• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
College Magazine logo

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
    • Find Your College
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
Home » Latest Posts » “If You Dance You Will Kill Yourself” But Here is Why I Did it Anyway
Life

“If You Dance You Will Kill Yourself” But Here is Why I Did it Anyway

Facebook Tweet
37
Courtesy of Moa Andreaasson
Moa Andreasson   April 29, 2022

Dance made me who I am. I am thankful for all it taught me, the long-lasting friendships I made, the absolutely incredible dancers I got to perform with and the unforgettable performances. That’s not to mention the teachers and mentors I had the pleasure of working with. With all that said, I am equally thankful that I quit when I did. Quitting dance allowed me to meet even more people, experience different things and acquire new perspectives. More than that, it opened my eyes to what a great experience being a dancer was and how I can use that in all areas of my life.

At almost 10 years old I fell in love with dance for the first time.

Courtesy of Johannes Hjort

My class got invited to watch a dance performance at the Royal Swedish Ballet School in Stockholm. It made such a great impact on me, that after this performance I was convinced to become a ballet dancer, despite no previous experience. I convinced my mom to sign me up for the auditions at the Royal Swedish Ballet school. By “convinced” I mean that I signed the papers and handed her them to give me the final signature to approve it. A couple of months later (after getting through multiple rounds of auditions) I got an acceptance letter from the school, making that the happiest day of my life at the time. I dedicated the upcoming eight years to ballet and dance. Every day a new opportunity to work harder than yesterday. They never accepted less than the absolute best.

In eighth grade, I made my decision. I would dedicate my entire life and career to performing as a professional dancer in a well-known company. After several auditions throughout Europe, I started at Tanz Akademie Zurich, Switzerland, in August 2016. I got accepted to one of the best dance schools in Europe. Hence, moving one step closer to my dream job. Unfortunately, this dream didn’t last long. After only two months, and an incredible amount of pain, I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my lumbar spine. The director of the school sat me down and made the process short: “this injury will not heal. If you dance, you will kill yourself.” In other words, pack your things and go home.

This conversation happened on a Friday, by Monday I left the school and traveled back to my family’s home.

Courtesy of Johannes Hjort

I never thought I would step foot in a dance studio again. Determined to not give up on my dream, I went through months of physiotherapy, doctor’s appointments, rest, tears and a whole lot of hard work and dedication. An MRI then confirmed that my back healed. I could officially go back to dancing! Yet again, I auditioned at the old school I attended prior to moving to Switzerland and got accepted. After nearly being off ballet for a year I managed to get back in shape and started dancing. The road to recovery felt like it would never end. But it finally did. I entered the dance studio stronger than ever, mentally, physically and emotionally. I managed to prove everyone who didn’t believe I could come back wrong. I spent the upcoming summer dancing at the American Ballet Theatre’s summer school.


trending

501

10 Student Organizations Breaking the Mold at Berkeley

203

Top 10 Spots Around Emerson College to Get Inspired

172

Top 10 Ways to Spot a UT Austin Alum


But as the weeks in New York passed I found myself thinking about what I find important in life.

Courtesy of Moa Andreasson

Every so often you question what happened in the last 10 years and what the next 10 years would look like. Where do I see myself in ten years? What do I really want to accomplish in life? What really is my dream job? I can’t say I knew the answers to all these questions, but I realized one thing: the career of a dancer is too limited in comparison to what I really want to accomplish in life. A higher education called me; I wanted to pursue writing and explore what the world offered outside the four walls of a dance studio. I also wanted to travel without constantly worrying about breaking in new pointe shoes and I wanted free time.

I realized that I loved ballet so much because dancing itself gave me an opportunity to push myself to the fullest to give the audience a unique experience that they will carry with them and remember for the rest of their lives. As much as I loved, and to this day miss the early mornings and late nights in the studio— you can only dance for so long. My body went through a lot over the years: a surgery, a spinal injury and broken toes. I loved, and still love, dancing. But I realized that quitting dance when I had accomplished so much didn’t mean I didn’t love it, it just meant that the sacrifices and the pain it caused me were no longer worth it.

When I tell people my story, I often get these questions: Do you miss it? Do you regret quitting? Do you wish you didn’t dance at all?

My answer? Yes to the first question and no to the others.

Courtesy of Moa Andreasson

Dance taught me more skills than I can ever explain and I use these skills in my daily life. More than that, during times of pressure and stress: job interviews, presentations, public speaking, I remember all the lessons dance taught me. Thanks to dance, I know how to prepare for these situations, how to tackle them and in most cases, do well.

A good dancer makes the audience feel something but an even better dancer tells a story to the audience. Although I no longer pursue dance at a professional level, I love storytelling in all forms. Effective storytelling is contingent on an artful performance with major themes, supporting nuances and perfect timing. Since I quit dancing, my medium shifted from the stage to paper. As a performance artist, I learned to read crowds, adjust and tune my movements to better communicate with them. The same principles apply in the age of social media, marketing and public relations: one needs to understand the audience, adjust and tune communications for better connections and influence. If I never danced, I wouldn’t know that I want to pursue these things as a career. Don’t get me wrong, I am still deciding on my exact career, but pursuing dance brought me closer to realizing what I value in life. At some point, the blood, sweat and tears were all worth it. But they no longer served the same purpose anymore.

To the dancers I know: I admire you, I occasionally even live vicariously through you.

Moa Andreasson, Courtesy of Johannes Hjort

But, remember to take care of yourself, you only live once, with one body, mind and soul. Treat it gently. To people with similar experiences as me: you can feel lonely, confused and lost in losing your identity as a dancer, but you are not alone. The day will come where you can use the discipline that made you excel as a dancer to find new passions in life and trust me you will. To everyone else: Admire this beautiful art form, knowing what you see is the fruit of countless hours of dedication, labor and careful attention to the most minute details. Most importantly, check in on your dancer friends. We are taught to conceal our emotions with a happy face, but that doesn’t mean we’re always okay.

About Moa Andreasson

Former professional ballet dancer and current international student at the University of Southern California, majoring in public relations and minoring in psychology. I am passionate about human rights and protecting them for everyone. To soak in the world around me, I am an avid podcast listener and love exploring the world through traveling!

The Art of the Hot Girl Walk

I Used to Outrun My Feet

What I Wish I Had Known About Mental Health So I Wouldn’t Have to Call Myself a College Dropout

Ant-Man Opens the Doors for Marvel’s New Phase

10 Boba Tea Spots for Houston College Students

10 Ways to Have Fun with Your Friends Indoors

Do You Actually Care, Or Do You Want to Look Like You Do?

unsplash.com

Top Ten Inspirational Quotes from Your Favorite Sports TV Shows

I lived with my three best friends. Here’s how it went.

Previous Post:A Strong Woman Will Never Give Up
Next Post:Ten Best Places To Live Off-Campus At Penn State

colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

College Magazine logo

Copyright © 2023 Powered by BizBudding