Our society operates under highly standardized thinking patterns – we are taught to achieve certain milestones by a specified age. People are made to feel like failures if they start late in their careers. Ballet, a form of performative dance, also operates under the idea that only those who begin in childhood can become proficient ballet dancers. A saturated age limit determines who enters and excels in this field, creating limitations for aspiring dancers. Yet, many are defying these outdated standards and constraints. Brittany O’Connor, a ballerina and mentor, is one such individual. With her success story, Brittany is able to unpack and show the absurdity of limiting learning to an age.
Brittany fell in love with dancing at a very early age. She loved the elegance and charm of telling a story through body movement. Consequently, she learned to dance jazz and tap. However, these activities were limited to a domestic level.
It was at the age of 14 that Brittany decided to take dancing seriously. After watching and practicing for so long, she knew she wanted to dance for the rest of her life. A show in Tampa played a pivotal role in determining her direction. Seeing the dancers in the show inspired her to take the professional route. Brittany consulted with these dancers, and they suggested pursuing ballet, given the scope of this art form and the prestigious opportunities that it can offer. She started her professional training in ballet shortly after. Thus, began Brittany’s journey as a ballerina.
Though one can start recreational ballet at any age, professional ballet dancers are mostly encouraged to start before the age of ten. Most of Brittany’s fellows in the training program began at six years old. Thus, it was natural that Brittany was behind them in some respects. Despite this, she was determined to get ahead of the curve through her talent, hard work, and dedication. Yet, some instructors and people viewed her age as a significant setback. They would tell her that it was too late for her to become an accomplished professional ballerina. She was told that she would never get a professional job as major production companies usually pick early starters.
Listening to such discouraging remarks could have impacted Brittany’s performance negatively, but she was determined to follow her passion to the end. She was a fighter, ready to prove her prowess as a talented dancer and a strong-willed individual. Her efforts bore excellent results – after training for four years, Brittany was hired by a famous company known as Pacific Northwest Ballet. From here on, Brittany began to grow steadily as a dancer, participating in major productions. She also got a chance to work with the acclaimed European ballet company, the Dresden SemperOper Ballet. She traveled to over 70 countries, participating in galas and shows all across the world.
Over the years, her influence has grown internationally as a ballet dancer and instructor. This success was possible because of her unrelenting resilience. Brittany recognizes the importance of working for her dreams despite all obstacles – “What makes me stand out from the crowd is that my entire life I have been told that things were not possible for me because I started dancing later in life. However, I have created my own way of life and gone against the grain of what society has taught me to be,” notes Brittany.
Brittany is an inspiration for anyone starting later than expected in any field. You can learn more about Brittany’s exceptional career by following her on Instagram.
Photo by: Tio Von Hale
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