What do you do to own a room in your industry ?
"The leotard/tights or activewear I have on has become a way of expressing myself. I will generally wear red to feel more confident and powerful in the studio as that has historically not been a space for Black dancers. Not only that but, Ballet is still a space that places women in what can feel like a vulnerable position as we are wearing skin tight clothes. Our bodies are constantly critiqued from both our technique to our shape or size. Which is why I choose to express myself as much as I can through what I wear in the studio so I can be bold, be proud of
myself and “own” the space regardless of who is at the front of the room or who is watching me during a rehearsal/class."
What coping mechanisms do you use to power through a tough day?
"Ballet is full of ups and downs and especially during this lockdown, the tough days are even tougher than normal. There aren’t goals to achieve or performances to look forward to so lately, I’ve found the best way to power through those tough days has been to do mini meditations and calm my breathing. I remind myself that without Ballet I am still me and one misstep doesn’t change my worth or my value as a human."
Ballerina, National Ballet of Canada
Tene Ward
@Tene_Ward