Ballet as an art form epitomizes perfection, striving, competition and devotion, and to those outside of its world, its dancers seem to achieve the superhuman on a daily basis. In The Ballerina Mindset, Megan Fairchild, principal ballerina with New York City Ballet, takes readers behind the scenes, not just into the world of dance, but into what it takes to succeed in a mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting career.
Fairchild shares lessons learned over two decades that feel relevant even to non-dancers. She writes about her journey toward managing perfectionism, criticism, self-doubt and anxiety, and how she learned to turn weaknesses into strengths while also embracing that she was enough as a person, flaws and all. She notes the importance of allowing space for failure and of looking beyond career goals.
Fairchild candidly shares her setbacks and the ways in which she reached out for help when needed. She discusses meditation as a tool, and offers reflections on her growth over a two-decade career. Most surprisingly, perhaps, are her ruminations on how stepping away from ballet, either to try new things or to move forward in different stages in her life, eventually strengthened her career.
While focused on the world of ballet, the advice she imparts is universal, conveyed in the tone of a slightly older, slightly wiser friend who wants readers to find a bit of a shortcut through the lessons she learned the long way around. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer