This is Darya’s story. Darya is a trained ballet dancer. Having been trained from the tender age of three, dance is an integral part of her life.
At the tender age of three, she began her training under the supervision of her aunt, who was a choreographer. For the next nine years she was trained not only in ballet, but also in folk dance and gymnastics.
At the age of twelve, she joined a Ukrainian government funded ballet dancing school. Darya went to the dance school every day after school (academic school). There she had to practice for about 5 hours. This dance school was not just an outlet for creative potential, rather Darya’s sanctuary. She used to feel like an outcast in her academic school, but the dance school provided refuge to her.
Officially, the dance school could not force the students to follow a strict diet, but the students, although young, could understand that ballet was easier to perform in a slight body. Moves like en pointe, or standing on the tips of the toes, would be painful if the dancers put on weight. To perfect the moves the students at the school, the students would go on a diet. Because of academic pressure, ballet practice for five hours a day, and being on a diet, Darya was tired most of the time during that time.
At sixteen years of age, she suffered a minor trauma in her knees. While dancing she experienced a slight pain in her knees. Doctors advised her to take a break from ballet, and use swimming and yoga as means to strengthen her muscles around the knees.
This injury, coupled with the limited timed career in ballet, triggered Darya’s decision to stop training for professional ballet. She decided to go into academics instead, and keep ballet as a passion.
Now, at North Carolina State University, she is a member of the ballet club. She meets the other members once every week, and practices for about an hour. But she makes sure she does not go up on her toes, as it hurts her terribly now.