Stage + Studio, A Louisville Ballet Blog: “Ballet Rehearsal” by Annie Honebrink

Louisville Ballet dancer Annie Honebrink shares a poem about ballet rehearsal. On their knees, tiny little hands pressed against the studio window, wide eyes gazing with wonder at the dancers. Rehearsing. All process and no arrival. Not the dancers in fancy costumes and layers of makeup to hide imperfections. The dancers with stage-lights and scenery that distract from the difficulty of the art. No. These are dancers with sweat dripping down forehead, neck, and back. Dancers straining muscles to push through the difficult movement. Dancers working working working for a goal that will never-be-completed. Dancers that once gazed with wide eyes full of wonder at ballet rehearsals. And kept dreaming dreaming dreaming until the dreams became work and the work became movement and the movement became art. The art of ballet. The art of dreams.