Tag: Love

Reclaiming my Passion

ABL_Dance
My little daughter and myself in Italy



It’s been a long, long time since I last wrote to you, and so much has changed since then. Life has taken me on a whirlwind journey, one that has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. As I sit here, in the serene beauty of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, staying in a magnificent hotel that once was an ancient castle, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement about the future.

A New Chapter Begins

The past few months have been nothing short of a roller coaster. In February, I took the plunge and started my new career as a dance teacher. After years of gracing the stage as a professional ballerina, transitioning to teaching was both a natural progression and a completely new adventure. My love for dance runs deep, and I wanted to share that passion with a new generation of dancers.

Starting my dance classes has been a mix of triumphs and trials. Some classes filled up quickly, brimming with enthusiastic students eager to learn the art of ballet. Other classes have required more effort to attract attendance, but I see this as part of the journey. Every student, every class, is a step forward, and I am committed to making each lesson a memorable experience for my pupils.

The Joys of Motherhood

Adding to the excitement, my life was blessed with the arrival of my beautiful daughter. Motherhood has been the most profound and life-altering experience. It has brought immense joy, countless sleepless nights, and a deep sense of fulfillment. Balancing my new role as a mother with my passion for dance has been challenging, but every smile from my daughter makes it all worthwhile.

A Much-Needed Break

This holiday in Emilia-Romagna couldn’t have come at a better time. The past few months have been a whirlwind, and I desperately needed a break to recharge and reconnect with myself. Our hotel, nestled in an ancient castle, feels like something out of a fairy tale. The old stone walls, the breathtaking views, and the rich history of the place create an atmosphere of tranquility and reflection.

Italy, with its warm, inviting culture, has always held a special place in my heart. Here in Emilia-Romagna, the rolling hills, the vibrant vineyards, and the charming towns offer the perfect backdrop for a much-needed retreat. This region is a feast for the senses, from the delicious cuisine to the melodic Italian language that fills the air.

Finding Balance

During this holiday, I’ve had the luxury of time – something that has been scarce in recent months. Time to relax, to reflect, and to dream about the future. It’s been a precious opportunity to find balance in my life once again. As a new mother, it’s easy to lose oneself in the demands of caring for a newborn. This trip has allowed me to reconnect with my own needs and desires.

Every morning, I take a leisurely stroll through the castle grounds, breathing in the crisp, fresh air and soaking in the beauty of the Italian countryside. These moments of solitude have been incredibly restorative. They remind me of the importance of self-care and the need to nurture my own well-being in order to be the best mother, wife, and teacher I can be.

Embracing the Future

As I look ahead, I am filled with excitement and anticipation. My return to the world of dance, now as a teacher, has reignited my passion in ways I never expected. Seeing my students grow and develop their own love for ballet is incredibly fulfilling. It reminds me of why I fell in love with dance in the first place – the grace, the discipline, and the sheer joy of movement.

I am also eager to continue my journey as a mother, watching my daughter grow and discovering the world through her eyes. This new chapter of my life is a beautiful blend of my past and my present, combining my love for dance with the deep, unconditional love I have for my family.

Gratitude and Reflection

Sitting here in this ancient castle, surrounded by the timeless beauty of Emilia-Romagna, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunities I’ve had, for the support of my loving husband, and for the gift of being a mother. Life has been a series of unexpected twists and turns, but each moment has brought me to where I am today.

I am grateful for the challenges, for they have made me stronger. I am grateful for the successes, for they have reaffirmed my passion. And I am grateful for this holiday, which has given me the time and space to reflect on my journey and to dream about the future.

A Message to My Readers

To my loyal readers who have followed my journey, thank you for your patience and support. Your encouragement has meant the world to me. I hope that my story can inspire others who may be facing their own challenges. Life is a dance, full of unexpected steps and turns, but with perseverance and passion, we can find our rhythm and move forward with grace.

As I continue my holiday in this enchanting part of Italy, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose. I am ready to embrace the future with open arms, to continue sharing my love for dance with my students, and to cherish every moment with my precious family. This is just the beginning of a new chapter, and I am excited to see where the dance of life takes me next.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more stories, more insights, and more moments of joy with you in the months and years to come.

