124. Unconventional Choices I Made as a Pre-Pro Dance Student (That Still Led Me to a Pro Ballet Career)

What if the path to a professional ballet career doesn't look the way you think it "should"? In this solo episode, I'm sharing the unconventional choices I made as a pre-professional dancer that ultimately still led me to a career in ballet (and helped me stay in love with dance along the way). From staying at my home studio through high school to skipping summer intensives, scaling back my dance training during my senior year, choosing college over immediately pursuing a company contract, and even joining a college dance team, my path looked different from the traditional trajectory many young dancers are told they need to follow. But those choices gave me something I desperately needed: balance, perspective, and the ability to build a sustainable career without burning out. Key "pointes" in this episode: * Why I chose to stay at my home studio through high school instead of moving away to train * Choosing to spend my last two summers of high school working and being a "regular kid" instead of attending summer intensives * Recognizing burnout and scaling back my training during my senior year * Why taking a step back actually helped me become a stronger dancer * Choosing to major in dance in college instead of immediately pursuing a professional ballet company * What joining my college dance team taught me about performing outside of my comfort zone * How experiences outside of classical ballet gave me skills that later helped my professional career * Why there is no single "right" path to a professional dance career * Giving yourself permission to make choices based on what you need, not what you think you're supposed to do You don't need to follow someone else's path to have a successful dance career. Your career is going to be uniquely yours, and staying open to unexpected opportunities can lead you places you never imagined. Links & Resources: Schedule a complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring ETOILE: https://www.etoilecomp.com/brainy (save 10% with code BRAINY10) ORZA: www.orzabrand.com [http://www.orzabrand.com/] (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off) Let's connect! My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com [http://thebrainyballerina.com/] INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina [http://instagram.com/thebrainyballerina] Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com