http://www.behindballet.com/peggys-call/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peggys-call The blog of The Australian Ballet Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:47:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://www.behindballet.com/peggys-call/comment-page-1/#comment-2581 Sophie Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:35:42 +0000 http://www.behindballet.com/?p=3287#comment-2581 In 2008 I was 16 and asked to dance the role of Swanilda by my long time ballet teacher. It was to my utter surprise because I didn't think I would ever have the capabilities or maturity to portray such a feisty and technically unique character. I had never even danced an entire ballet, let alone numerous solos in the one show en pointe. The developmental process was strenuous and self-doubt dared to eat me away at many points. But the beauty of this level of challenge is like a coming of age for a dancer. With each rehearsal, if you can achieve one thing more than you could than in the previous attempt, you're learning and consistently improving even if you cannot feel it. It's not until the show, when you're confronted with self-reliance and expectation that you realise you have grasped what you always thought was out of your reach. I can't wait to be inspired by Coppelia in the flesh for the first time by my most loved company. Swanilda is a timelessly benchmark role for dancers of any age. In 2008 I was 16 and asked to dance the role of Swanilda by my long time ballet teacher. It was to my utter surprise because I didn’t think I would ever have the capabilities or maturity to portray such a feisty and technically unique character. I had never even danced an entire ballet, let alone numerous solos in the one show en pointe. The developmental process was strenuous and self-doubt dared to eat me away at many points. But the beauty of this level of challenge is like a coming of age for a dancer. With each rehearsal, if you can achieve one thing more than you could than in the previous attempt, you’re learning and consistently improving even if you cannot feel it. It’s not until the show, when you’re confronted with self-reliance and expectation that you realise you have grasped what you always thought was out of your reach. I can’t wait to be inspired by Coppelia in the flesh for the first time by my most loved company. Swanilda is a timelessly benchmark role for dancers of any age.

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