A New Season.

The Kansas City Ballet began their 2010-2011 season today. It hit me pretty hard, as I had expected it would, for the first time. I'm no longer on the website, I am definitely not a part of that company anymore. I'm not being dramatic (well maybe a little,) but it really was strange for me to think about today. I'm glad that I spent last year preparing myself for this.

I find it interesting that even with it being my choice to leave, it is still a huge adjustment when I realized that I really wouldn't be going back again. The company goes on without me-as it should. I really believe even more fervently right now that it is immensely important that dancers choose when to leave their careers behind if it is in any way possible. I can't imagine not being ready for the next phase of life.

I find myself coming full circle now and really want to spread encouragement to the younger generation to enjoy their careers if they're lucky enough to land a job in this field. It's too short not to enjoy it. When it comes time to move on, I'd like to further encourage dancers to be brave and generous enough to do just that-move on. Now, I'm merely referring to the circumstance where someone may continue dancing because it is all they know how to do and all they are comfortable with. I do believe there comes a time when it is someone else's turn to fulfill their passion ESPECIALLY when a dancer may not be doing it for the love of the art anymore.

I find pride in dancers who make long careers of this form and still acknowledge the love for it. I wish my former fellow dancers as well as my "replacements" the best for the future. May they love and be fulfilled by what they do for many, many years.