25 Life Lessons I Learned From Ballet - #17
Beyond the arabesques and grand jetés, ballet is an abundant source of priceless life lessons. With the rigorous training and intense discipline it requires, ballet can teach one how to deal with pressure, disappointments, challenges, and ultimately, success. On her 25th anniversary as a professional dancer in 2009, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde took the time to list down 25 key lessons she learned from ballet and which she felt both dancers and non-dancers can apply in their own lives. This series shares those enduring nuggets of wisdom – one lesson at a time.
Precision is an integral element of classical ballet. Prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and her co-artistic director Osias Barroso exemplify this as shown in a clip from a performance of Don Quixote. As Kitri and Basilio, the pair moved as one and with perfect timing – executing crucial movements in sync with the beat of the music. Video clip courtesy of Ballet Manila Archives
17. Timing is crucial! You just have to dance to the music and keep to the beat! When your movement is misaligned with the music, it’s not dancing anymore – because in dance, the movement and the music have precise positions together.
Ecole, a choreography by Osias Barroso, highlights the process and difficulties of achieving artistic excellence in ballet. In this performance from 2018, the importance of timing and precision is emphasized in the execution of movements done in unison and harmony. Video courtesy of Ballet Manila Archives
Top photo:: Both dance and music stress the importance of timing and precision to achieve artistic excellence. A lighthearted scene in Don Quixote best demonstrates this with the lead character Kitri dancing while playing the tambourine in time with the music of the ballet. Photo by Ocs Alvarez