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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Eleanor Gordon-Smith

I love dance so much. How do I decide if I want it as a career or just a hobby?

Eleanor
A ballerina and a woman dressed in black sit slumped on a bench
‘You can’t decide to be a professional dancer. You only can decide to try to be a professional dancer.’ Painting: Waiting by Edgar Degas (circa 1882) Photograph: Ian Dagnall Computing/Alamy

I’m very confused. I love dance so much that I’ve been working towards a career in it since forever, but now I wonder if it is just a fun hobby. I’m not sure I can make it as a dancer, as I feel I’m not that good and I keep getting injuries. I’ve also heard that dance careers are hard and the working environments are not nice. How do I decide if I want this as a career or just as a hobby?

Eleanor says: Great question. Not, do I be a dancer, but, how do I decide whether to be a dancer?

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