25 Life Lessons I Learned From Ballet - #23
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.
23. Keep your cool. Loss of control of your emotions can make you make drastic mistakes onstage or off. No matter what happens, keep yourself level-headed and avoid making rash emotional decisions.
Top photo: With a dancing career that spanned over thirty years, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde has experienced it all. Her hair got caught in a backdrop; she slipped while dancing Romeo & Juliet; and she even had to deal with a delinquent producer who was weaseling out of his financial obligations just minutes before the curtain was scheduled to rise. Through it all, she dealt with everything as gracefully and as rationally as possible – staying on her toes to rise above the fray. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Even the most well-rehearsed piece can experience glitches during a show. Principal dancer Mark Sumaylo (seen in this photo with former principal dancer Dawna Reign Mangahas) kept a level head upon realizing that a crucial prop was left behind backstage during a performance of Rebel. Keeping panic at bay, he continued to dance and no less than prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, dancing as Inang Bayan, stepped in to help him recover from this error. The audience was left blissfully unaware of the unfortunate moment. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
