savinggrace8
Dec 21, 2011
Undergraduate / 'Dancing is one of my biggest passions' - Common app personal [NEW]
Common app allows essays up to 500 words, mine is 585 but I have shorten it from 800 so I have no idea what else to remove! Also I'm a bit nervous is it good enough? I am afraid it will seem boring. Please let me know what would you change or remove, I appreciate every critic, idea or suggestion.
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Dancing is one of my biggest passions in life. Letting my arms and legs be my guide as they follow the rhythm of beautiful piano melodies, letting my imagination fly away as soon as stepped the white linoleum floor from my ballet studio has been my way of living for years. Ten years ago, my mom took me to my first ballet class. I barely remember anything more than little pink leotards with tights, but I will never forget the feeling of adoration that filled me after my first lesson. I knew that I wouldn't be quitting this for quite a while.
General dancers aim for perfection, but I learned throughout these years that the most extreme and severe form of perfection can only be found in classical ballet. Perfect coordination and moves accomplished only by the perfect body. Lines, alignments, positions, everything has to be perfect in order for the ballerina to display beauty and take breaths away. This constant strive for superiority may seem hard to deal with, but after some disappointments I understood that the sense of being close to perfection is what makes a ballerina stand out and shine.
At our end of the year festival, last year, where presented "Moulin Rouge," I was given the primary role. I was excited at first, having the spotlight and standing out to demonstrate my abilities. But when I started living the extra hours of training and strict diet the role imposed my dream seemed to be fading away. As a ballerina, I am built to deal with frustration. I went through sleepless nights thinking about all of the sacrifices I was making, but I never found a reason strong enough to give up. I was trained to deal with pain and hard work, but never to surrender because no matter how dark the path may seem, the bright destination is worth it.
Discipline and perseverance are vital for a ballerina to succeed in the complicated and strict world of the arts. I can remember the countless times when my teacher would madly hit the floor with a wooden stick due to my incorrect manners or postures. Something that I love from ballet is that even though mistakes are unavoidable, one can hardly make the same one twice. Errors are too noticeable, and it's nearly impossible to rest while there's still a move to polish. And whenever the error is fixed, there is always another one waiting to be solved.
The suffering from pressing legs and bending feet. The never-ending pain that comes after long hours of training; it's all part of the rewarding journey to excellence. After all these years of dancing, I formed everlasting bonds with my peers, learned the importance teamwork has in success. I also received opportunities outside my studio, being able to perform at my school with my friends and being recognized for what I love doing.
Art has been a part of my life since I was just a girl, and growing with it made me strong and determined. It made me who I am and I will never be grateful enough, because it has given me the confidence and values that I now need to face my future. I was never afraid of confronting challenges, and being able to go and continue with my education outside my country is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I want to seize it and demonstrate that dreams can come true. Perfection is my goal, but excellence will be my achievement.
Common app allows essays up to 500 words, mine is 585 but I have shorten it from 800 so I have no idea what else to remove! Also I'm a bit nervous is it good enough? I am afraid it will seem boring. Please let me know what would you change or remove, I appreciate every critic, idea or suggestion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------
Dancing is one of my biggest passions in life. Letting my arms and legs be my guide as they follow the rhythm of beautiful piano melodies, letting my imagination fly away as soon as stepped the white linoleum floor from my ballet studio has been my way of living for years. Ten years ago, my mom took me to my first ballet class. I barely remember anything more than little pink leotards with tights, but I will never forget the feeling of adoration that filled me after my first lesson. I knew that I wouldn't be quitting this for quite a while.
General dancers aim for perfection, but I learned throughout these years that the most extreme and severe form of perfection can only be found in classical ballet. Perfect coordination and moves accomplished only by the perfect body. Lines, alignments, positions, everything has to be perfect in order for the ballerina to display beauty and take breaths away. This constant strive for superiority may seem hard to deal with, but after some disappointments I understood that the sense of being close to perfection is what makes a ballerina stand out and shine.
At our end of the year festival, last year, where presented "Moulin Rouge," I was given the primary role. I was excited at first, having the spotlight and standing out to demonstrate my abilities. But when I started living the extra hours of training and strict diet the role imposed my dream seemed to be fading away. As a ballerina, I am built to deal with frustration. I went through sleepless nights thinking about all of the sacrifices I was making, but I never found a reason strong enough to give up. I was trained to deal with pain and hard work, but never to surrender because no matter how dark the path may seem, the bright destination is worth it.
Discipline and perseverance are vital for a ballerina to succeed in the complicated and strict world of the arts. I can remember the countless times when my teacher would madly hit the floor with a wooden stick due to my incorrect manners or postures. Something that I love from ballet is that even though mistakes are unavoidable, one can hardly make the same one twice. Errors are too noticeable, and it's nearly impossible to rest while there's still a move to polish. And whenever the error is fixed, there is always another one waiting to be solved.
The suffering from pressing legs and bending feet. The never-ending pain that comes after long hours of training; it's all part of the rewarding journey to excellence. After all these years of dancing, I formed everlasting bonds with my peers, learned the importance teamwork has in success. I also received opportunities outside my studio, being able to perform at my school with my friends and being recognized for what I love doing.
Art has been a part of my life since I was just a girl, and growing with it made me strong and determined. It made me who I am and I will never be grateful enough, because it has given me the confidence and values that I now need to face my future. I was never afraid of confronting challenges, and being able to go and continue with my education outside my country is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I want to seize it and demonstrate that dreams can come true. Perfection is my goal, but excellence will be my achievement.