Dancers

[Ella Shepherd]

Are there any pre-med dancers out there? (ballet, jazz and hip hop especially)

How are you keeping up with both dance and college (and preparing for med school)? Will you continue (or at least try to continue) dancing during med school or even after that? Have you ever felt torn between dancing and being a doctor?



My answers...

I take ballet, jazz and hi hop (but ballet is my favorite). Since I started college, I haven't been improving much in ballet and jazz, especially that I take only one class each week during the academic year. It's tiring to study and dance at the same time but I'm not quitting because I love dancing and it relieves the stress of studying and all that.

I hope to continue dancing during and after med school but I know how slim the chances of that are. Still, I'd like to try.

And yes, I have felt torn between dancing and being a doctor, but I decided that I'd want to be a doctor instead of taking dance professionally because I like the feeling of working to help others live and heal, and being there for them when they die.

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[Character]

Are there any pre-med dancers out there? (ballet, jazz and hip hop especially)

How are you keeping up with both dance and college (and preparing for med school)? Will you continue (or at least try to continue) dancing during med school or even after that? Have you ever felt torn between dancing and being a doctor?



My answers...

I take ballet, jazz and hi hop (but ballet is my favorite). Since I started college, I haven't been improving much in ballet and jazz, especially that I take only one class each week during the academic year. It's tiring to study and dance at the same time but I'm not quitting because I love dancing and it relieves the stress of studying and all that.

I hope to continue dancing during and after med school but I know how slim the chances of that are. Still, I'd like to try.

And yes, I have felt torn between dancing and being a doctor, but I decided that I'd want to be a doctor instead of taking dance professionally because I like the feeling of working to help others live and heal, and being there for them when they die.

this is me at the club..except im a dude.i dont do that jabbawockee kaba crap.
[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=hrfD7Dw5meM[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Yasargil]

Hello Ella;
I guess your B-Day passed and you got your car after all?! Congrats if so!
(otherwise I may simply be confused).

Character;
I tried to watch your YouTube Post with my crappy intermittent wireless connection, but what I could see was.... well, Bravo! Simply beautiful! You see, it is that sort of art that brings tears to my eyes!:cry: It is a joyous love for the Art!... bravo... um well.

Ok Ella.
I cannot speak directly, but I grew up with my mother who is a dance teacher: Ballet, et al. However, Ballet of course is her true passion. She performed since a child to when I was in middle school. She is now in pain from the rigors of going on point and has joint damage. Genetics or the punishment dance places on the body, I dont know, but I can tell you that she would never have changed a thing. Dance is implanted deep within her soul and you should never let it die inside you. True dancers just have the passion and with medicine comes many compromises. If you can at least hold on to that passion and get to the studio on some personal time to just feed that inner need for that outward expression then do so and smile and enjoy the time that you can. Never let it go.

 

[EpiPEN]

Even a doctor has to have a personal life too. I'm a big ballroom dance guy and I plan to still polish my skills in med school too. It's all about how you manage your time. You are only short on time if you waste time.

 

[Miss Alyssa]

I do hiphop, afro-Caribbean,west African and most recently ballet. In third year I was dancing professionally with an African group. I was dancing 8-12 hours a week. I would take 2 weeks off to study for exams. My parents thought I was crazy for dancing while in school, but you make time for things that are important to you.

Will I continue while in medschool? I'm not sure. I don't think there's an Caribbean or African dance scene in Nashville I'll probably just do ballet.

Lys

 

[Ella Shepherd]

Hello Ella;
I guess your B-Day passed and you got your car after all?! Congrats if so!
(otherwise I may simply be confused).

Character;
I tried to watch your YouTube Post with my crappy intermittent wireless connection, but what I could see was.... well, Bravo! Simply beautiful! You see, it is that sort of art that brings tears to my eyes!:cry: It is a joyous love for the Art!... bravo... um well.

Ok Ella.
I cannot speak directly, but I grew up with my mother who is a dance teacher: Ballet, et al. However, Ballet of course is her true passion. She performed since a child to when I was in middle school. She is now in pain from the rigors of going on point and has joint damage. Genetics or the punishment dance places on the body, I dont know, but I can tell you that she would never have changed a thing. Dance is implanted deep within her soul and you should never let it die inside you. True dancers just have the passion and with medicine comes many compromises. If you can at least hold on to that passion and get to the studio on some personal time to just feed that inner need for that outward expression then do so and smile and enjoy the time that you can. Never let it go.

