Queensland Ballet principal (make that former) dancer Matthew Lawrence faces retirement.
Finished. Done. The final curtain has fallen. Just five minutes ago, I was a dancer. Surrounded by farewell glitter, applauded by thousands and embraced by colleagues. Now, wiping off my make-up seems aptly symbolic -- like wiping away 18 dancing years in an instant -- as, abruptly, I am not a dancer.
Retiring from dance is Band-Aid-pulling sudden. From age seven, dancing, being a dancer, has been the focus of my life. Though I admit that in my formative years the passion was more my dad’s than my own – ballet subtly infected me, until I became covered in ballet warts (a similar analogy was given to me by an Anglican minister concerning the potential contagion of dance). Emulating the greats: Baryshnikov, Nureyev, Mukhamedov and later Aussie icon Steven Heathcote, became my ambition, my life’s direction. There have been many stage-miles, many characters, many roles, many turn-, jump (pyrotechnic)- obsessed moments, and many mirror crafting hours. All over.
This is an extract from Matthew Lawrence's regular column in Dance Australia (April/May issue).
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