Things take time but with patience everything can be accomplished.
It's been seven months since I injured my foot. I am back to dancing and last week I started jumping. Even though I am still a little bit afraid and my joint seems like its jammed and it needs to be popped I am tranquil and trying to stay positive.
Words cannot describe how much I have missed dancing, so even the fact of putting ballet shoes on and having to fight to get back to were I was and then push it further to become an even more stronger and better dancer than I was before, gives me life.
However, all this time off has help me see the ballet world from a different perspective. I have done everything in my power to stay present in any way I could. Firstly, being in rehearsals watching and maybe taking notes, specially since last season we've had amazing people like Susan Jones or Jessica Lang come and stage works for us. A part of me was sad that it wasn't me dancing Ms. Jones' gorgeous 'Don Quixote' or Lang's 'To Familiar Spaces in Dream' but I can say I have learned as a professional from watching these people work their crafts.
Second, it has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge a as teacher by doing the rest of the levels from the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum.What an incredible experience -a little bit stressfull too, don't get me wrong, but mostly rewarding-.
And third, but related to the second, I was asked to teach a lot at the Orlando Ballet School, which has given me more confidence and more experience as an educator.
So, even though I hated that I couldn't dance for so long, I think the key is to find something that interests you, and pursue it. Specially things that you might not be able to do during your normal season with all the rehearsals and little time off.
If you love what you do, as much as I do, you'll find something within it that will make your heart beat with excitement again.
