Do Children Lack The Discipline Needed To Dance?

Tamara Rojo said that many of today’s children are often praised for quick results rather than hard work.

12:21 07 April 2015

Tamara Rojo, the principal dancer at the English National Ballet says that many of today’s pupils lack the discipline to succeed. She added that children are often praised for quick results rather than hard work. 

 

"We live in a society that rewards fast success based on little talent or commitment, which is transient and a dangerous place to be," she said.

 

"Do we want to promote instant success and instant failure, or do we want to promote self-esteem and hard work?"

 

The Spanish dancer began classes at the age of five and joined her first ballet company aged 11. 

 

"I never had natural flexibility or the physical abilities that some people had.

 

"I had a strong technique and was hard-working - I trained for six hours, six days a week from the age of 11 - and that made up for the things I didn't naturally have.

 

"I rose up the company very fast and was a principal by 18."