LOL No, my b-day hasn't passed yet but I still hope to get the car! Haha! I'll put it on my signature again.

Thanks for sharing, Yasargil. I really appreciate it. I understand how your mom feels about the pain from dancing on pointe and I hope she's not having too hard a time with her joint damage.

"Dance is implanted deep within her soul and you should never let it die inside you. True dancers..hold on to that passion...[and] never let it go." I'll remember that. Thanks again.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

this is me at the club..except im a dude.i dont do that jabbawockee kaba crap.
[youtube]hrfD7Dw5meM[/youtube]

lol Nice vid.

Hello Ella;
I guess your B-Day passed and you got your car after all?! Congrats if so!
(otherwise I may simply be confused).

Character;
I tried to watch your YouTube Post with my crappy intermittent wireless connection, but what I could see was.... well, Bravo! Simply beautiful! You see, it is that sort of art that brings tears to my eyes!:cry: It is a joyous love for the Art!... bravo... um well.

Ok Ella.
I cannot speak directly, but I grew up with my mother who is a dance teacher: Ballet, et al. However, Ballet of course is her true passion. She performed since a child to when I was in middle school. She is now in pain from the rigors of going on point and has joint damage. Genetics or the punishment dance places on the body, I dont know, but I can tell you that she would never have changed a thing. Dance is implanted deep within her soul and you should never let it die inside you. True dancers just have the passion and with medicine comes many compromises. If you can at least hold on to that passion and get to the studio on some personal time to just feed that inner need for that outward expression then do so and smile and enjoy the time that you can. Never let it go.

LOL No, my b-day hasn't passed yet but I still hope to get the car! Haha! I'll put it on my signature again.

Thanks for sharing, Yasargil. I really appreciate it. I understand how your mom feels about the pain from dancing on pointe and I hope she's not having too hard a time with her joint damage.

"Dance is implanted deep within her soul and you should never let it die inside you. True dancers..hold on to that passion...[and] never let it go." I'll remember that. Thanks again.

Even a doctor has to have a personal life too. I'm a big ballroom dance guy and I plan to still polish my skills in med school too. It's all about how you manage your time. You are only short on time if you waste time.

I totally agree. Thank you.

I do hiphop, afro-Caribbean,west African and most recently ballet. In third year I was dancing professionally with an African group. I was dancing 8-12 hours a week. I would take 2 weeks off to study for exams. My parents thought I was crazy for dancing while in school, but you make time for things that are important to you.

Will I continue while in medschool? I'm not sure. I don't think there's an Caribbean or African dance scene in Nashville I'll probably just do ballet.

Lys

Cool!!!

 

[ar2388]

Even a doctor has to have a personal life too. I'm a big ballroom dance guy and I plan to still polish my skills in med school too. It's all about how you manage your time. You are only short on time if you waste time.

THAT IS AWESOME! haha i also do ballroom. moving up to prechamp latin in the fall so my partner and i will be training a whole lot this summer. I definitely want to keep up the dancing and not stop. I also do ballet, but i think that is easier to not give up because its a lot easierMore to find classes to take.
what level/dances do you do?

 

[DoctorDreamer]

I dance recreationally (hip hop, a little swing and ballroom, belly dancing, and mainly salsa now). I'm spending my summer in South America, and I plan to work on latin dance pretty much every night (in leui of joining a gym for the summer).

I plan to keep up my recreational dancing on the weekends during med school.

 

[EpiPEN]

THAT IS AWESOME! haha i also do ballroom. moving up to prechamp latin in the fall so my partner and i will be training a whole lot this summer. I definitely want to keep up the dancing and not stop. I also do ballet, but i think that is easier to not give up because its a lot easierMore to find classes to take.
what level/dances do you do?

