Cruelty Free - Vegan Pointe Shoes

photo by Piotr Leczkowski

As the World changes and the awarness of where things are coming from and what they are made of is increasing everyday I would like to add to this increasing a little something.

Maybe/hopefully after reading this article next time You will look at Your pointe shoes (if You still use traditional pointe shoes)  it will never look same to You.

Maybe next time You will buy non-lether and there for cruelty free pointe shoes.

Maybe You will go directly to Your director in company and order vegan pointe shoes for Yourself and will try to talk to Your colegues about going for CRUELTY FREE Pointe Shoes.

I simply have this dream that one day all dance shoes producers will turn too crulety free production.

Be open minded - ballet at tattoo convention

On 14th of October I had privilege to be star of the evening at Warsaw Tattoo Convention 2018.

This incredibly mind opening event took place for the sixth time and was truly amazing!!! 

It is one of the biggest European tattoo events that people from all around the World know of and take part in. Few hundred artists doing tattoos in different techniques and people who decide to have tattoo done in front of others  - that is something to see.

At this event You can meet people who are all covered in tattoos or don't have tattoos at all, but want one in near future. You can meet doctors, lawyers, salesmen, nurses, accounting managers, presidents of associations, artists of all kind, photographers, musicians - all having one in common - LOVE FOR TATTOOS.

Ballet bodies - anguish and ecstasy

Many people after or while reading it will think - how such a beautiful creatures - ballet dancers - can think so badly of themselves? Oh, believe me - we can and we do and here is why:

Ever since we are little - around 9 - we are being judged - not of what we can do with our bodies, but what we look like. What are proportions of our bodies, what is our height, what are our dimensions. Later on it only gets worse, because we start to be very aware of that cruel evaluation - because if you do not look certain way - you will never be the best or even good - you will be just another dancer, just another imperfect thing to be ordered around. With the time we abuse our bodies more and more.

"We are not a pair of worn pointe shoes" - about dignity in ballet

Dignity - this is such a strong word that so few people understand or/and have personal experience with. It carries so much positive energy, yet to release it in human being it requires huge mental strength and also special conditions. Most of the times the dignity is born when human being is pushed to limits, to so called boarders of mental endurance, because of some happenings, yet more often because of other human beings behaviors. 

The strength which is required to release the dignity is not easy to find especially in a very competitive world of ballet, which gives so much as takes away at the same time. Often what it takes away are simple human behaviors: simple kindness, understanding, companionship, patience. Very often the fragile once when become a victim or observe such a lack of humanity towards others dancers in the end they rebel against such a phenomena and build dignity. Yet does it have to be this way?

Broken foot - what it means to ballerina 4

A year ago - on 15th of December 2015 I broke my foot. I was preparing new combination for my students, I wanted to challenge them with the speed of simple entrechat trois and maybe I wanted to challenge myself even more. I played new, quicker version of music and in one moment in the air I did;t know what exactly I want to do - still entrechat trots or something else. This moment costed me broken foot, pain, fear of never going back to professional dance. Breaking foot was to me fear #1 - (when it comes to my dancing), I couldn't imagine myself breaking anything and well...yet I did and I had to face it and be brave. 

"Being humble = asking no question" - about dignity in ballet world

Why should I be humble when someone says and tells me that I should?
Should I be humble only because it is part of tradition of the ballet?
But as history shows things changes and what was right in past doesn't always have any right of being in nowadays reality.

Shouldn't I be humble when I choose and towards things I choose?

Isn't being humble against being true artist?

I have a feeling that being humble in ballet is a part of violent education where at the beginning students and later on brain washed dancers are not suppose to question anything and anyone and what more ask any question.
They are suppose to be thankful for being scram at, being pushed around and treated with no dignity.

Broken foot - what it means for ballerina 3

Natalia Maria Wojciechowska by Piotr Leczkowski

Exactly three months ago I broke my foot... What an amazing thing for a ballerina to break a foot. I felt like I lost my hand/head/everything.

All I felt back then was fear and many emotions without name. I was crying without knowing why I cry. I had to learn from the very beginning to name the emotions, to separate them from what I see and experience and feel and think. I had to teach myself what my emotionality is and how it affects or doesn't affect on me life. I had to see myself as somebody new. a person I knew for such a long time, but didn't want to let in for the same long time.