With love and gratitude,

Lets Spread The Joy of Dance a Little Further

I am back and hoping I can raise some money for a dear friend of mine by selling my signed pointe shoes and the story that comes with them

lwjoefmy3 Comments

Hello again. How are we all? After not being on social media for a while, due to feeling personally a little strange about posting about my lucky circumstances compared to other people’s difficult situations all around the world at the moment, I have decided to come back for a reason and am hoping you lovely people out there may help me a little.

At home during lockdown trying to stay in shape and motivated but now grateful that was as hard as it got for me

With the world going through what it is at the moment causing many people to loose their loved ones and livelihoods I feel beyond grateful for getting through the crisis pretty much unscathed so far. I am back doing what I love in the studio, and even on stage spreading the joy of dance to a live audience once more. My hope is to now spread that joy a little further and help someone who means a lot to me.

Meeting the lovely Pia for the third time in Bangkok

Her name is Pia. She is a dear friend of mine from Thailand. I have written about her before because dance actually brought us together while I was on tour in Bangkok with the Staatsballett Karlsruhe back in 2013. We met when she was my Masseur in the Thai massage parlour we always went to and even though we could only communicate very simply, she was so sweet and kind it was the beginning of our long distance friendship.

It was sealed when I offered Pia a bouquet of flowers I received from the Princess of Thailand after performing for her as our guest of honour. I wanted to give her a small thank you and seeing as the people of Thailand love their Royal family, I thought she would really appreciate it and could see what an impression she had already left on me..

Performing ‘Sonata’ with Admil Kuyler in Bangkok for the Princess of Thailand the year I met Pia

Two years later I returned to Bangkok for the same dance festival and was eager to try to find this memorable Thai woman in the hope she could remember the little English ballerina she once massaged. Amazingly I found her on my last evening there and it was a wonderful reunion. This time we exchanged names and addresses and once I was home I sent her some gifts and a letter; written in English and badly translated Thai. Some time later she found me on Facebook; we have been in touch ever since.

I have met her once more in Bangkok since then, where she watched me perform and met my husband and I her niece. Every time we have met she has shown me so much unconditional kindness and motherly affection, she has come to mean a lot to me and me to her.

Recently however she is really struggling due to the Corona crisis in Thailand and she has not been able to work for several months. With the city not getting the needed tourists to provide work for the locals she can no longer afford the room she has in the city to be near her job.

Hearing this from her has urged me to do something to help her and her family, and although there are thousands of families in the same situation all over the world, being so connected to her I feel I need to do something for my friend. Dance brought me to Pia and dance brings joy to so many people so I hope it can bring even more than that to someone halfway across the world who’s simple, humble life is being taken away from them.

My first idea is to offer pairs of my old pointe shoes, signed and with a little message and the story that comes with the shoes to anyone who is interested and the donation will to go towards this small cause to help a friend in need. 

So please contact me if you are interested and want to help me help Pia get through this difficult situation she faces. I for one will be so grateful for anything and I know she will be even more so. You can either write to me through here, or my Facebook or Instagram accounts. I hope to hear from you soon and thank you in advance.

With love,

Harriet

“For Never Was a Story of More Woe Than this of Juliet and Her Romeo.”

After last night I just had to share with you all the wonderful experience I had during my premiere of ‘Romeo & Juliet’. I don’t know if I will be able to put it into words how much the evening meant to me or how many emotions I was feeling but I am for sure going to try.

lwjoefmy5 Comments

There were moments when Juliano Toscano and I thought our chance to perform as Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t come – our fate was for some reason not written in the stars and as more and more performances were crossed off and our names still not appearing to dance the next one, we felt the opportunity slipping away from us. Then suddenly with just two weeks notice (an insanely short amount of time to prepare for such a big ballet), our director gave us the date and we were moving, full steam ahead.

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During rehearsal time, the Balcony pas de deux

We worked so hard in the studio, with the guiding hands and eyes of our ballet mistress, often having eleven hour days in the theatre, not only preparing for this but learning another new ballet alongside it. However, despite the long hours and other responsibilities, it never really felt like work. We were both so eager to do it, pushing any doubt out of our minds that we couldn’t. We found ourselves supporting each other endlessly, which was a welcomed surprise as we hadn’t danced so much together previously. The chemistry found between us when learning the choreography at the beginning of the season with all the other casts was still there. Along with that, each day the technical aspects improved as well as us both slowly finding ways of developing the characters.

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