You might remember me,
or maybe not. I am the crazy Spanish fan girl who met you the other day after
your brilliant performance of Aurora
at the Royal Opera House. Yes, that girl who said nothing but a
shy enhorabuena and then gave you a rose. That girl who
asked you to sign her tiny pointe
shoe.
I am that girl who simply melted in your presence and who was not able to tell you what she desperately wanted you to know. This is why I write this letter: because at that point I could not think properly. I was overwhelmed and honoured. And it is not a matter of adulation; it is a matter of inspiration.
I started taking ballet classes when I was six, but due to different reasons I had to give up at thirteen after a recent promotion to pointe. When I was nineteen I got an Erasmus grant and I was lucky enough to get London as my destination. In May that year I went to the ballet at the Royal Opera House and this is when magic happened. You were dancing Asphodel Meadows with the rest of the company. I had never seen you dance before, but you got through to me, and I had not seen the best part just yet. Later that day you danced Carmen and you simply changed my life. I bought your DVDs and watched them all. I searched for other performances of yours on YouTube and I loved every single second of them. Through your dancing you gave me the strength I needed to go to a ballet studio and enrol myself again after more than six years, even though I knew it was a bit late for me. I do not consider myself a good dancer; I have so much to learn…! But you are my inspiration and if I know I will never give up it is because of you. Because you granted me the privilege of seeing your dancing. That is why I will never be able to thank you enough.
Tamara, when I met you last Monday I did not tell you this, but the pointe shoe that you signed for me was not any pointe shoe. It was actually my first pointe shoe ever, which I had been keeping like a golden treasure since I was eleven. You just made it even more special, so thank you once again.
I will continue following your career and watching you live as many times as I can, because you never deceive me. You always have something new to give and I will be there to catch it every single time. Thank you, Tamara Rojo, because you make me happy and without you, my life would not be the same.
Your ever supporting fan,
Nerea.
I am that girl who simply melted in your presence and who was not able to tell you what she desperately wanted you to know. This is why I write this letter: because at that point I could not think properly. I was overwhelmed and honoured. And it is not a matter of adulation; it is a matter of inspiration.
I started taking ballet classes when I was six, but due to different reasons I had to give up at thirteen after a recent promotion to pointe. When I was nineteen I got an Erasmus grant and I was lucky enough to get London as my destination. In May that year I went to the ballet at the Royal Opera House and this is when magic happened. You were dancing Asphodel Meadows with the rest of the company. I had never seen you dance before, but you got through to me, and I had not seen the best part just yet. Later that day you danced Carmen and you simply changed my life. I bought your DVDs and watched them all. I searched for other performances of yours on YouTube and I loved every single second of them. Through your dancing you gave me the strength I needed to go to a ballet studio and enrol myself again after more than six years, even though I knew it was a bit late for me. I do not consider myself a good dancer; I have so much to learn…! But you are my inspiration and if I know I will never give up it is because of you. Because you granted me the privilege of seeing your dancing. That is why I will never be able to thank you enough.
Tamara, when I met you last Monday I did not tell you this, but the pointe shoe that you signed for me was not any pointe shoe. It was actually my first pointe shoe ever, which I had been keeping like a golden treasure since I was eleven. You just made it even more special, so thank you once again.
I will continue following your career and watching you live as many times as I can, because you never deceive me. You always have something new to give and I will be there to catch it every single time. Thank you, Tamara Rojo, because you make me happy and without you, my life would not be the same.
Your ever supporting fan,
Nerea.
Oh wow! What a lovely story! I'm not surprised you feel inspired! Your first ever pointe shoe with a signature of such a talented artist - what a beautiful idea! : )
ReplyDelete@Iina It is beautiful, isn't it? I will keep it like a treasure! =D
ReplyDeleteOh, it's so touching!
ReplyDeleteAnd it is really wonderful to find in the infinite space of the Internet the person who love ballet as much as I do.
@Danzatrice You like it? Thank you! I actually sent it to her, because many people told me to do it!
ReplyDeleteYes, the Internet is an amazing place to meet new ballet-y people.
OMG YOU ARE RUSSIAN! I love your country and your language, but I am not very good at it!!
Keep in touch?!
Xxx
Nerea.
@Nerea
ReplyDeleteThis is really wonderful letter! So sincere, so touching! It seems to me that the person who can write letters like this is very-very-very nice. You are absolutely adorable!And I am really glad to meet you.
Oh! Have you sent it? You're so brave! I really wish you to receive an answer. In my opinion, you are worthy of it.
Yes, I'm Russian.=)
And it's very good that you are interested in our country and language because it's my future occupation -- to teach foreigners speak Russian, read Russian literature in the original and love this amazing country with incredible culture and history.You can be my first guinea pig!=D I'm kidding of course.=)
You know, I have sad ballet story of my life too. I had to be a ballerina, I was even born to dance. And I even entered the ballet school when I was 7 (I started ballet when I was 3), but...well, it is really sorrowful story. My Mum didn't want me to do ballet, so...all my life I have been dancing in unprofessional ballet studios, and every new teacher said:" You are so-o-o talented! You have so fantastic legs! Why didn't you go to the ballet school in your childhood?!You had to do it!" To be honest, it is offensive sometimes...
But maybe it is my destiny -- not to dance professionally, maybe I'll do something useful in the other sphere. Who knows. I always calm myself saying it.=)
Well, I don't know why I said all this...I'm sorry.
I just looked through your blog and feeled this pain again. Forgive me for this whining please.
@Danzatrice Thanks! If I receive an answer I will be SO happy! But I don't really count on it, because Tamara is a really busy person ^^
ReplyDeleteSo anyways... I would be glad to be your "guinea pig", haha. I studied Russian for five months or so, and I absolutely loved it! I haven't been able to continue with those studies yet, but I totally will at some point ^^
There's no need to forgive you, because there's nothing to forgive. You don't need to feel sorry; I feel your pain. Actually, when I was little I was kind of good for my age too, but I had to give ballet up because there was no studio near my hometown. I'm sorry for you, but hey, cheer up! At least, we have ballet now in our lives, and it makes us happy, doesn't it!?! I am pretty much a disaster in class, but for what I've read on you blog, you seem to be a pretty good dancer! High five! =)
@Nerea
ReplyDeleteHope springs eternal in the human breast. Remember it.
And I will glad to help you with Russian. You're welcome.=)
Yes, but dancing in the studio and being a professional ballerina are so different things! But I try to be rather optimistic about it. However sometimes regret for this comes over. Well, please take no notice of my whinning.
I WAS good. And I HAVE all the makings of a good dancer. But...I need to work harder now, to stratch --because it is really horrible now.
@Danzatrice But I can see that you really like it, so go for it! Work hard and you'll get far! =D
ReplyDelete