It'll be rough to find a new partner if you guys go to diff schools. No ballet for me though, haha, don't think I'm flexible enough

I picked up ballroom in the beginning of college (so for about 4 years now)w/ my best bud as a confidence booster and a lesson in interacting with women - I used to be the awakward asian kid who walked around a building to avoid walking through a group of girls talking. No competitive dancing for me unfortunately. I mostly dance socially either at the school club or the dance clubs in the area so it's hard to say what my level is. I did have a partner for a long time and we might have done competitive dancing but I didn't want my girlfriend to feel uncomfortable (though she said she wasn't) so I waned off on that. I'm more of a swing dancer (east coast but I can swing west if I like the song) with some latin in me (salsa mostly). Me and my old partner used did mostly Tango (international). But my favorite dance is the Hustle, just becuase you can dance it to just about anything.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

It'll be rough to find a new partner if you guys go to diff schools. No ballet for me though, haha, don't think I'm flexible enough

I picked up ballroom in the beginning of college (so for about 4 years now)w/ my best bud as a confidence booster and a lesson in interacting with women - I used to be the awakward asian kid who walked around a building to avoid walking through a group of girls talking. No competitive dancing for me unfortunately. I mostly dance socially either at the school club or the dance clubs in the area so it's hard to say what my level is. I did have a partner for a long time and we might have done competitive dancing but I didn't want my girlfriend to feel uncomfortable (though she said she wasn't) so I waned off on that. I'm more of a swing dancer (east coast but I can swing west if I like the song) with some latin in me (salsa mostly). Me and my old partner used did mostly Tango (international). But my favorite dance is the Hustle, just becuase you can dance it to just about anything.

I'd like to learn Tango. Are there different kinds? (seeing as you said "Tango (international)") Thanks.

 

[BioSeven]

I dance with a group on campus. We have shows one a semester and we do all types of dance (ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, tap, ballroom, hip-hop, etc). I can't imagine not being able to dance so I guess I'll be continuing in some shape or form once I get to medical school

 

[flaahless]

Hahaha I haven't kept up with dancing at all. I did hip hop pretty seriously during HS and early college, but I haven't really danced in over a year. I wanted to get back into it after watching America's Best Dance Crew... but I've been too busy. Only time I dance now is at the club, and that's not really dancing.

 

[EpiPEN]

I'd like to learn Tango. Are there different kinds? (seeing as you said "Tango (international)") Thanks.

Yeah International Tango is more of the standard competition style. I see it as more strict and difficult to dance to (it's more performance based). It's got strong beat, traditional movements, and a lot of attitude. American Tango can be more social that follows the traditional tango beat, like something that you can actually grab a stranger and dance to. And Argentine Tango is... well it's different. The beat is not as set and it's more of a subtle expressive dance, kind of like how the west coast swing gives you more of a freedom to really express your body language in the music. Also I believe the Argentine Tango used to be danced between men only, which is interesting as Argentine Tango is supposed to be the more sensual and slow tango (go figure). You can probably find a more comprehensive and accurate description of what I'm trying to get at online somewhere, but that's just what my experiences on what the Tango is like.

 

[AKu2984]

I love dancing!!

I've done ballet, hip-hop, jazz, modern...and East Indian classical dancing (Bharathanatyam). It is often difficult to improve your skills in the midst of studying, applying to medical school, etc. It's sort of depressing, actually. But, I still dance when I get time to. We all have to make time for ourselves to do things we enjoy...otherwise life would be meaningless. I think it'll all work out in the end, though...I'll just have to be a dancing doctor! (Not simultaneously, I hope...)

 

[Ella Shepherd]

I love dancing!!

I've done ballet, hip-hop, jazz, modern...and East Indian classical dancing (Bharathanatyam). It is often difficult to improve your skills in the midst of studying, applying to medical school, etc. It's sort of depressing, actually. But, I still dance when I get time to. We all have to make time for ourselves to do things we enjoy...otherwise life would be meaningless. I think it'll all work out in the end, though...I'll just have to be a dancing doctor! (Not simultaneously, I hope...)

I so know how that feels!

Me, too.

 

[SugPlum]

I used to do a lot of ballet before med school. I started formal ballet training during college and then continued after college. I spent a few years dancing, though not professionally, before med school. I lived with my parents and worked part-time or temporary jobs that would fit into my dance class schedule.

