Interview with a ballet dancer: A challenging life & career – Part 3

Welcome to the third and last part of our interview series where Michael Banzhaf, soloist of Staatsballett Berlin, takes us along his 19-year-long career and journey as a ballet dancer.

Once again, there’s quite a lot of ballet wisdom to discover, so let’s get right into it!

Limits of the body

M.B.: In the first 10 years of my career, my body did everything I wanted it to do, without any problems.

The last 9 years have been different, everything isn’t as easy. This also means your artistic work changes. You find other approaches to a part.

Nonetheless you have to adopt the right attitude to deal with it. Of course I never wanted my colleagues, partners or the audience to see that my body changes. We really don’t speak about it.

Balletify:
I am surprised to hear that the dancers never really speak about their body changes. I think the exchange with others provides support and makes up your mind.

But it’s also understandable that on a professional level this might not be easy – you don’t want to whine and show any weakness.

Unfortunately, we also experience this on a recreational level. It’s quite difficult to find support or other people to exchange with when you’re injured.

I’m sure the professional dancers are in constant exchange with their massage- and physiotherapists though. For recreational dancers this is not evident, because it’s very difficult to find physiotherapists or doctors knowing the exigencies of ballet technique.

But that’s what Balletify is here for (among various things): A place to support everyone that is injured or struggles with dancing or working out. A place where you can exchange and find motivation, the right mindset and solutions for overcoming your struggles!

Loyalty

M.B.: There were times I had to be patient and sit things out. Turns out, this enriching and important lesson was good for me.
Especially in a big company sometimes you just have to wait and work on, till your dreams come true.

Balletify:
I love his mindset because despite coming from the ballet world, it applies to every situation in life, private or at work, that asks you to be patient.

A helpful reminder that situations which need to be sat out always teach you a lesson. They train your focus, stamina and make you grow! When you work towards a goal or a dream, your effort is never wasted, whatever time it takes to reach them.

Your Point(e):

Do you struggle with an injury? Do you have access to a physiotherapist / doctor that knows ballet?
Which support do you need the most right now (motivation, help with mindset…)?

If you missed Part 1 and 2, here they are:
Interview with a ballet dancer – Part 1
Interview with a ballet dancer – Part 2