You’ve never felt a passion as great as the one you feel for dance. You live and breathe ballet; it’s your whole life. It’s not always easy, though. It’s a competitive industry and you always feel you have to be at the top of your game or else another dancer will take your spot.
The industry teaches you that if you’re not perfect, it’s as if you’re not worthy enough for the job. If you’ve been giving 120%, and you still don’t feel like you’re seen as good enough or you feel like you’re near a breaking point, then you’re in the right place.
Hello, I’m Susanne Puerschel. For my entire life, I knew there was nothing else for me in the world but ballet. I loved performing and I fell in love with this art form. I left home at the age of 10 to join an 8 year intensive training school. I was part of the corp de ballet in Berlin at 16, where dancing The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and La Bayadere felt like a dream come true.
My career progressed starting as a professional dancer at Staatsoper Berlin and continuing in the United States being cast in solo and principal roles in Charleston and Portland.
Snow Queen & Dew Drop
(E. Bishop)
Nutcracker, Candor Fairy, Sleeping Beauty
(Nureyev)
Titania - A Midsummer Nights Dream
(J. Bahr)
Envy - Seven Deadly Sins
(J. Bahr)
Symphony in C - Third Movement
(Balanchine)
Kitris Friend - Don Quixote
(P. Bart)
Walz and Mazurka
(Les Sylphides)
Tango-Dix
(Roland Petite)
Big Swans - Swan Lake
(P. Bart)
Carmina Burana
Marie - Wozzeck
I left ballet at 30 and it wasn’t until more than a decade later that I realized I was heartbroken over my experience and had massive regrets. Looking back I finally understood that I had only given 60-70% on stage…out of fear. This was the moment I knew I needed to do something to create change in this industry.
I want my own story to end in triumph just as much as I want it for every single dancer pursuing professional ballet.
This can be your pivotal moment, your point to rise and own your career, commit to personal development and to making a difference in the dance industry.
Start with loving yourself so you can take your power back…and you’ll love the work, love your fellow dancers and love performing for an audience even more.
We can be honest about how the dance industry works so we can redefine how dancers rise to be successful.
We can form a safe community where you don’t have to be alone and instead of competing with each other, we can support one another.
Every dancer deserves to be seen, valued
and heard.
Where every dancer feels seen, heard and understands how to thrive, while ballet companies support their dancers as true athletes by stepping up as business leaders and coaches to provide mental, physical and spiritual training as well as fair compensation for their work.