The Budding Bhutanese Ballerina: Pirouetting Positivity

Creating poetry does not have to be limited to only the page. Dancers are considered to be the great poets of movement, creating emotion and depth with each twirl and spin. Great dancers are not created simply by their knowledge of proper technique but also for the true passion they have for their art.  Birthed in the extravagant ballrooms of Renaissance Italy which reflects the origin of its name, the word ‘Ballet’ stems from the Italian word “ballare” meaning ‘to dance’.

This art from has travelled from the gilded fifteenth century Italian courts to current day where bright and jubilant 26-year-old Leiden Doma brings ballet to mirrored dance studios in emerging Bhutan,

“I cannot express enough how I truly enjoy dancing. I find that dance is culturally rich and enlightening. It is another beautiful form of storytelling, in which the body moves with energy through space and time.” Leiden gushed.

Leiden’s love for dance has truly been a lifelong one as it goes back as far as she can remember. During her childhood, with no dance classes accessible at that time in Bhutan, she turned to other outlets such as musicals and movies to learn and engage with the artform. In her living room she would lovingly mimic the movements of the dancers on the screen, hoping to one day actively pursue her passion for dance.

Leiden’s life unfolded with her growing up in America, Bhutan and India, where finally in an international boarding school called Woodstock in Uttarakhand, she was able to take her first informal class in ballet. Inspired, Leiden took just one official dance class in college and left with the giddy feeling that this was what she was destined to do and was determined to major in it.  In fact, she based her college independent thesis on ‘Importing Ballet to Bhutan” studying the parallels of the dance culture between traditional Bhutanese dance and ballet, exploring how culture and identity can be discovered through dance,

 “My relationship with dance has always been something very personal to me. It’s been a cause of regret not being able to learn from an earlier age - to a source of pure elation after finally making it a part of my life.  Movement brings me so much happiness and also inspires introspection and motivates me to do better-- which keeps me continually exploring and learning.” Leiden shared.

Having experienced first-hand the need for dance classes that she wished for as a young aspiring dancer, Leiden was driven to create a space for young dancers to find their feet and rhythm. While the ongoing pandemic delayed and then halted the construction of her own dance studio, Leiden undeterred, took up an offer by Gokab, a prolific dance studio in Thimphu to hold ballet classes for children between the ages of three to ten years old. Leiden’s ballet classes were met with excitement as Bhutanese parents embraced the opportunity for their little ones’ to find their happy feet. Before she knew it, Leiden’s whole week was booked by nearly 30 to 40 tiny prima ballerinas in pink leotards and frilly tutus curious and excited to step into their own dance journey,

“I’m hoping the children will gain a unique form of expression and storytelling. With ballet being the foundation for all western styles of movement, it’s a good tool for the children to have when they do explore other forms of dance. Earlier on, I never had the opportunity to learn technique, and so I’m enthusiastic to provide the children with a platform to freely and creatively explore dance” Leiden said.

COVID-19 has so often caused stillness and stagnation but instead, true to her love of movement, Leiden pushes forward and evolves, finding herself during this period transitioning from dance student to teacher and has slowly observed her impact on the lives of her students, through small but noticeable changes and improvement in their posture, flexibility and co-ordination. These changes have created a deep sense of joy and contentment in Leiden’s heart.

“During this time, I learnt how important it is to be keep myself creatively stimulated in order to be fulfilled and content. As much as I hope to impact the children’s lives, they have equally impacted mine. Allowing me to connect with young dancers, to stay motivated and active during this period has been so rewarding. Ballet is for everyone, yes, even boys too, just as painting is for everyone! To reassure those who are a bit timid to start learning ballet, I assure you it is not as scary or hard as it may seem, one sure step is all it takes.” Leiden encouraged.

Article contributed by Jetsuen Wangmo for the UN/JICA We Care We Share Initiative