Dance Injury
Kristen Erdiakoff ERDIAKOFF1
English. 100
December 3rd, 2012 My Dance Injury
Dancing, primarily ballet, has been the main focus of my childhood (from age three and beyond), as well as early teen life. In many ways, it is what defines me; how I see myself as well as describe myself. But, My ballet career was forever altered when, in 2008, I did a lunge in a primary class with the Artistic Director at the San Francisco School of Ballet and landed ever so gracefully which dislocated my knee. The pain was immediate and in many ways indefinite as it has negatively affected my dancing career. My plans for the future, for college, and work, were all changed the instant I landed on the sap-like sticky, rosin (adhesive crushed rocks to make point shoes not slip on floor) covered floor. Only now do I realize the need to recover emotionally and mentally from that injury. Having my patella (knee cap) dislocated changed not only my dancing abilities for the next few years, but also my mental state, my will power, motivation, and perseverance.
I was in the top floor ballet studio, a sunny, sky-light lit room with the soft rustling of about forty women sewing, cutting, and tying their pink point shoes. We began class with Lola, our Assistant Artistic Director. She always had everyone, even the pianist, a bit on edge. My fellow classmates was trying their ultimate, sweaty-best to impress the strong, willful and powerful Spaniard who would normally teach only company member classes. I was among them, just as nervous and clammy as everyone else was, trying to impress the second in command of our Ballet company, trying my hardest just to be noticed. Anything from Lola, even a correction, would have been a big deal, meaning I had at least caught her eye. In the middle of our Tendu exercise, where we stretch and extend the foot while pointing, was a section where we had to lunge with our foot back. When I started the lunge, my supporting leg was caught
English. 100
December 3rd, 2012 My Dance Injury
Dancing, primarily ballet, has been the main focus of my childhood (from age three and beyond), as well as early teen life. In many ways, it is what defines me; how I see myself as well as describe myself. But, My ballet career was forever altered when, in 2008, I did a lunge in a primary class with the Artistic Director at the San Francisco School of Ballet and landed ever so gracefully which dislocated my knee. The pain was immediate and in many ways indefinite as it has negatively affected my dancing career. My plans for the future, for college, and work, were all changed the instant I landed on the sap-like sticky, rosin (adhesive crushed rocks to make point shoes not slip on floor) covered floor. Only now do I realize the need to recover emotionally and mentally from that injury. Having my patella (knee cap) dislocated changed not only my dancing abilities for the next few years, but also my mental state, my will power, motivation, and perseverance.
I was in the top floor ballet studio, a sunny, sky-light lit room with the soft rustling of about forty women sewing, cutting, and tying their pink point shoes. We began class with Lola, our Assistant Artistic Director. She always had everyone, even the pianist, a bit on edge. My fellow classmates was trying their ultimate, sweaty-best to impress the strong, willful and powerful Spaniard who would normally teach only company member classes. I was among them, just as nervous and clammy as everyone else was, trying to impress the second in command of our Ballet company, trying my hardest just to be noticed. Anything from Lola, even a correction, would have been a big deal, meaning I had at least caught her eye. In the middle of our Tendu exercise, where we stretch and extend the foot while pointing, was a section where we had to lunge with our foot back. When I started the lunge, my supporting leg was caught