I don't have time to attend dance classes during med school. The studios are quite far from campus. I try to "keep in shape" by practicing in my apartment. I give myself a class once in a while with the Messerer or Kostrovitskaya book which has examples of classes. If the campus fitness center had a more suitable floor for ballet in the aerobics room, I would be able to practice there.

 

[dancinRN1022]

that is cool that there are soo many pre med dancers out there.... in college i double majored in bio/ dance...i mainly enjoy jazz, hip hop, modern, and african...but i was also sometimes forced to do ballet...i don't enjoy it as much... i was in a couple of student run dance groups...and it was soo much fun to spend all day in a lab or lib studying then go and dance all night in the studio on campus...or vice versa... i actually tried to check out schools that had a dance studio near by...i think there is one close to wake forest...and some of the ppl i met there say they have taken classes there...there is also a dance team at wake undergrad that i think we can join...however i don't think i would have enough time for a dance team while in med school.... i still do my jazz warm ups at home in front of the miror when i start to feel too in active and sluggish...

 

[riversoul]

I've never danced for any competitive, professional groups, but in the past 3 yrs in college, I was in a non-competitive, no auditions held, pre-health organization sponsored hip-hop dance group. I've also recently taken up breakdancing, which has turned out to be a LOT of fun!

 

[LN921]

Hey yeah I've been dancing for 16 years and I am currently a part of a dance company here on campus. We do mainly lyrical/contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre, so pretty much everything, obviously with a basis in ballet. I really hope there are opportunities to dance once in med school, like student run companies or studios nearby. I was fortunate that our company practices only on M/W nights from 8-11, so I only have to sacrifice 2 nights of studying. I guess it works with my schedule since I have been dancing so long, so I am used to the physical demand it requires. Anyone applying to Texas schools and likewise looking for dance opportunities once in med school??

 

[gimpyballerina]

wow its really great that there are some other bunheads on here! The only thing I've ever done in my life has been ballet, which I started at the age of three. My parents let me leave home when I was 14 in order for me "chase the dream" and train in several major preprofessional boarding schools during high school. My dream has always been to dance professionally in a world renowned ballet company, but unfortunately the physcial and mental stresses of it all caused me to burn out and seek other options. So now I'm in college and am relatively "normal" for the first time in my life!

Now to answer ella's questions, I'm only a sophomore right now but so far it hasn't been too difficult to juggle being a ballet and biology major plus a chem minor. I've just accepted the fact that I would be taking 19 credits every semester as well as taking summer school classes if I ever wanted to get out of undergrad. I would hope to continue taking ballet classes if I ever get into med school just because I don't know anything else! As lame as this sounds, ballet has always been my identity and I can't imagine myself not dancing. I'm extremly torn between maybe going to med school and dancing professionally. I've given up my entire childhood to train plus my family has made enormous sacrifices for my training, I feel like everything would be a waste if I didn't "make it". Being a doctor has always been a dream of mine as well, but I'm worried I will end up living a life of regret and that my parents will be disappointed (how ironic?). Right now I'm planning on applying to med school after my junior year as well as audition for ballet companies then whatever happens will hopefully work itself out in the end.

 

[michwolverine]

Gimpyballerina: we have a sports medicine dr. in our area who mainly sees dancers and soccer players. She is the one you see for evaluation around here. She does not do surgery, just evaluates and refers for physical therapy or surgery. She has children and works limited hours. I think she's worked out a nice specialty for herself--maybe you could combine your interests that way.

 

[LandSpeed]

this is me at the club..except im a dude.i dont do that jabbawockee kaba crap.
[youtube]hrfD7Dw5meM[/youtube]

Dude, this video is terrible. It completely killed my morning. Thanks a lot! LOL

 

[MossPoh]

I do hiphop, afro-Caribbean,west African and most recently ballet. In third year I was dancing professionally with an African group. I was dancing 8-12 hours a week. I would take 2 weeks off to study for exams. My parents thought I was crazy for dancing while in school, but you make time for things that are important to you.

Will I continue while in medschool? I'm not sure. I don't think there's an Caribbean or African dance scene in Nashville I'll probably just do ballet.

