Extraordinary people, extraordinary wisdom: How can professional ballet dancers persevere in their performance career?
Date
2019-05-01
Authors
Kim, Heejin
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Abstract
Several studies have reported various challenges ballet dancers experience in their performance careers. However, to date, very little research has been done to understand
how professional ballet dancers persevere in their performance careers in the face of the
demanding nature and various challenges associated with their career. The purpose of this study was to explore perseverance of professional ballet dancers in their performance
career from the perspectives of retired professional ballet dancers. Using a social constructivist lens, the research question addressed in this study was: How can professional ballet dancers persevere in a performance career? Narrative interviews were
conducted with participants (N = 9) who had danced at one or more professional ballet
companies for at least one year and had been involved in the ballet world since their
retirement from their performance careers. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the
data and 4 themes were identified about persevering as a professional ballet dancer in a
performance career: (a) Building and Looking After Your Healthy Sense of Self and
Mental Attitude; (b) Navigating Your Career Journey With Intelligence and Courage
Within and Beyond One Ballet Company; (c) Growing as an Artist to Have More Than
Technique and Raw Physicality to Capture an Audience; and (d) Balancing Your
Performance Career by Having a Life Outside the Dance World. Implications of the
findings for research, practice, and counselling are discussed.
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Keywords
Career, Counselling, Dance, Ballet, Dancers, Dance Education, Perseverance, Personal Wisdom, Performance Career