39: Life Beyond the Mirror — Elna Matamoros

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Elna Matamoros, Ballet Mistress at</span> <a href="http://balletnacional.mcu.es/"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ballet Nacional de España</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Born and raised in Madrid, Elna was trained in dance by her mother, following the Danish National Ballet School. Elna then moved to the United States to attend the Joffrey Ballet School, prior to spending a decade with Ballet Nacional de España. After a stint with Compañia Nacional de Danza, Matamoros rejoined Ballet Nacional de España in 2019. In addition to her accomplishments with dance companies, Elna is the published writer of three books and holds a PhD in Aesthetics from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having spent over two decades teaching and writing about dance, Elna spends time the podcast sharing insights from her deep well of wisdom. In the conversation, Elna paints the picture of a dancer at the Ballet Nacional de España, shares advice around keeping longstanding routines fresh and new, describes how her writing has influenced her performance on the stage, and ultimately challenges her listeners to go beyond their traditional ideas about dance, broaden their horizons and explore new ideas.</span></p> <p><br /> <br /></p> <p><strong>Moving Quotes:</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We spend so much time in front of the mirror practicing our form. But there is life behind turns. There is life beyond the mirror. So go and think and talk to people and exchange ideas. Learn new styles and talk to other artists. Because all of that made dance what it is today."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think that ballet training is the best training for any dancer from any kind of dance."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sometimes life directs you in the right way. And sometimes we don’t realize until years past."</span></p