくなりましたが、アイデンティティが無くなる恐怖は半端なくありました。
通常の人はお金のために仕事をしてティーンの頃まではそこそこ遊んで過ごしますが、学校にも時間を取られ残りを自分の望みのために時間を割き意識を全部と言っていい位に向けているわけですから当たり前のことです。
他に才能のある人がなぜ執着するのかというコメントを見て一般的な生き方をして来た人にはわからない事だろうなと思いました。
私の場合は歌を仕事にする事を見つけ今も続けていますし、また他の何かが出てくる事もあるかも知れません。
人生は幻想です😊止まることはなくいつかはどのみち違う所へ行くのです。
でも基本は喜びと情熱なんですよね。
20代でそれが理解出来るなんて
素晴らしいと思いました🎉
iPadで検索を覚えた時に見つけたあなたの踊りに魅せられた78才です。さみしいです。
いつか日本でリアルな貴女が見れたらと思っていました。ありがとうお元気で
こんにちは！素敵なメッセージをいただき、ありがとうございます。リアルでお会いできないことは残念ですが、そう言っていただけて、嬉しいです。どうぞお元気で、お幸せをお祈りしています。
Hi, I started my international career in Nagoya ... after the Varna Competition...
The ballet is honestly it seems that its not worth it, the competition is too harsh and the venues you cand dance succesfully is quite few
初見です。ジュニア界を席巻したミコ・フォーガティさんを思い出しました。
彼女も同じように入団後精神的な疾患を抱えて引退し、大学に進学した気がします。
プロダンサーになるために-40℃の街で生活できるんですから、どんなことでも成し遂げられる気がします。
芸術は自己表現ですから、いつでも再開できるものだと思います。
だけどバレエも俳優や歌手と同じような人気商売で、第一線から一旦退くことはやっぱり恐ろしいことなんですね。
こんにちは！コメントありがとうございます。そう言っていただけると勇気付けられます☺️🙏
Beautiful
Thank you🥰🙏
Even the very best professionals in history called ballet "a hard labor." It is very physical. Thing is, before 30, many top dancers have already been doing it for 20 years and they have this mind shift about what am I doing now? I've read this mental breakdown in books from dancers.
That is very true. It is a common phenomenon.
So, when did you attend Harvard, and study and everything?? Thanks very much.
What do you think about Kazuha who quit ballet to go into kpop?
sayakaさん、とても胸に響きました。なぜなら私の次女がバレリーナを目指し今、彼女の人生の全てを捧げているからです。それでもたくさんのオーディションを受け、合格したり落ちたり。。。でも同時に勉強もしたいというので、家庭教師をつけて勉強したり。。。親としてはとても費用もかかり大変ではありますが、さやかさんのように、将来あらゆる方向へ行けるようサポートしてあげたいと思っています。彼女の代わりにバレエも勉強もできませんが、彼女がやるというなら親は信じてサポートするしかありません。将来は全くわかりませんが、こんなに情熱をもって進む方向へ努力しているのは、親から見てもすばらしいことです。 さやかさんの今後も楽しみしかありません。いつも応援しています。
お嬢さん、バレエも勉強もし、素晴らしい努力をされていますね！応援しています。🙏✨️
You have a lot of self awareness.
Thank you!
I QUIT GUITAR AFTER 1/2 A CENTURY I DREAMED IT FOR 6 7 YEARS AND NOW I'M FREE OF IT
!! ALMOST WISH I NEVER WASTED TIME ON IT !! PROFFESSIONAL GUITARISTS TOLD ME NO MONEY
STAY OUT OF IT !!!
It sounds like you gave your ALL. You gave everything you had to give to ballet.
You're absolutely right, I gave 120% to ballet, and this is why I can quit without regrets. Thanks for stopping by!
What about not being able to eat?
Dietary restrictions almost damaged me in my school days, but once I was a mature professional, I decided nothing was worth your well-being, so I ate whatever I wanted. Surprisingly, the lack of stress kept me even more in shape than when I was on a strict diet.
さやかちゃーん！覚えてるかな？桜です～☺動画がお勧めに出てきて直ぐに見たよ～大変だったんやね。色々聞けて共感しまくりで気持ちが楽になったし、凄く勉強になったよーありがとう！ほかの動画も全部じっくり見させて頂く！ｗ応援してるよ～🤗またね～
桜ちゃん、動画観てくれてありがとう！😍🙏 そう言ってもらえて嬉しいです☺️ また会えますように！
諸行無常
"Why, when this span of life might be fleeted away
As laurel, a little darker than all
The surrounding green, with tiny waves on the border
Of every leaf (like the smile of a wind): - oh, why
have to be human, and, shunning Destiny,
long for Destiny? …
Not because happiness really
exists, that precipitate profit of imminent loss.
not out of curiosity, not just to practise the heart,
that could still be there in laurel ….
But because being here is much, and because all this
that’s here, so fleeting, seems to require us and strangely
concerns us. Us the most fleeting of all. Just once,
everything, only for once. Once and no more. And we, too,
once. And never again. But this
having been once, though only once,
having been once on earth - can it ever be cancelled?"
-- Rilke
So you could eat? When I was dancer long ago the dancers were expected to be so so thin it was ridiculous!
Times are changing, but classical dancers are still expected to be quite thin!
It sounds like you got to the age for retirement ( for a ballet dancer ) anyway. I think you were lucky to be offered a job in management.
The most difficult decisions I made in my life were (1) stopping ballet at 18 years of age and (2) breaking off a love relationship that was toxic. When I quit dance, I felt I lost my identity, my purpose. I was depressed; I thought about death a lot. If I had died, the torment would have ended. It took many years to regain an identity in a completely different profession (academic). I am now 67 years old and have rebuilt my relationship with ballet as an audience member and as a major donor. I came back to dance, but in a less damaging way.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am really touched as I can relate to the loss of identity after quitting dance. However, it is also wonderful to hear that you are still engaged and connected to ballet in other ways. Thank you for supporting the ballet world with your contributions 🙏 It is much appreciated.
Office jobs really really suck. That’s nobody’s road to happiness.
Maybe not all but I do agree... It can get quite mundane.
When did you earned your Harvard Degree?
2013 May :)
生きる ということは 変容。バレエはバレリーナにとって絶対であっても その他の人々にとっては バレエという芸術表現で 生きることを学ぶ方策論でしかない。バレリーナが バレエを通して 生きることを 表現することをやめても 生きる人間であることは変わらない。それを 表現する方策は無限にある、その他の人々と同様。
仰る通りですね。バレエは芸術表現をする上での一つの手段であり、全てではないですね。
Imagine trying to be a writer and NOBODY EVER SEES WHAT YOU WRITE. Like, EVER. Worse than ballet for sure.
I can only imagine!
If you professionally do dance, sports, acting or anything really, you need to love it. Because most of the time, it will completely consume your life. Nothing else comes first. Most people eventually will want more than what it provides. I remember watching "Black Swan" and the lead character had the bedroom of a much younger girl because her life was all about dance and she didn't develop other aspects of her life. I also remember the actress Drew Barrymore who said when she finally moved out on her own, she didn't know that food in the refrigerator went bad or how to do laundry because she had been working since she was 11-months old and never had to deal with that. You can't let one thing be your everything, especially if your ability to do it can only last so long.
Very true. One must be human first, dancer second.