English Ballet

Hi • Josephine • 22 • ballet • mental illness fighter • Instagram: Josekerrigan

[englishballetandtea]

I won my second drawing competition and I’m thrilled! Go take a look at (maybe follow) my instagram, ByJoseKerrigan, and help me get noticed, so hopefully I can get closer to my dream of becoming a professional artist! It would mean the world to me; thanks everyone! xx

[englishballetandtea]

I deleted everything and started over. This time the watermark is minimal and I am posting many more different styles and techniques. Go follow ByJoseKerrigan on instagram to see what Im doing! 😄⭐️

[charlottewinslow]

[lovely-kittens-blog-blog]

[englishballetandtea]

Staatsballett Berlin. Stage rehearsal of Balanchine’s Jewels. Photo by @Pauliosovari.

[englishballetandtea]

Staatsballett Berlin. Photo by @Pauliosovari.

[englishballetandtea]

RDB Sylphs behind stage

[coup-doeil]

Christian Louboutin’s nudes

[dancesource]

[englishballetandtea]

I just received my ball blanket from protac today, and I pray it will help me sleep tonight. I have been having all my usual nightmares back 100 % for the last two weeks, and I have been so exhausted and tired that I haven’t been able to do anything at all. Normally, it helps when Dennis sleeps next to me, but tonight it couldn’t do the trick. My therapist believes my chronic nightmares are caused by fear, and wants to discuss the sexual abuse. I want to talk about it, but I just can’t. Fingers crossed for this new duvet!

[englishballetandtea]

Hey guys

I am trying to answer some of all your messages and asks, and I am now realising that I am not all sure of which have been answered and which have not. So, if you have messaged me or asked me anything, and you feel I haven't answered, feel free to ask me again. Sorry for being this late, a lot has been going on in my life. xx

[englishballetandtea]

Hi Josephine! Im a small town girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina. I wish to be welcomed in a company one day. The only problem is I'm quite overweight. I've been told by some family members that I should give up on that dream. They even have a job set in their mind of what I'm going to do. I'm scared, do they discriminate in company's because of weight? Should I do what my family is pushing me towards?

Hello sweet anon, I have a few things to tell you about this, but the most important part to remember is that you can be everything you want to be, if you put in the work! Really hold onto that thought!Being overweight can be difficult in the ballet world for different reasons; It can be hard on your body, especially when you're en pointe bc it will put extra pressure on your feet and your ancles, which can damage them if you dance a lot, so you should keep that in mind. It may be a problem, depending on your strength. Be aware of any pain there, that's not just the usual damn-my-nail-fell-off-again thing.I'm certain your family is just thinking of your well-being with their ideas of what you should and shouldnt do. And it can be difficult to be overweight as a dancer. A lot of companies dont pick heavy dancers, but that does not count for all of them! I have seen some quite heavy dancers do really well in the ballet world, and they were beautiful and graceful and skilled. So I think you should do the following:Focus on your strength, especially in your feet. Dance your butt off! Show your family and your teacher that you can dance just as well as any ballerina! Find companies that do not discriminate (they are there, I promise!). Become a beautiful and curvy ballerina and live your dream! xoxo

[englishballetandtea]

Hi Josephine, hope all is well! I just have a question regarding ballet and ballet companies. Do they discriminate when it comes to weight? I'm quite big for my age, but healthy! I'm just wondering if you have any helpful tips for loosing weight and achieving that ballet look. ❤️❤️❤️

Hello, thank you! I hope you are doing great and not having too harsh thoughts towards yourself and your appearance.Firstly; If you want to dance, dance. Just put in the work, the focus, and stay healthy. Know that a certain weight will give you "the look", but realise that the weight can not do it on its own, and that it may be too hard to maintain, both mentally and physically. Okay; Small companies will not typically deny you access bc of your weight, even though they may suggest you lose weight so as not to hurt your body (especially your feet!). If you are planning on making ballet your way of living though, I would suggest you lose some weight if you consider your weight to be a problem. However, your strength is just as important (also regarding the ballet look) and besides, heavy dancers do exist professionally. But if your weight is hurting you over time or if it's limiting your movement, you should aim for a "normal" and healthy weight for someone your height and frame. I am aware that not everyone will develop an eating disorder, but I also know that when first you begin to lose weight, and especially when you compare yourself to other dancers, it can surprise you how easily you fall into the habbits of an anorectic. So be very careful when you begin to slim down.That being said, i do have some suggestions as to how you lose excess weight:Food wise: You say you eat healthy, which is key. Simply eat enough so that you are not hungry, but don't eat just to eat. One thing I constantly tell myself, still, is not to eat everything on your plate, if you are already full. It's just a (bad) habbit our parents taught us when we were children and needed food to grow. Today, if you eat slowly and you realise you are full, stop eating. Eat clean and moderately, as best you can, and you'll be good.Regarding workout, you obviously need that too to achieve the "ballet look". How much you should work out to lose weight depends on how much you dance and how strong you are already. If you dance a lot and are planning on making it your living, I believe it should be enough, and that only changing your diet should do the trick.If you only dance a few times a week however, I think you should focus on cardio first (if you cannot dance all your cardio, I found cycling to be really helpful, for both weightloss and building muscle), and afterwards focus on basic legwork.Okay, I hope I answered your questions, and that you'll do everything you can to not develop an eating disorder, bc it is so damned difficult to get rid of it.Now go dance your feet off! xoxo

[lasylphidedubolchoi]

Backstage at the Mariinsky Theatre

Photo by Marc Olich

[lasylphidedubolchoi]

Photo by Darian Volkova (?)

[englishballetandtea]

Le Corsaire, Mikhailovsky Ballet.

[somaymalou]

Vaganova students (so cute!)