Lucia Lacarra

Lucia Lacarra, 33, is a principal dancer for Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, Germany. Originally from San Sebastián, Spain, she studied and performed with Victor Ullate in Madrid and then danced as a principal for Roland Petit’s Ballets de Marseille and San Francisco Ballet. The Spanish ballerina challenged herself to pursue classicalism throughout her career and has been praised for her natural fluidity and delicate aura, along with her endless extension, intricate footwork and brilliant musicality.

Lucia has received honors including the Prix Nijinsky (2002), the Prix Benois (2003) and the Spanish Premio Nacional de Danza (2005). And in 2007, the Spanish government hailed Lucia’s artistry by making her an honorary citizen and cultural messenger of her hometown! —Kathleen Glynn

 

Dear Lucia,

I know you’re in a difficult moment right now. You’re 18, and you’ve been dancing professionally for three years already. Dancing is everything you ever wanted in life—so how come you feel so unhappy all of a sudden?

Look deep inside to find the answer to that question. You’ll realize that you’re just in need of a change. Discover new things and in doing so, you’ll discover yourself. There are many different companies, styles and choreographers in the world, and you’re simply scared of missing something important if you stay too long in the same place.

You’re ready to take a step forward. Don’t feel bad about leaving your first company. The people there may not like it in the beginning, but trust me—soon they’ll realize you just needed to follow your own path. You’ll learn a lot from taking this leap. It will make you stronger and more confident in the quality of your work. Slowly, you will learn, progress and grow as an artist.

Trust your instincts. They won’t ever let you down. And fight for the chance to be happy doing what you love—dancing.

Love,

Lucia