Everything I Learned About Life I Learned in Ballet Class
by Debbie Lumpkins
July 2010
For example…
There are no instant successes in life. You have to work very hard to achieve your goals. In ballet you have to practice and do at least 1,000 pliés (knee bend exercises) in order to achieve that one grand jété (great leap) that takes your breath away. Today, whether I am writing grants, soliciting donors or advocating for the arts, I must persevere!
Never show your fear or pain. Ballerinas have the ability to make dancing on their toes seem effortless and painless. This is a good character trait to have no matter what occupation you are in. Regardless of how you feel on the inside, don’t let it show on the outside. Always try to present yourself gracefully and professionally.
The spotlight is not always a comfortable place to be. Dancers learn to handle the pressures of being center stage and having all eyes upon them. They become better equipped to handle the pressures of speaking before a board meeting, legislators or any group of people they are trying to motivate into taking action.
If you fall on stage during a solo, you will not die. I used to think I would until I actually fell while doing a triple pirouette (turn)… under a spotlight. This taught me that it is not what happens to you in life that matters, but how you handle the situation. That lesson has come in very handy as an arts administrator, as I have had to handle some difficult situations.
There are times to be a team player and times to assume the role of leader. If you have ever watched a corps de ballet, you no doubt have been amazed at how perfectly their movements are synchronized. This doesn’t happen by chance. There is a designated leader to whom the other dancers match their timing and movements. The beauty of the ballet comes from every member of the company trusting the leader to guide them.
Rejection happens. Dancers who audition often are chosen often, but they also experience being rejected. They learn to handle constructive criticism, make improvements and move on. They don’t quit when things are difficult; they are resilient.
As parents, my husband (a fellow artistic personality) and I had an unspoken agreement that our children would be involved in the arts. They joined Kindermusik when our son was 3 years old and daughter just 18 months.
Our children attended the first A+ magnet elementary school in Guilford County, Parkview Elementary in High Point, where the arts are integrated into the curriculum. Our son attended Penn-Griffin School for the Arts for middle school, while our daughter attended a program for academically gifted children at Aycock Middle School. Both of them auditioned and were accepted at Weaver Academy for the Performing and Visual Arts for high school in Greensboro, graduating with honors.
Although I would have been proud if they had chosen to pursue a professional career in the arts, the arts education they received has helped them achieve other dreams. My son just completed his second year at West Point Military Academy, and my daughter is a North Carolina Teaching Fellow attending Elon University. Both of them would tell you that the arts, especially theatre, helped them ace their college interviews!
Since I know what worked well for me, for my children and others, I want all children to have the opportunity to study the arts in school so that they, too, can achieve their goals in life. After all, the arts help a student to increase academic scores, improve study habits and reduce absenteeism.
My background in the arts has served me well in the corporate environment and now in the world of nonprofit management. As a board member of ARTS NC and an avid advocate for the arts, I want you to know that there is a bill in the Senate and the House of the North Carolina Legislature that, if passed, will require the Department of Education to make the arts a part of every child’s education, and I must say, it’s about time!
Debbie Lumpkins is the Executive Director for the High High Point Area Arts Council. We thought a different format mightbe a fun way illustrate the importance of pending legislation. If we appear to be bias with this regard, it’s only because we are.- Eddie Goldberg, Publisher - Boom Triad Edition