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LynnM1227Narrative

Page history last edited by PBworks 18 years, 6 months ago

Ashley Matthews, “the ballerina”, is always how people who didn’t know me, were introduced to me. All throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school I was known with that title. At the age of 6, I began my ballet training, not knowing how greatly a simple ballet classroom would affect my life. I started dancing early on, and, in fact, hated it. I quit after 2 weeks. Eventually, my mom took me to a performance of “The Nutcracker”. All I remember is wanting to be up on that stage wearing those pretty costumes. I started at a local dance school, which quickly became just an amateur, small city “dolly-dinkle school”, as my dance friends and I would later call them. After the frustrations of a local school, my mom took me into the city of Pittsburgh to begin training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. Not only did I begin ballet training, I began life training as well.

 

I spent 8 ½ years of my life in those grey, marley floored ballet studios. By the time I was in 8th grade, I was spending every day in Pittsburgh for at least 3 hours. Saturday’s consisted of ballet class and then rehearsals for whatever upcoming performance there was. I would spend hours rehearsing and dancing my feet off….literally. The time surrounding “The Nutcracker” developed into a season for us, like spring, summer, winter, or fall. Nutcracker season was the height of our dance year, with its disappointments and triumphs. In the summer, many teenagers would be getting summer jobs and just lounging around. I on the other hand would spend 5 or 6 weeks at other professional ballet school’s summer programs. I traveled to New York City, Seattle, Charlotte, and Chautauqua. I spent many summers in Pittsburgh as well. We danced from 9 to 6 every day, always with that unspoken knowledge that even your closest friend was part of your competition.

 

The relationships I developed throughout those years continue to affect me today. The amount of time spent with those people caused us to know one another so well and so thoroughly. I learned of loyalty, backstabbing, graciousness, and tolerance from these people. The competition sometimes made friendships strained, and in the end, made them even stronger than they were before. We all appreciated each other, however, the large amount of time spent together led to being annoyed with each another. Competition led to betrayals and emotional apologies. My ballet teachers taught me more about life than any school classroom teacher ever would. I learned of self discipline and maturity. Growing up in the ballet world taught me to learn to devote myself to a single goal and work diligently to achieve it. Within the classroom, my entire mind had to focus on what I was doing. The self discipline I developed became strong and continues to be a strong attribute in anything I do. Because of the atmosphere and strain of the ballet world, my maturity had to develop much sooner than any other teenager. I had to balance dance and school and deal with the stress and competition on my mind and my body. My teachers expected nothing less than our best and always made it seem like the lessons inside the ballet classroom were also meant for outside of it as well. From them, I learned to take criticism and strive for perfection, although never allowing myself to accept that I had achieved it.

 

Ballet made me a much more cultured individual than many of my peers. Traveling to so many cities during the summer months threw me into situations where I had to open myself to so many new people and force myself to adapt quickly. Even now, upon coming to college, I am not homesick and I am quickly getting used to my surroundings. The endless array of people I met shaped who I am today. The experiences I had opened my mind and eyes to accept different people and different ways.

 

Ballet also taught me of the strength and support of my family. I learned to appreciate them for everything they did, although it took some time. Up until I earned my driver’s license, my mom drove 45 minutes to Pittsburgh, waited until I was finished, and then drove 45 minutes back. They came to see me perform; even my brothers who did not particularly want to. When I stopped dancing, they supported that decision as well. I know that no matter what my decision is, they will always be behind me.

 

I finally stopped dancing when the realist in me kicked in. I didn’t see a future in my dance career. Although I would’ve made it as a professional, that lifestyle was not what I wanted. I wanted success and I wanted a comfortable living. A dancer’s salary and physically demanding “work day” could never give that to me. Ballet had also become routine and natural. I had continued merely because I had been dancing for so long.

 

Up until the point when I stopped dancing, I saw ballet as what defined me. However, ballet does not define me and never will. Ballet contributed to defining the person I am today. I am self disciplined and competitive. Because of this competitiveness, I do not open up well, especially when not asked directly. I manage stress and I am mature. I am cultured and open minded. I love the arts and will always continue to support them. I am driven and intelligent and will always achieve my goals. My drive for success leads me to not concern myself with insignificant details and I am not much of a gossiper. I am not perfect, but I want to know how to be so I can strive towards it. I have my faults, but who doesn’t? I am proud of who I am. At the end of my life I want to look around and see people whom I’ve touched. I want to see that they respect and admire me for who I am and what I have achieved. Now, at this point in my life, I am excited and ready to make something of myself and showcase all of my qualities in my successes and in my failures.


 

In order to write my narrative in a sort of different "format" I used the way SkiGirl introduced her narrative with a defining moment in a bigger role that she plays, her Jewish religion. I will then follow how she went further in depth on what her Jewish religion meant to her and how it shaped her. However, in my narrative my defining moment and what shapes me will be produced from Ballet.

 

Also, I am sampling from JeN14. She sometimes goes back into her childhood to show of early evidence of her personality or hobby.

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