The Pointe of Freedom
Inspired by “I, Pencil” by Leonard Read
What does a 500 year old art form which was made popular by courtesans and known for its uniformity possibly have to teach us about freedom? Freedom is not merely about the absence of constraints but is also about how disciplined we are with that independence. For instance, in order to be a good pointe dancer you have to learn how to prosper within the structure that is the pointe shoe. Although ballet and libertarian ideas are both hundreds of years old, thankfully neither one is stagnant - both are gracefully holding true to the words of Thomas Jefferson that “institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times.”
A ballet slipper is a simple, flexible, soft shoe made from either leather or canvas. It is the first shoe you will get when you begin learning ballet which features either a full sole or a split sole design and appears in an iconic soft blush pink color. The ballet slipper is not the elegant, structured pointe shoe that you typically see on stage in professionally executed ballet productions. No, the ballet slipper is the humble beginning that every young dancer hopes will lead to an elite ending.
When you are a brand new ballet dancer you and your ballet slippers will spend countless hours in the studio as you learn all the foundations that ballet is built on. You will practice your five positions, you will make tiny corrections which your teacher will diligently give you, and you will build strength one class at a time. Because of this consistency and repetition of movements you will see yourself slowly improve. The pointe shoe represents the achievement of all this practice while the ballet slipper represents the unseen work behind the accomplishment.
Just like the work of defending freedom, learning foundations is not always glamorous. Just like citizens should not depend too much on the state, ballet dancers who wish to develop should not depend too much on their shoes. Although you can choose the shoe that works best for you - at a certain point your own capability, talent, and sense of personal responsibility must take over. When you are well versed in your foundations and strongly convicted in your own responsibility, freedom will be able to take flight in you.
Because it’s important that we spend time learning about and honoring the humble beginnings of both, ballet and freedom are easily comparable. We can honor those beginnings by putting in the work to understand why a certain barre exercise exists or why the Founding Fathers included certain intentional phrases in their writings. Ballet and freedom both require choosing to be deeply dedicated to your cause or craft every moment of every single day. Dancers and patriots who are able to remain steadfast will be awarded with the weightless feeling that is personal liberation.
