Classical and traditional dance teacher and fitness instructor. Dancer. She graduated from Secondary Ballet School in Bytom in 1988. Immediately after graduation, she entered “Śląsk” Song and Dance Ensemble, where she worked as a dance soloist until 2013. Together with the “Śląsk” Song and Dance Ensemble she performed a broad scope of dance repertory and visited numerous countries.

photo from the archive of “Śląsk” Song and Dance Ensemble

I have decided to finish my stage career in 2013. That was the moment I realised that there is no early retirement for dancers and that due to getting older, I will not be able to continue my stage career for the following dozen years. At that time, I received and accepted the proposal to work in the Silesian Education Centre as an Education Specialist.
I worked in the office and organised trips and workshops. I had a lot of office work, a lot of paperwork and a lot of planning and reporting. I worked alone, surrounded by four walls, where I spent almost whole days at the computer, with little contact with people. However, I felt that it wasn’t my cup of tea, I felt that I was suffocating. Therefore in 2016, I made an appointment for a meeting with a career counsellor within the framework of the Career Transition Programme for Dancers. When I came for the first interview I really didn’t know what to do next. The only thing I knew, was that what I had been doing so far didn’t satisfy me anymore. During the interview with the career coach, I discovered which direction I should take and I should do. This encounter helped me realise and see what I missed the most, and the conversation helped me discover new possibilities and tap into my passion for cultivating physical culture and various forms of movement.
In 2016, I decided to enter a career transition process that would fully resonate with me and my needs and dreams. In this process, the support of my family also played an important role. Currently, I am a classical and folk dance instructor, fitness instructor, coordinator of a vocal and ballet school, where I conduct, among others, dance classes. At my current place of work, I also conduct fitness workshops for seniors (which are very popular). I love to conduct classes with groups of different –  from children to senior people.
The most difficult moment in the career transition process was when I appeared for the first time among young people at the folk dance instructor course, organised at the headquarters of the Association for Art and Artistic Education. At the same time, this process was very interesting – I had a chance to meet many fascinating people and teachers, from whom I could and still can learn a lot about dance and the regions of Poland and their culture. My current work seems to me to be a natural continuation of my professional path. I do what I have always been fascinated by and I do it with more knowledge and more awareness of what I am doing. I can share my experience, my passion, I can work with movement and promote a healthy lifestyle and various forms of physical activity. I feel fulfilled. I do what I love.
It seems to me that in the career transition process the hardest part is the very decision to do it. This process can draw out for years. I think, however, one ought to be brave in deciding to finish the stage career and enter the career transition process. It is difficult. However, it is better if one makes this decision on his/her own rather than waits for the moment when someone else suggests going off the stage. If you manage to plan this transition in your head, the effort of carrying it out, in reality, will be much smaller.
My advice to other dancers is that the decision about career transition is really worth making. For us, dancers, career transition is like a second chance. It is like a new life. To the dancers who are at the beginning of their stage careers, I want to say, that being a dancer is a truly beautiful profession rich in extraordinary moments. At the same time, nowadays you have to have a “plan B” ready from the very start. Life can take different turns. You will be better off if you have an emergency exit – an alternative career at hand. And you should think about this alternative career before it is too late. You should take action in the early stages of your career – plan in order to use the opportunities to develop your competences more broadly.

Koszęcin 2019