Lys

You may be surprised. The most popular music in nashville is 1) Hip hop 2) Rock and 3) Country. (Surprising order eh?) There are black people in Nashville..surprising I know. With the several universities in Nashville, I'd be surprised if there weren't some kind of group with that. We had one at Penn State and that is the epitome of whiteness there.

 

[ar2388]

wow its really great that there are some other bunheads on here! The only thing I've ever done in my life has been ballet, which I started at the age of three. My parents let me leave home when I was 14 in order for me "chase the dream" and train in several major preprofessional boarding schools during high school. My dream has always been to dance professionally in a world renowned ballet company, but unfortunately the physcial and mental stresses of it all caused me to burn out and seek other options. So now I'm in college and am relatively "normal" for the first time in my life!

Now to answer ella's questions, I'm only a sophomore right now but so far it hasn't been too difficult to juggle being a ballet and biology major plus a chem minor. I've just accepted the fact that I would be taking 19 credits every semester as well as taking summer school classes if I ever wanted to get out of undergrad. I would hope to continue taking ballet classes if I ever get into med school just because I don't know anything else! As lame as this sounds, ballet has always been my identity and I can't imagine myself not dancing. I'm extremly torn between maybe going to med school and dancing professionally. I've given up my entire childhood to train plus my family has made enormous sacrifices for my training, I feel like everything would be a waste if I didn't "make it". Being a doctor has always been a dream of mine as well, but I'm worried I will end up living a life of regret and that my parents will be disappointed (how ironic?). Right now I'm planning on applying to med school after my junior year as well as audition for ballet companies then whatever happens will hopefully work itself out in the end.

yay! i feel the same way except less intense. i never wanted to do it professionally but it is who i am to such a huge extent.

 

[Kriqui]

i'm a bunhead too! i was able to balance schoolwork and ballet. actually ballet was a stress reliever. it's nice to do something that makes you think differently than the analyzing, problem-solving, and memorizing you have to do for sciences.

 

[Character]

Dude, this video is terrible. It completely killed my morning. Thanks a lot! LOL

what!!!!booo!!!!!
kate bush= very cool
you=not so much. haha.

 

[EpiPEN]

what!!!!booo!!!!!
kate bush= very cool
you=not so much. haha.

I don't know about cool, but she certainly sounds more high

 

[Character]

I don't know about cool, but she certainly sounds more high

boo you too!

 

[Ella Shepherd]

i'm a bunhead too! i was able to balance schoolwork and ballet. actually ballet was a stress reliever. it's nice to do something that makes you think differently than the analyzing, problem-solving, and memorizing you have to do for sciences.

I know what you mean.

It's nice to know that there are other bunhead pre-med students out there. lol

 

[chad5871]

I have extensive experience in tap (hence the avatar).

I also have a very small amount of training in jazz, ballet, and hip hop. But mostly tap (it's much more masculine ).

 

[DancerDocToBe]

*shoots hand in the air*

I'm a ballet dancer with a bit of training in modern dance too. I spent my senior year of high school dancing with a small professional company outside of Boston. I'll be starting my second year of college in the fall where I'm a dance major--two hip surgeries and an inevitable third have forced me to put the "ballerina dreams" on the back burner for the time being but I'm still continuing to dance while pursuing my plan B of going to med school (seriously, I'm convinced that's something you'd only ever hear a dancer say...). After this next surgery, my hips should be good to go and we'll see. I want to dance but I also want to go into sports med or orthopedics. Right now, my plan is similar to gimpyballerina's except I think I'm planning on a year off between undergrad and med school. Senior year I'll apply to med schools and audition for dance companies.

Right now I'm just majoring in dance--I had started out as a bio major as well but decided I'd really rather just take the science classes that interested me instead of ones that really didn't just because they were required for the major. It's more fun that way! So that makes it easier and I used the semester where I couldn't dance last year to get alot of classes out of the way and the plan still stands for my next surgery time off as well. And it gets me away from the swarms of crazy pre-med types that look at me like I'm the one with a problem when I bitch about my modern class dragging my gpa down...

 

[Bahadur]

I'm surprised we haven't had any Classical Indian dancing yet.

Any Kathak aficionados here?


EDIT: jk i just saw Bharat Natyam (sp?), yayyy.