My First Semester of College When I first signed up for this class, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to meet new people interested in ballet, but I didn't I never thought that would be the case. have a greater impact on myself. For example, I didn't think I could connect the world of ballet to my economics and statistics class that I'm also currently enrolled in, but that's exactly what I started doing. Over the past 15 weeks, I have learned a lot about myself, about life and about ballet. The course is not what I had imagined; however, I wouldn't change anything about the class as a whole. Ballet, like everything else, has a rich history that, while it may not seem important or interesting, is essential to understanding where it is today and where it could be tomorrow. That's exactly what this course showed every week. It shows the evolution of ballet and its impact on the world we live in today, even though it may not be as popular as it once was. During the first five weeks we focused mainly on the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, in all honesty. I found it boring when we were talking about the key information and people from this time period, but now that we are nearing the end of the semester, I wish I had a better knowledge of Balanchine's three original "ballerina babies." Nevertheless, I gained a new appreciation for the rich history of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and learned so much information that I never could have without these classes. Overall, from the first five weeks of class, if I had to take away one key element, or one topic that had the biggest impact on my life, it would be George Balanchine. Even though Balanchine appears in ballet in any period...in the middle of an article...a conversation, it became clear to me that ballet is much more than I initially thought. I am so grateful to have come to this realization. Ballet and dance in general are everywhere. From images on billboards, to alcohol advertisements, to people celebrating life. Dance is part of it, has been and will continue to be part of it. I want to make sure I do everything I can to spread this reason and love of dance to those who haven't yet been exposed to it. I think that's when you discovered something you're truly passionate about, when you want others to share the same passion as you. I wouldn't have known this about myself if I hadn't taken this class, if we hadn't studied the Ballet Russe, George Balanchine, the multiple forms of ballet and how difficult it is, from one point from a commercial point of view, to succeed..